In Progress - Single Din to Double Din Navigation (lots of pics)

[firstars]

So today I started the conversion of my 99.5 interior to double din for new avic I just bought. Bought whole center console from volks88 (great seller) out of an 00 s4.

Got the navigation just at the right time. Pioneer has just released the 2.0 update which I have read improves the unit quite a bit.

The HVAC unit buttons must have had coke spilled on them or something being almost all the buttons were sticky (knew this before purchasing) Easy fix. Take the unit apart, take the faceplate off of the circuit board and run hot water through the faceplate. It is all plastic so I didn't have to worry about getting any electronics wet. With the faceplate off it was also a good time to clean the LCD screen from all the crud that had caked up over the years. Lighter fluid helped quite a bit.

I then ran under a shower head while moving the buttons in and out. Also did emerged in hot water untill all the buttons could push easily. A few minutes later I had a perfectly working HVAC unit. At the shop tonight managed to get the whole center console out and a good amount of wiring done. I need a cage out of a 00-01 a4/s4 to start installing everything. Metra kit is also coming in tomorrow.

Onto the pics.... (iphone ) Glamour shots once completed.








console carnage




and going in is....

[Tifun]

I'll be watching this one. It is something Ive wanted to do for quite a while.

[tamadrumr88]

Holy shit that's a lot of wires!

[the_pirate]

ugh....that doesnt even look fun. good luck!

[Quattro 4 Life]

yeah i'm interested in this too, i'll be watching, good luck!

[NJLee69]

Nice. I was thinking of this mod too, but I didn't know if it was worth the effort. Looking good man. Thanks for the pics.

[hoganalley]

I've wanted to do this for a while too. Somehow the single din setup just doesn't look right.

The only thing bothering me is do I want to spend all that money, not that it's expensive, to swap out the console when I would really like to go S4. Having said that, I'd really like to go B6/B7 S4.....ah decisions........

[Quattro 4 Life]

Let us know what you think of that pioneer unit too, i read a lot of reviews after seeing this thread, really good looking unit but sounds like it takes forever to boot up

[Spykce]

Watching as well, wanted this HU for a while. Interested to see how it looks installed.

[Flash]

Nice work, thanks for sharing. You were thorough with the pics, which is nice. Like the rest, very interested to see how it turns out and what you think of the unit.

[firstars]

original boot up time was 1:30 then they released first firmware update and got it down to 55 seconds... just released firmware 2.0 and now it is at 33 seconds. So they are working on it.

[D.C. Designs]

good luck

[firstars]

updates.... updates... Still Iphone pics untill I sort everything out. Have it working but am having problems with front speakers output and interference..



test fit


Modding the stock mic to fit avic mic. installed this in factory location and ran the wires down the A Pillar, under the knee bolster and to the unit. I installed the GPS unit behind the dome light as well. Its magnetic and has 0 reception problems stuck behind the headliner.




updating the firmware to 2.0




Problem 1

So I pulled the old Kenwood Unit (which was working great) and replaced it with an F90BT. I have the RCA's going to an ALPINE amp in rear. I connected the wiring harness and now I only hear full signal from the rear speakers! The fronts are tinny and sound like half signal (kindof like when you plug headphones in halfway.... no vocals, tinny instruments)

•I switched the front output to RCAs I know are working properly and the tinniness is still there. This proves the only thing possibly causing this is the wiring harness (all the pins look good) or the unit itself.
•I plug the front RCA's into the rear output and get full signal to the front speakers

Problem 2

For the video bypass I moved the yellow mute wire and grounded the black, yellow and light green wires to the wiring harness ground (same ground as the kenwood unit) I now have bad engine interference that gets more high pitched as I accelerate. At first I thought this must be ground so I redid the wiring but it didn't solve the problem.

•The interference is non existent if the car isn't running.


Problem 3

I purchased this unit from eBay and I know returning it is going to be a b***h. I'm hopeful I have hooked something up wrong or overlooked something.....

I even took my problems to a professional that said I probably have a bad unit.

Still have a few costmetic things to finish..

•Carbon fiber shifter surround
•Bondo trim kit and paint with plastidip for factory look
•Paint ugly wood trim with plastidip

[solowb5]

Is that a microphone you added in the roof control panel? If so nice idea. I'll shall put mine there when I get my avic z3 in.

[firstars]

yup reception seems pretty good so far with that location. have only tested for one day though

[nrowensby]

Is the newer HVAC unit plug and play with the older cars?

[firstars]

I originally had 99.5 and it was plug in play 99 and below I think arn't as compatible (illumination etc) and require some soldering but anything can be done if you have the time, patience and money.

[audi til I die]

Egh... sounds like one of their guinia pigs. I know most of their units with gremlins went out to ebay. I bought mine last month from a reputable online seller for 1/2 the price of MSRP and mine has been free of glitches. 2.0 software on the way as well. I don't mind the boot up time since I always warm my kraut up. I like your idea of the mic on the top, I think I'll steal it since I just left mine on the visor. My GPS antenna is stuck to the fuse box brace. Awesome unit by the way guys. Res is asom and makes up for smaller size, better than the 6.5" lo-res screens. No disk navi is great, fast and accurate. Easy to control. I'm gonna take advantage of the space in the headunit and hardwire my radar's 12v SmartCord through plexiglass and my amp switches.

[firstars]

it appears my unit had fried RCA front output. Issue with the grounding of the RCA's was causing both interference and half signal. I ran a wire from a good ground directly into the RCA and all is good. Kindof a temporary ghetto fix but works for now.

[NJLee69]

What is the difference between the 99.5 and 99 and below? How many switches do you have to rewire if you were to get a whole s4 console with the ac and all the switches?

[A4Quattro > all]

looks good. i just bought a garmin. works for me XD

[audiness]

id love to get something like that, but that just begs to be stolen IMO

[GR4YBU5H]

If you havent found a solution for problem number two

http://avic411.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17715

there is a software hack for this unit and if your not familuar with how to hack the unit, read through some of the forums and youll find out.

[J Ozzie]

I just did both installs my self a while ago took me a few hours.. When the install is done youll have the rears kinda muted and the fronts will be nice n loud. I installed a kenwood double din, along with a kenwood 1000w amp and 2 10'' mtx subs.

[Quattro 4 Life]

any updates on this guy?

[firstars]

I sold the car but I do have a video of the navigation... ill have to find it and upload

[firstars]

uploading to vimeo....

[firstars]

Video of F90BT!

[evola4]

I love that Head unit. It blends great with the rest of the car.