RCD310 DAB in ALtea Freetrack

[ericcat]

Hello,

Yes, yet another post about radio upgrades!

I've got hold of a cheap - but genuine, not chinese copy - VW RCD310 radio with DAB, to replace the standard radio. I have a DAB windscreen-mount antenna with the correct Fakra plug ready and waiting. I also have a replacement genuine Freetrack fascia panel to fit around the RCD310.

I have two questions, though:

1: The double FM antenna connectors on the radio - Do I just plug my standard FM antenna into one of those sockets, or do I need a 2-to-1 splitter so that both radio antenna sockets are occupied?

2: The CANBus/battery drain thing - My Freetrack is a 2008 model (registered in March 2008). Will I have the battery drain problem, or will my car have the updated CANBUS module? Any way to check, for example by VIN?

I've searched the forums, but couldn't find any definitive answer. Any help appreciated, thanks

 

[SNAP-ON]

Dont think you will have battery drain issue as yours is 2008 so should be ok . Only way to find can gateway is with vag com or similar . I have an late 04 altea and want to fit a 315 or 510 but my can gateway is c version so i will have battery drain issues and need to update my gateway first .

 

[ericcat]

Thanks, SNAP-ON, for the Canbus answer. I'm going to be having a play sometime the end of next week.

 

[skard]

On an 08 you should have an L or above gateway and thus no drain.
However, if you just take a few torx screws out and remove the glovebox a little bit out, you can then see the gateway on the Altea very easily

 

[ericcat]

I'll have a look at the canbus sometime next week. I've have the glovebox out previously, to fit a Parrot Bluetooth kit, should have taken notice then.

 

[skard]

Out of interest, I have just advertised a glovebox MDI kit on another forum, would compliment your new stereo brilliantly.
Stupidly cheap at £60 if you are interested?

 

[ericcat]

Out of interest, I have just advertised a glovebox MDI kit on another forum, would compliment your new stereo brilliantly.
Stupidly cheap at £60 if you are interested?

Interested, yes, but current finances and employment status prevent me doing anything about it! Thanks anyway!

 

[ericcat]

RCD310 DAB in Altea Freetrack - so far so good

Thought I'd post an update to my little project to get DAB into my Freetrack.

It took a couple of hours to fit the DAB screen-mounted antenna and cabling, do a little bit of recabling for my Parrot handsfree kit (mute pin in a different place on the RCD310) and to wire the Safe pin to a permanent live feed. I also knocked up an adapter for the FM/AM antenna (single car antenna plug to two sockets on the back of the RCD310), and this seems to work ok so far.

I fitted 4 spring nut clip things into the radio aperture and secured the radio to them with some self-tappers. The radio surround just clipped in place and it looks pretty much like factory fit.

With one exception, everything works on the head unit and the car, I was even lucky enough to get a unit with orange backlighting to match the car's backlighting.

The one thing that doesn't work? The steering wheel controls don't work at all. Following a quick chat with my dealer, I suspect a wiring loom pin needs rewiring to match the new radio. The SOT interface loom that I have with the Parrot kit should make this easy. Anyone know which pin carries the steering wheel control signals? I'm told it's not the Canbus ones.

Thanks.

EDIT:
I forgot to test the auxiliary sockets that are in the back of the Freetrack, sure enough they don't work. So, some more recabling required, if I can figure out just what goes where.