Retrofitting an aux stereo input on a Mk1 Touran

[insanitybeard]

This could be one for @Mirez, basically, due to all (currently sampled!) FM transmitters designed to transmit music from e.g an ipod to the car stereo via the radio being of such poor quality to be almost useless, I want to try to retrofit an aux input socket to the radio, something like this, it also appears that you might be able to use a VW kit as per here, but as these kits use the CD changer socket in the back of the radio I see something mentioned about having to make a software change if the CD player/radio isn't set up to support a CD changer which ours isn't (I read something about having to press the CD button on the radio twice but our radio doesn't do anything when you do this)..... so is this a VCDS job or would it simply be 'plug and play' as per the kit in the ebay listing?

Any help appreciated! 

[johnnyroper]

Not sure if it is of any use but on my old Passat and BMW X3 the easiest and cheapest option was a parrot Bluetooth kit,streamed Bluetooth from phone easy and quality was good plus you get handsfree calling. Obviously of no use if you want to use another form of media like MP3 players.

[Mirez]

Depends what you have at the moment? 6000CD?

[insanitybeard]

No, the Touran! RCD 300.

[KingyMAK]

It all depends on the RCD300 model? Is it a silver fronted button model?
The adapters go into the CD changer socket.

[Tezerez]

Sorry to piggy back onto this one, but could anyone suggest best to use to add aux  input to galaxy with cd6000 rds eon without the aux switch please?

[insanitybeard]

Sorry to piggy back onto this one, but could anyone suggest best to use to add aux  input to galaxy with cd6000 rds eon without the aux switch please?

The older CD players that Ford fitted up until around 2006 also supported CD changers so any retrofit would work in the same way as the kit I linked above. However, the  seller that was selling the kit for the Touran doesn't list one to suit the older Ford 6000CD, but they list in the notes that they could add the connection on to one of their refurbed units, so it must be doable- might be worth giving those guys a shout, they might be able to flog you a lead which will do it or advise if some mods are needed to the head unit.

[insanitybeard]

It all depends on the RCD300 model? Is it a silver fronted button model?
The adapters go into the CD changer socket.

Nope, no silver buttons on mine unfortunately, all black:

[attachimg=1]

[Tezerez]

Thanks insanitybeard. 

[insanitybeard]

Well the seller insists that this kit will do the job without any software mods to the head unit so I'll give one a go and confirm if that's the case! Can't continue using this 'FM transmitter', it's next to useless! 

[insanitybeard]

And the kit does indeed do the job with no modifications to the head unit, instructions could have been a bit better though, also when the seller says 'plug and play' to me that means no wiring mods needed at all but there was one cable as part of the adapter lead with no termination on it shown on the less than clear instructions as just going to the chassis of the radio/ CD player so I assumed that it was intended as an earth lead- bit of clarification would have been good though!

Kit contents- wiring adapter lead (to fit the CD changer terminal port on the head unit), the 3.5mm headphone jack adapter cable to fit the device/ phone itself and the 'black box' which allows the signal from the headphone jack lead to be fed to the head unit via the CD changer connector port:

[attachimg=1]


The (factory fitted) main terminal block going into the back of the CD/ radio unit- the wiring adapter lead connects via the white connector block at the bottom right- this port is empty/unused with the factory fitted single CD player so the connector just plugs straight in here using the terminals on the radio intended for a separate CD changer unit (not fitted on our low spec Touran):

[attachimg=2]


General view of the radio housing in the dash with the radio itself removed showing the adapter lead, black box and headphone jack cable fitted:

[attachimg=3]


More to follow once I've finished faffing with cable routing etc. I'm pleased to report that the sound quality is worlds away from the crappy FM transmitter! 

[mike wilson]

Although I'm not sure what it means by "Not for FM based products" I don't see why you couldn't have used one of these.

http://www.connects2.com/Product/ProductItem/CT29VW04

[mike wilson]

Sorry to piggy back onto this one, but could anyone suggest best to use to add aux  input to galaxy with cd6000 rds eon without the aux switch please?

If your head unit has a multiplayer plug, it will be one of these.
http://www.connects2.com/products/ipod-adapters/vehicle/Ford

Head units from about late 2007 to approx. mid 2010 that were not multi-CD did not have plugs, so I don't think they can be adapted except by tuning one of the unit's radio buttons to one of the transmitter things that everyone here is trying to get away from.  I suspect Insanitybeard may have one for sale. 8 -)

I think the "Not for FM based products" refers to the additional unit, not the OEM head unit, now that I think about it.  It's a bit too early for thinking....

[insanitybeard]

Although I'm not sure what it means by "Not for FM based products" I don't see why you couldn't have used one of these.

http://www.connects2.com/Product/ProductItem/CT29VW04

I think the problem with the particular model of radio installed on our Touran (RCD300) is that it has to be 'fooled' into thinking that the sound is coming from an external CD changer, which is what I'm assuming the black box and adapter lead does. This listing (which is basically the cable that you linked) - along with other multiple listings of basically the same cable- does not list it as being compatible with the RCD300 head unit, plus it mentions that the unit must 'have the aux function activated' which as I understand it means a software change which needs to be carried out by a VW dealer, which equals more cost.

[mike wilson]

I'm finding it really hard to comprehend why your unit doesn't support a changer in the firmware, even though it has a plug for one, yet the unit can be fooled into thinking one is there and take input from it.

Plus, it seems counterintuitive to write a changer out of the firmware (more expense) yet keep the plug (additional expense) when you could set it up to accept one if it was there, thereby only having one set of manufacturing rules and reducing overall costs.

Although I bet you're just glad you have a solution.

[Mirez]

It will be looking to communicate with the changer and when it doesnt establish a link then it will turn off the input. The box will be emulating the link to keep the input live. @insanitybeard dont forget I have full hex/can so can code anything you need on the touran

[insanitybeard]

Thanks @Mirez. Out of interest, do you know why none of those staightforward adapter leads comprising of just the 3.5mm jack and the CD changer multiplug were listed as being suitable for our RCD300 unit? Could one have been used if the head unit had the software mod?

[Mirez]

What models are they actually compatable with?

[insanitybeard]

The listing I linked above lists models RCD210, 310 & 510 as being compatible. There has also been mention of there being some difference with the silver buttoned head units (is this a slightly updated/ later version of the earlier units such as ours which have all black buttons on the facia?). The post from the VW forum that I linked in the first post of this thread suggests that the VW kit could have also been used but also would have needed a coding mod to the head unit.