Location of DAB in A6 avant

[humphrey999]

Hi, can anyone with an A6 (4F) Avant with DAB tell me where in their car it's installed. I'm lookig toretrofit it but I can't work out where it would normally go. I see in the A8 it's in the boot behind the tuner/nav stack but that space doesn't seem available in the A6. Any ideas? Has anyone successfully retrofitted it themselves?
Thanks,
H

[Issac Hunt]

I fitted it to mine. It goes in the boot next the nav computer.

[humphrey999]

OK thanks Issac, in the stack underneath or above the navigation DVD or to one side?

If you have a minute can you answer some other questions? My understanding is that the DAB antenna is already fitted to the avant, where did you find the 'other end' to plug into the DAB unit? Did you use a power splitter and MOST ring adaptor such as you can use to put an additional changer in the glove box? Presumably you had to go to Audi to have the component protection removed, unless you bought the unit new? I have VCDS so coding is not a problem. Thanks in advance!

[Issac Hunt]

I believe the plastic stack that all the mmi parts are housed in is different for DAB cars so instead of replacing it I just cable-tied the DAB unit to the side of the stack.

I used the adapters that came with the kit, just like adding a CD changer.

There is no component protection on the DAB unit so no need to involve Audi at all.

[humphrey999]

Thanks Issac, last questions -can you remember whether you needed to plug an antenna into the DAB unit and where you found the lead in the car? From the sounds of it it was pretty straight forward? Did you buy the kit from kufatec?

[joshA6]

OK thanks Issac, in the stack underneath or above the navigation DVD or to one side?

If you have a minute can you answer some other questions? My understanding is that the DAB antenna is already fitted to the avant, where did you find the 'other end' to plug into the DAB unit? Did you use a power splitter and MOST ring adaptor such as you can use to put an additional changer in the glove box? Presumably you had to go to Audi to have the component protection removed, unless you bought the unit new? I have VCDS so coding is not a problem. Thanks in advance!

DAB Antenna is part of the avant rear side windows, so you will need some other type of antenna as you wont have this side glass if you car came without DAB.
The other end ofr all the aerials are in the left hand boot compartment above and forwards by about 9 inches from the hifi rack. You need to bend down to see them. You will only have connectors for the aerials that the car needed as part of it's factory options. My car seems to have 4 sockets which are labelled.
My factory DAB unit has it's own loom (not sure where this gets picked up from), it also has it'w own length of fibre optic
As said earlier, there is no component protection on DAB.

hope this helps

[Issac Hunt]

The avant side window has the DAB aerial in wether you have factory fitted DAB or not. My car is a saloon so I changed the rear side window for one with a DAB aerial in it.

I used a Kufatec kit for mine but I guess you should be able to find the connector you need at the base of the window, and connect a cable (from Audi or Kufatec etc) between the window and the DAB unit.

[joshA6]

The avant side window has the DAB aerial in wether you have factory fitted DAB or not.

I did not know that. That's damn helpful (for a change) for DAB retrofit. In which case, the DAB aerial connector point will be present where I said. It seems that the standard radio and the DAB share the aerial connection points on a factory set up.

[humphrey999]

Thanks guys, yes I knew that the avant has the aerial fitted from the factory and I can see the antenna amplifier with the four coloured fakra connectors but they disappear off into the D pillar and I fear I will need to dismantle everything to see where they go. I assume that I DO need to plug an antenna into the DAB unit but I just don't know where the plug will be.

Issac, presumably you had three things to plug into your retrofit unit; power, MOST and the aerial? Whereabouts in the car did you find where to plug the aerial into? Did the kit come with a splitter or similar that fitted inbetween the tuner and the car?

[Issac Hunt]

Yes the DAB had three connections, power, fibre optic and aerial. I used splitters to tap into the cars harness for power and fibre optic. It went between the tuner and nav unit in the MOST ring.

The aerial connector (from window) wasn't a FAKRA connector. Just a normal, small black three pin plug. This then went to the amplifier and then its a FAKRA connector from there into the DAB box. The wire from the window on my saloon was very short, under 3 inches. I used the wires from the kit to plug into this and then the other end into DAB unit.

[humphrey999]

I suppose because you had to fit the new glass you knew exactly where the connector for the aerial was but in my car, becasee it's already fitted I have to find it! In that respect my job is a bit harder even though the part is already fitted. thansk for all your help and advice, I'll get my tool kit out...

Do you enjoy the DAB, is it worthwhile retrofitting?

[Issac Hunt]

I know you have the correct glass but does the avant have it wired from the glass to the amplifier?

Pop off the trim and see where the wires go is prob the easiest way to tell.

I liked the DAB, it was worth the effort for me.

[humphrey999]

All good points, thanks.

[joshA6]

Do you enjoy the DAB, is it worthwhile retrofitting?

Get it, you will be amazed.

[humphrey999]

Can someone with DAB (Isaac or Josh?!) tell me what the part number is for the DAB antenna amplifier? The one that sits at the base of the C pillar on the right hand side of the boot in the avant, sorry, no idea where it is in the saloon, LHS I think. Thanks!

[Issac Hunt]

Yes it's behind the left hand pillar in the saloon. I can't recall it's number though but it came in the Kufatec kit I used. I imagine any dealer will know the number, or anyone with ETKA access.

[humphrey999]

Thanks, I'm too tight to buy the kufatec kit. I've bought their harness but i sourced a DAB unit from ebay and the only bit I'm missing now is the antenna amp but I'll be damned if I can find it advertised anywhere apart from in one of the retrofit kits, not even on ebay.de! If I could find out the part number I'd order one form Virdee Autos and it would arrive tomorrow...

If you get bored tomorrow staring into your boot....

[humphrey999]

Found this: http://audi.vag-zapchasti.ru/list.php?id=28809&mod=A6&year=2008 - plugged it into google translate it gives me the part number - 4F9035225S, the last letter is all important!

[ukvet]

I am thinking of retrofitting DAB also so can anybody tell me that after the DAB unit and aerial amplifier and associated cables are installed does the MMI unit pick up the DAB menu or will it require coding to the car ?

[humphrey999]

It needs coding but that's easy enough and shouldn't put you off, there are plenty of people who can help you with this. After Installation you need to code the CAN Gateway (address 19) to DAB, you need to set Bit 3 into Byte 5. Where are you based?

[ukvet]

I live in merseyside but do a lot of travelling around the country. How are you getting on with the hardware install? i have had a quick look on ebay but can't find any control units or aerial amp, breakers maybe ?

[Issac Hunt]

DAB wasn't a very popular option so not that many cars had it fitted. You wont see many of the parts Ebay, they do appear now and again but they are hard to find.

I bought my complete kit from www.kufatec.de

[humphrey999]

Although I managed to get mine from ebay.co.uk by far the best availability is from ebay.de e.g.190542314876. Then you need a harness and I did get mine from kufatec.co.uk (http://www.kufatec.co.uk/shop/product_info.php/info/p1462_c111_DAB-Digital-Radio---wiring---Audi-A6-4F-MMI-2G.html). Then you need an antenna amp and I got mine for £35 from Virdee Autos (a great place to source mail order Audi parts). You get instructions to retrofit with the Kufatec harness. Then you need to find someone to code it in.

[humphrey999]

OK, so my efforts have hit the buffers. I have received the signal amp and stripped the trim back but there are no wires soldered to the window to connect it to. Does anyone know, if I wire up my own connector which aerial postition corresponds to each pin? There seem to be three pin positions on the amp; L, R and S. There are three positions on the window to solder to, which letter should match which position?!

[ukvet]

Be very careful soldering to the glass don't want to make it more expensive ! Keep us informed thanks.

[humphrey999]

A very helpful man called Mike Jones has given me the following information:

Don't solder to the glass - it tends to shatter it - use conductive glue - I bought some off ebay.

"there are three pads on the glass, I will call them top middle and bottom. Top and bottom (ground) are linked into a single wire and connect to the "RC" pin on the amplifier and the middle pad (signal) connects to the "DAB" pin on the amplifier. The unmarked pin on the amplifier is not used."

Part numbers: The connector is 1C0 973 119b £1.75 and the repair wire (you will need 2) is
000979009E £2.45 but apparently they come in a bag of 5

[humphrey999]

Here you are ukvet! fleabay item: 250894962796

[ukvet]

Thanks will keep my eye on it. BTW i've never heard of conductive glue so did you go for a uk or foreign one. Did you get the connectors from audi themselves. Keep us informed again ta.

[humphrey999]

I got this for glue 120771301360, it's basically regular glue with silver/ graphite chips in it as far as I can see. I get all my audi parts from Virdee Autos who operate a very fast efficient mail order service. I'll PM you with their details... Mike gave me the part numbers for the repair wire, connectors etc... I'll pass them on to you.

[humphrey999]

OK all installed and working great! Couple of points, the 'glue' I ordered was in fact a silver varnish. So instead I used superglue between the wire and the contact and them painted the silver varnish over it to get the connection and it seems to work fine. Secondly I originally ordered male connections on the repair wires and you need female but I have updated the part number in previous post now. I used super strong and large velcro strips to attach the DAB unit to the side of the electronics stack in the boot and all seems well.

[ukvet]

Thanks for that 999. Can I ask whether it is driver or passenger side that the dab element is in and what is your reception like as I have tried an external aerial with patchy success thanks.

[humphrey999]

The DAB element is in the drivers side boot window. So as you look into the boot it's in the right hand glass. The three connector pads are right up against the C pillar so furthest away from the tailgate. Reception is so far excellent but I haven't had an excuse to drive anywhere yet!
14871

[humphrey999]

14872
This might be a bit clear but the quality of the install is not great!

[ukvet]

Thanks for that. Good job I asked as I was about to rip apart the lh side by the dvd unit ! Look a good job to me and you'll never know once its covered. Thanks again.

[humphrey999]

I had left off the c pillar trim from a previous foray. You need to remove the right hand side lining of the boot and the nut at the base of the pin that the rear seat back locks into as well as the runner along the bottom of the RHS trim. Only then can you get to the screw at the base of the C-pillar trim to release it. Good luck, ask if you need anything.

[ukvet]

I didn't realise that is where the amplifier goes. Is that where Audi fit them as well ?

[ukvet]

You mention the "connector". I presume that is the blank one onto the aerial amplifier so where does the "repair" wire go. Do you please have the amp part number - well you did say just ask lol ! Thanks.

[humphrey999]

No problem! The Amp is 4F9035225S I bought it new for £35 from Virdee Motors (gurjeet_virdee@hotmail.com) and got it delivered first class. You then need a connector, 2x repair wires, the screw and the fixing, some silver varnish and superglue.

The connector fits into the amp and the repair wires fit into the connector from the aerial pads, the connector arrives empty. My photo shows the amp in the standard audi position.

Get the amp and I'll issue further instructions! The varnish from ebay takes the longest to arrive.

[rob_bot]

Has anyone done this for the A6 saloon?

I am guessing it is the same amp and the rear glass has the antenna that needs soldering/glueing?

Photos would be dead helpful as I already have the DAB tuner and fibre stuff from Kauftec.

Thanks

[Issac Hunt]

Has anyone done this for the A6 saloon?

I am guessing it is the same amp and the rear glass has the antenna that needs soldering/glueing?

Photos would be dead helpful as I already have the DAB tuner and fibre stuff from Kauftec.

Thanks

Yes, I fitted it to mine as I mentioned earlier in the thread. 57 plate saloon.

You need to replace the passenger side rear quater-light window for a window that has the DAB antenna. As the saloon DOES NOT come from the factory with the DAB antenna fitted in the window. The avant does but the saloon does not. I think the window was about £80 from my Audi dealer.

Then its a simple process to plug everything and install the unit into the fibreoptic loop/ I put the DAB unit next to the nav computer in the left hand side of the boot area. You can feed the wiring down behind the trims into the boot. Took me about 2 hours. The you need VAGCOM to code everything into the car correctly.

[rob_bot]

Hello,
Thanks for the reply. Do you have a part number for the glass? There seems to be a lot of conflicting needs for this antenna though.
Kauftec say I need the glass but my dealer says there is no such part and it is in the rear glass.:confused::confused:
I have vagcom so can recode no probs but the only stumbling block is the antenna.
How much did it cost for the fitting of the glass? To be honest the side glass seems an easier option than mess about with conducive paint/solder.

[Issac Hunt]

The conductive paint solder option wont be a good looking thing I reckon! The window I got has the DAB antenna built in. To try and add this yourself to a 'normal' window will be messy and next to impossible I reckon. It certainly wont look like a factory fit! I doubt the reception will be upto much either.

Your dealer is talking garbage. Your car is the same year as mine so you certainly dont have DAB antenna in your original window. Only the AVANT comes with this from the factory. Maybe thats where your dealers confusion lies?.

I havent got the part number to hand I'm afraid but its easy to find the right window on the dealers ETKA parts system. I think it was about £80. I paid a local windscreen company £50 to fit the window.

DAB is 100% in the passenger side rear quaterlight window (in a saloon). Its NOT in the rear windscreen. If your dealer is using your VIN number to search for parts then it wont show correctly up as your car never came with DAB from the factory. They just need to use their brain a bit! I visited my dealer in person and looked at the computer with them to identify it.

Once fitted with the new window my DAB recpetion was 100% perfect.

[rob_bot]

Hi,
Just called another dealer, he was saying there was no different glass listed, just tint/no tint.
Asked him to look under another year but nothing.
If you ever find the invoice or part number I would be grateful.

Anyone else know what the part number is?
Issac Hunt, what is the part number of the amp you have? Did you need a cable from the amp to the window? Don't suppose you know the part number for that do you??
:beerchug:

[Issac Hunt]

Best thing to do is visit a dealer in person and look at the ETKA system. I got mine from Camberley Audi in Surrey - the guy there had no trouble finding it. There certainly IS a different glass as I bought it!!

I dont know the amp part number, it was in the kit from Kufatec and is now installed in the car. the cable from the amp to the window should be in the kit, its just two wires. then there is a third wire in the kit that goes in to the connector on the amp, that needs connecting to earth. what bits did you get from Kufatec?

[rob_bot]

Just phoned Camberly. He found the part but won't ship it to me and won't tell me the part number so I can get it from my local dealer!

He was going on about how it wasn't fitted to the car so I couldn't order it...never knew there were so many glass options.

Anyway I bought the cable kit from Kauftec so still need the amp. In the kit I got the fibre cable, dab to amp coax cable, piggy back power cable and 5amp fuse. At the end of the day the window is what I need, I can make a mini coax from the window to the amp from Kauftec too.
Cheers

[Issac Hunt]

He was going on about how it wasn't fitted to the car so I couldn't order it...never knew there were so many glass options.


Like I said earlier, its beacuase they usually search using your VIN number, hence it wouldnt show up against your car. As soon as you can get through to a decent parts guy then you can get around it. Not easy though as you have seen!

IIRC the cable I had to connect between the amp and the window was just a 'normal' bit of wire, a 3 pin plug into the amp, 2 go to the window and one to earth. My Kufatec kit contained the amp as well.

[rob_bot]

Hello. Me again!

Ok, I have fitted the DAB tuner in the media rack (goes upside down in the bottom under the TV tuner) and connected fibre, antenna and power. Programmed it and all working. Took a few hours and dead easy.

As I was keen to see if it worked (as I had no glass or AMP) I ran the antenna wire up to the radio (and TV?) amp just above the rear window (saloon) and stuck a bit of wire in the end. It worked fine like this - which is nice. Can't have wires hanging down like this, so...

..I have now bought the AMP and have it in my hand - where does this screw/fix to in the saloon? I am guessing somewhere under the LH side window? Still need order the side window but in the meantime I will stick with my bit of wire :)

TIA

[Issac Hunt]

The amp bolts in close the rear side window, on the 'C' post, you need to pop/pull the trim forward a couple of inches to get in behind it. In my saloon the locating holes were already there so when you can see behind the trim its obvious where you bolt the amp.

[rob_bot]

153461534715348
DAB antenna for A6 saloon

On visiting my in laws, went to Poole Audi yesterday and the helpful parts man (Andy I think) sorted me out. He had searced/found one before as he groaned whe I asked.
Fair play though he did find it and did call me back with the part. So I ordered it Friday and it arrived the next day.

Part number might be different for you but I think it was the VBN suffix on the part that indicates DAB.

The plug for the amplifier is already connected so no soldering required.

Thanks guys for your help and Virdee for the amp, I hope this helps others if you need help getting the part.

[Sir KENnY XVIII]

very helpful, just finished installation of DAB tuner using built-in antenna in my Beast.