Dension Gateway Five Review Audi A3 2009

[redsearich]

Hi
I thought I would add my experience so far if anyone else was thinking about a Dension gateway Five for their Audi A3.

Had my Audi 2009 A3 TDI 170 Sport for a few weeks and finally took the plunge and decide on a Bluetooth phone kit and ipod adapter.

Seeing as my car did not have the factory ipod/usb option I had to shop around for phone and car kits and chose the Dension gateway five as its hands free Bluetooth and ipod/iphone adapter all in one.

I wanted a product that I could browse and control my ipod/iphone from my dashboard display and also access my phone book to make and receive calls all using the multifunction steering wheel.

I was not feeling brave doing the installation myself so I asked a local fitter who specialised in Dension and parrot kits to fit it. The dension is pretty new so this was his first install, but all in the kit took an expert 1hr to install. That included the microphone (by the interior light) and the aux in and usb module in the glovebox.

I decided to dash mount my iphone using a brodit active cradle as I use my phone as a satnav as well as for music and making calls.

First impressions, the ipod functionality is amazing. I can control, browse, see track names, playlists, albums etc using the DIS and the steering wheel controls, the same for usb sticks, however it only displays on the dash DIS and does not show any information on the Symphony 2 headunit.

Now for the not so good, the phone functionality is a little lacking. We could pair my iphone with the dension but it would not automatically reconnect. So I have to manually connect the Bluetooth every time I am in the car. To make matters worse the mode button on the steering wheel which is meant to activate the phone functions and phonebook on the DIS does not work. I can still receive calls and answer them from the steering wheel controls and I can hang up, but no browsing of my phonebook or making calls using the steering wheel controls.

My installer has contacted Dension and they are aware of the problem with A3s (no mention of this on their website) and are planning a firmware update to resolve the phone function issues.

I feel a bit sorry for my installer (Mark from Sheridan Installers) who is amazing but can’t bill me for the kit or install until the kit works as it should.

I will update when Dension releases the fix and I have tested it.

[redsearich]

Dension just emailed me a test firmware update to try and resolve the Bluetooth auto reconnection problem. After installing it made no diffrence as I still have to manually connect my iPhone and I have no phone book display on the DIS.

Dension now have engineers over from Hungry to work on the Audi issues they are having.

In the mean time the iPod/iPhone integration for music works a treat however you do loose some of the track information on the DIS when using cruise control and you lose all track information when the low fuel warning symbol is displayed. Minor issues.

Still waiting on Dension so update to follow .......

[efc_dave]

Hi!

I'm looking at one of these for my A4... Sounds like a bit of a mixed bag. Will be a pain if you have to manually reconnect each time you get in the car..!

Please can you keep the info coming around any updates Dension provide?

My A4 has the RNS-E Navigation System, which is apparently (?) supported!

Which stereo do you have in your A3?

Cheers

[redsearich]

I have the Symphony II+ headunit

I can't comment on the RNS-E compatability however I would expect you would have the same steering wheel control problems. So hold off until they update the firmware.

I will post when Dension get back to me.

[mrconana]

Looking forward to a fix for this.

Can you tell me where the mic goes for this ki?. Did it come with one? How does it sound?

Thanks

[redsearich]

Looking forward to a fix for this.

Can you tell me where the mic goes for this ki?. Did it come with one? How does it sound?

Thanks

I had the mic that came with the kit fitted to the central interior light so that passengers could also be heard easily. I took my installer about 5 mins to do, its a little ugly with a little black foam boom on it, but its pretty small so it blends in.

The quality of the calls is just as good if not a bit better than my previous dedicated kits (Parrot) but that may just be that the stereo is better.

Once they sort out the auto reconnect problems and the steering wheel controls it will be perfect.

For now its just a very good iphone/ipod kit

[prel2000]

Hi,

Have you had any progress on the this? have Dension issued a software update and is it now all working properly?

Also, when you had the kit installed did the installer have to recode the settings in the car with VAG-COM to enable the factory telephone setting. I was told by a local retailer that this will need to be done prior to the kit being installed. My multi function buttons i.e mode and voice dial currently state no function when pressed.
Thanks

[redsearich]

No news from Dension since the last update that didn't fix the problem.

I have had the car into the main dealers and they spent over an hour trying to code the car to enable the steering wheel controls to no avail. My dealer was kind enough not to charge me, others might charge £100 hr for the same result.

Dension insist that with a firmware update the car will not need VAG-COM coding.

Either way until they release a firmware update or release what VAG-COM codes the dealers need its not going to work via the steering wheel controls.

The other problem of the bluetooth not auto connecting maybe an iphone only issue, without testing another make I couldn't say.

I will post updates when I get them, but Dension have gone quiet on the issue for now.
Cheers

[steved34]

I have just recently bought a I phone Desion music playing car kit and Bluetooth unit from this on line company www.connectmycar.com - they did all the work for me just told them the radio model etc and it was supplied and fitted in days. The Blue tooth option is great .. I love the Dension in my TT. Deff worth a look ..

[redsearich]

I have just recently bought a I phone Desion music playing car kit and Bluetooth unit from this on line company www.connectmycar.com - they did all the work for me just told them the radio model etc and it was supplied and fitted in days. The Blue tooth option is great .. I love the Dension in my TT. Deff worth a look ..

What head unit do you have?