Trip Computer Retrofit

[Coderedpl]

No, you can ground pin 1 instead. I added it because my goal is to add as much functionality as that car can offer me. But you don't have to.

Your wipers are rain sensing? Did that come with the car or did you add it yourself? If it came with the car, could you get me the part number for the windshield you have? Need to replace mine so might as well add the functionality. The rear view mirror with rain/light sensor is in the mail as we speak...

So what does that sensor really do in the end?

Sure, just need to remember to write it down and it came like that

[WalkerT]

Version4 - does the trip display show up in red and white like stock or is it all red like the non trip display cars.
Mine just shows DTE and only displays red but the cars that I have seen from Audi that have the trip computer option their display is red and white.

[Version4]

Version4 - does the trip display show up in red and white like stock or is it all red like the non trip display cars.
Mine just shows DTE and only displays red but the cars that I have seen from Audi that have the trip computer option their display is red and white.

It's all red. To display in colour you need the colour DIS. That is a difficult and expensive upgrade that only your dealer can do. So no, my display is red only... for the time being...

[Version4]

So what does that sensor really do in the end?

Sure, just need to remember to write it down and it came like that

The sensor will tell you when the washer level is low. If you short it, it will fool the car into thinking the washer level is OK, so it will not warn you when it gets low.

[Coderedpl]

The sensor will tell you when the washer level is low. If you short it, it will fool the car into thinking the washer level is OK, so it will not warn you when it gets low.

Wouldn't a person WANT to know when its low?

[Version4]

Wouldn't a person WANT to know when its low?

Weren't you the one that asked what the use of the sensor was?

[Coderedpl]

Weren't you the one that asked what the use of the sensor was?

Yea I did. Just trying to understand its function and the instructions given ;)

So I guess if I have it, i dont need to worry about it?

[Version4]

Yea I did. Just trying to understand its function and the instructions given ;)

So I guess if I have it, i dont need to worry about it?

Well for me the best way to understand it is to go through the forum on tyresmoke:

http://www.tyresmoke.net/forum/audi-...ise-a4-b6.html

At least that's how I came to understand it. Mind you, I do as much reading as I can before starting a new project. If you are confused about some of the parts on my post, let me know what parts are obscure and I will clarify/edit the post.

Cheers.

[manguyen]

hey your steering wheel looks greesy :-), get a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and clean that up...

[A4B7GA]

ok, I am missing something..where/what is pin1

[a4audi4fun]

ok, I am missing something..where/what is pin1

Pin #1 in the "Trip Computer Retrofit" context is the location of one of the wires on the connector at the back of the instrument cluster. That wire/pin needs to be grounded to disable the warning light associated with low windshield washer fluid when the trip computer function is enabled. One of the earlier posts in this thread thought it was on the green connector.

[A4B7GA]

So I fell pretty stupid...I did everything, even though I had only changed the coding and not the adaptation...then I realized I needed the full program to change the adaptation so it would work...damn it!

[a4audi4fun]

http://www.vagtoolfinder.com/locator.aspx

Use this link to find someone with VAG-COM/VCDS somewhere close to you.

[illegitimus]

A quick question to you, guys, who have completed this retrofit project, especially, Version4, so the low washer fluid sensor function needs to be disabled from the new wiper stalk by grounding one of the wires from it if this fluid sensor and its functionality is already in place, correct? I have this sensor in place already but not the MPG/trip computer function, for which I want to install this new stalk.

[Version4]

Did you install the washer sensor yourself? If so, don't wire it in yet until you get the wiper stalk installed. Then wire in your sensor and do the coding.

Cheers

[Coderedpl]

Idk why but all this tiem i thought i had the washer fluid sensor, for some reason it didnt BEEEEEPPPP when i ran out of washer fluid yesterday :( so i guess i dont have one, could of been my brothers car then

[Version4]

Could have been, for sure. My bottle came with a plug replacing the sensor. I think you can see it in one of the pictures.

[A4B7GA]

Thanks for all the help. Just finished coding and all works great...I was playing around with vagcom and found a way to disable the washer bottle sensor...I didn't try it since I had already grounded my cable, but its something to research.

[Danne_gg]

What functions are available with the trip computer? avg fuel consumption, avg speed, driving time, and what more?

[Coderedpl]

Bump, back from the dead. Looking into doing this in the spring time.

Starting off with the wiper stalk.

Next in line:
Washer bottle sensor: 7M0 919 376
Contact Housing (plug): 1J0 973 202
Connector Wires: 000 979 009A
Connector Wires: 000 979 133A

Comes out to about a 70$ job

[redlabel81]

Is this the PN for the stalk?
8E0-953-503-C -4PK

[Hammer97e]

Is this the PN for the stalk?
8E0-953-503-C -4PK

I am also looking for clarification on the part number for the stalk needed. I have also come across part number 4EO-953-503-B. Any help would be great. Thanks!

[redlabel81]

^^ I think the B is for the sedan and the C for avant.

[Coderedpl]

I'm doing this now and im fuckin stuck....the part #'s of the wires are extremely short. No way in hell they will reach the instrument cluster...and where do i connect what/

Pin 1? im lost :(

[italia8287]

i dont think im gonna end up doing this so if anyone wants a stalk with the controls on it, PM me...

[Coderedpl]

i dont think im gonna end up doing this so if anyone wants a stalk with the controls on it, PM me...

If you dont care about washer functionality, its cake. I can do it for you. But if you want the washer low level functionality, then it gets tough. The part numbers for the wires listed, those wires are wayyyyy too fuckin short to reach from instrument cluster to sensor

[00s4slvr]

subscribed. Was also thinking about doing this and just shortening the washer fluid level. Can anyone confrim if that works? Also everything will work ok like mpg, driving time, brake apd sensor and stuff

[italia8287]

If you dont care about washer functionality, its cake. I can do it for you. But if you want the washer low level functionality, then it gets tough. The part numbers for the wires listed, those wires are wayyyyy too fuckin short to reach from instrument cluster to sensor

yeah i dont really care about the washer functionality, ill just ground that out. yeah can you show me what to do??

[Coderedpl]

yeah i dont really care about the washer functionality, ill just ground that out. yeah can you show me what to do??

subscribed. Was also thinking about doing this and just shortening the washer fluid level. Can anyone confrim if that works? Also everything will work ok like mpg, driving time, brake apd sensor and stuff

Everything works, no low washer fluid, washer works, trip computer works. I did it last night. I will post more details for people and a few pictures.

[Coderedpl]

Updated directions in addition to the others seen here:
(not responsible if your car blows up or anything goes wrong)

This is just in addition to what others have written. All original DIY credit goes to whoever deserves it.
For those who still want to do this, here is a few things that could help you. This is how I did it. You can improvise and do what works for you. I think you should do the coding first like Version4 said, coding should be pretty straight forward but if you need help feel free to PM me. After you do the coding and you start the car you will see 1 around your miles left and your low washer fluid light should go on.

For the wiper stalk I think the directions are pretty straight forward. It's simple Took me all of maybe 15-30 minutes total to put it in.
Just a note: you will need a T-8 torx driver to loosen up the bottom piece of the steering wheel and to remove the stalk. Not a bit, but a screwdriver since a bit is too fat to fit.And a T-55 for the middle ring. The ring also has a connector on the top right and there is three "clips" holding it in place. Disconnect connector, Pry the clips up a bit and pull out slowly. If you are careful enough nothing will spin and you will be good to put it back.

=============================
Now the fun part. Some knowledge of basic wiring and stuff would help.
The parts are:
Washer bottle sensor: 7M0 919 376 (You need this)
Contact Housing (plug): 1J0 973 202 (You need this)

These two wires i actually used along with my radio shack ones to make my own long set. (you'll see why later)
Connector Wires: 000 979 009A
Connector Wires: 000 979 133A
Radio Shack wire on spool
Windshield Washer Fluid

To avoid spillage and make life easier, USE ALL OF YOUR windshield wiper fluid so the tank is empty. Or have some sort of method to catch all the wiper fluid
Before you start:
Lift car, secure it (jack stands), take wheel off. Remove instrument cluster (you will see why later)

1. To make life easier remove the fender liner. There is an assortment of T-25 screws that you see all over the car. The fender will then drop and you just pull it right out.
2. Then comes the washer bottle. It is actually TWO pieces (at least for me) the long side(which you usually dont see) and the small one you see in the engine bay. They connect as you will see when you take the fender liner off. Look around for the bolts for the big one and start unscrewing them. Once you get the ones from the big bottle, go to the small one on top and there will be two "bolts" there. One next to the power steering container and one a little closer to ecu (its silver)
3. Once everything is unbolted carefully pull on the long washer fluid bottle, it should fall right out. You will then see the washer motor. Turn it to the left, and pull it up and put it on the side. You now have a bit more room to work with the bottle.
Should look like this:


4. Go to the smaller bottle in the engine bay and twist it on its side so the black wire kind of thing is pointing down.
Should look like this:


5. You will then see behind the long washer bottle a cap where the sensor goes. Its right above the motor. Take out the cap, put it around the washer sensor and put it back in.
Should look like this:


6. Then you take all your wires and put them in the housing. One of the yellow wires has those ends where the prongs of the sensor will slide into, use your imagination and splice those into your long wire (when you see the wires you will know what i mean). One of the wires (black in my case) will be the ground. While the other (red in my case) will be the one for pin one. Of the two yellow wires you got from the dealer the other will have a square end to it. Splice that one into the pin one wire (not the ground)

7. When you finish your wiring, do not cut the wires yet since you need to decide the length, and take out the pink block on the housing and plug it into the sensor.
8. Now here you have a few options. You can either route through the fender area into the inside of the car around the cluster, or you can drag the wires up where the small bottle is and go from there either through the grommet thats seen near the ecu, or you can pop open the ECU cover and go through there. Whatever you decide to do, make sure it ends up in the area of your instrument cluster. I choose the ecu cover option since before i was trying to figure out how to wire this whole thing. Thats a little more involved.
9. As soon as you decide which way you will route the wires cut enough so that you have some slack and enough to go into the area safely.
10. Reverse process, Put the washer bottles back together and start putting the bolts back on. Don't do it too tight yet, and Do not put the fender liner on yet.
11. Take your windshield washer fluid and pour some in the top small bottle and check for leaks.
12. If no leaks, tighten up all the bolts, put the fender liner back on and fill up the reservoir.
13. Inside your car around the cluster you should now have two big connectors (blue and green) and your two wires. One ground and one for pin one.

14. Ignore the green connector, the blue one is the one you will work with. Cut the zip tie that you see at the connector. Then there should be a pinkish colored tab, slide it out. Look at the connector and locate pin one. Pin one is literally #1 on the connector. For me it was the brown/red wire. Now grab the blue connector housing and slide it out. Take some sort of tool and remove the current pin one, be careful not to break it. there will be a square hole, you just poke it there and try to slide it out, it should come out easily. As you see its a squarish connector as the one you had in one of the yellow wires. This is the end your pin one wire should have.
15. Take your pin one and slide it into place. Re-assemble the connector and slide that pink tab on.
here is some pictures of how my "pin one" looks like with the housing uncovered


As you see I have my radio shack wire then the wire i got at the dealer. So it goes. Dealer wire with those prongs, radio shack, dealer wire square.
The ground is similar except you dont have a square at the cluster end.

16. Now for the ground i got a found some metal piece (i guess its called a ground terminal or something) and i put it behind the screw where the fuses are. As seen:


You can either use that location or the ground thats right behind the cluster. You can strip the wire and wrap it around or join it with a connector and do it a little more professionally. Either way, as long as its grounded to the frame then you'll be fine.

17. Put the cluster back in, reconnect everything. Put wheel back on if you haven't already. Take your key and start the car. you low washer fluid light should no longer be on. Play with the stalk and everything should work if you did it correctly.

Enjoy.
yes it seems very long and hard but its pretty straight-forward. I tried being detailed so its easier. Have fun!

[roofone]

Pin one is literally #1 on the connector. For me it was the brown/red wire. Now grab the blue connector housing and slide it out. Take some sort of tool and remove the current pin one, be careful not to break it. there will be a square hole, you just poke it there and try to slide it out, it should come out easily.

Thanks for the detailed write-up. I'm going to try this soon. One question: what did you do with the original pin one? It looks like you just left it hanging there after replacing it with the yellow wire?

[Coderedpl]

Thanks for the detailed write-up. I'm going to try this soon. One question: what did you do with the original pin one? It looks like you just left it hanging there after replacing it with the yellow wire?

Yes, that's exactly what I did. Put a bit of electrical tape on it and left it there. No negative side effects as far as i saw, everything works like it always did. I read somewhere that it doesnt really do much so you should be fine :)

[roofone]

I finished the retrofit (both the wiper stalk and windshield washer fluid sensor) this weekend. It wasn't too hard (thanks to all the info here), so it was good as my first decent sized project on the car. The hardest part of figure out how to best place the jack and stands.

When wiring pin 1, I replaced the wire with the yellow repair wire (and left the original red-brown wire hanging). This works, but something I read on Tyresmoke makes me think there was a cleaner way to do it by following the brown-red wire from pin 1 down to a multi-plug in the driver's footwell:

...my '07 B7 already had the wire from the instrument cluster to the black multi-plug [in the footwell]...a repair wire in to the black multi-plug, through the bulk head grommet, along the top of the wing and in to the sensor in the washer bottle.

I tried tracing the wire from pin 1 in the blue wiring harness behind the instrument cluster to the footwell, but I can't see where it connects to. Doesn't look like it's in the black multiplug down there.

Any one else connect the wires there instead of behind the instrument cluster?

[Coderedpl]

I finished the retrofit (both the wiper stalk and windshield washer fluid sensor) this weekend. It wasn't too hard (thanks to all the info here), so it was good as my first decent sized project on the car. The hardest part of figure out how to best place the jack and stands.

When wiring pin 1, I replaced the wire with the yellow repair wire (and left the original red-brown wire hanging). This works, but something I read on Tyresmoke makes me think there was a cleaner way to do it by following the brown-red wire from pin 1 down to a multi-plug in the driver's footwell:

...my '07 B7 already had the wire from the instrument cluster to the black multi-plug [in the footwell]...a repair wire in to the black multi-plug, through the bulk head grommet, along the top of the wing and in to the sensor in the washer bottle.

I tried tracing the wire from pin 1 in the blue wiring harness behind the instrument cluster to the footwell, but I can't see where it connects to. Doesn't look like it's in the black multiplug down there.

Any one else connect the wires there instead of behind the instrument cluster?

I tried to find that grommet and where the wire would go, i even popped the ecu box open and tried looking in there to not much luck, so i took the easy route and went behind cluster. Best way to do it IMO and works flawless to me!

[Cosworth]

If I am following this correctly. This used to be on my Passat VR6. It shows avg fuel consumption, trip range & what else?

[Coderedpl]

If I am following this correctly. This used to be on my Passat VR6. It shows avg fuel consumption, trip range & what else?

Avg Consumption, trip range, average speed, instant mpg, Don't remember what else

[Homer]

Avg Consumption, trip range, average speed, instant mpg, Don't remember what else

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_ZxqAPpLHs&hd=1

[airbornerifleman]

I believe there are 2 light sensors
-on the rear view
-on the dash near windshield de-fogger vents.

[Homer]

I believe there are 2 light sensors
-on the rear view
-on the dash near windshield de-fogger vents.

The dash light sensor is for the Climate Control.
Windshield is for rain and auto headlights.

[airbornerifleman]

SEEN