Routing USB from top glovebox to centre cubby

[Nolan]

My new Beach is almost perfect apart from the lack of USB in the centre cubby. I checked the order and despite adding CarPlay and the 6.33in radio display the second sockets didn't get added and the dealer never mentioned them.

It's not the end of the world but after looking at some old threads on here I read that at least one person has routed a cable from the top glovebox socket into the cubby. This would be fine and would make it much easier to connect the phone in order to use CarPlay

I think I could do this by making a hole in the glovebox lining just big enough for the small end of a lightning cable to pass through. In the cubby I could make the hole in the square plastic USB blank. I've also an assortment of rubber cable grommets to put in whatever holes I make in order to stop the sable from pulling through.

My questions are:
Has anyone done this?
How much do I need to disassemble on order to get the access to do this?

 

[Nolan]

No ideas?

I guess another option is to get a dealer to sort it but the parts to fit all the sockets are £200 and it’s ultimately my fault they were missed from the order.

Worth remembering if you’re ordering a new van though, don’t assume that CarPlay will automatically add the like I did (I still think it should).

I’ll be more than happy with the one socket if it’s in the middle though.

 

[Loz]

If you are going to the trouble, buy the splitter and both CarPlay compatible USB sockets and have both.

I thought about moving ours, but in the end used a phone mount and ran the cable up into the glovebox.

Also; discussed here;https://www.t6forum.com/threads/moving-usb-for-app-connect.6831/

 

[Nolan]

If you are going to the trouble, buy the splitter and both CarPlay compatible USB sockets and have both.

I thought about moving ours, but in the end used a phone mount and ran the cable up into the glovebox.

Also; discussed here;https://www.t6forum.com/threads/moving-usb-for-app-connect.6831/

Thanks for the link.

I see Bognor Motors posted on that thread and I'm right round the corner from them so that's another option I guess.

 

[MattBW]

On the T5 you could buy the square buttons with a USB in, does the T6 have the same buttons?
Do you have any blank unused buttons on the dash?

 

[Loz]

On the T5 you could buy the square buttons with a USB in, does the T6 have the same buttons?
Do you have any blank unused buttons on the dash?

The main issue is that there are different (apple specific) sockets required for CarPlay

 

[Nolan]

I'm not at home but this is a picture I found on the web showing the cubby with the socket fitted. Mine is just like that but with a blank fitted.

I figure I could just run a cable through that blank (with a rubber grommet) and pass a cable through it which would be plugged into the top glovebox USB socket. It would be better in some ways as there wouldn't be a long length of USB cable stuffed in the cubby.

If removing the lower glovebox will give me the required access then I'll go ahead and do it but I don't want to start taking the whole dash apart

It does seem crazy that VW have made it so easy to get this wrong on what is an expensive vehicle.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/sites/aut...ravelle-road-test-2016-0023.jpg?itok=izOCqdMu

 

[Loz]

Yes of course you could just run an extension cable, and just run it into the rear of the centre cubby.. why bother with the expensive socket..

 

[Nolan]

So that's the crux of my question, how much do I need to disassemble in order to get the access to do that.

I'd like to know the scope of the job before I start taking things apart

If it's relatively straightforward I'll do it and take some pictures as I can imagine other people in the same boat where the dealer didn't point out the free option.

 

[Nolan]

So a small update.

I removed the lower glovebox today and did the cable routing. I think it's a tidy job with grommets where the cable passes through which means the cable also can't disappear back inside the dash.

I'm much happier now as I won't have a cable running from the glovebox to the cubby any more and I can forget being annoyed that I missed the option.

if I but a new phone then it shouldn't be too hard to change the cable to USB-C, if I ease the grommets back out and cut the USB-A end from the lightning able I should be able to pull a new cable through using the old one. Worst case I'd have to remove the lower glovebox again which isn't too difficult.

Blank removed from cubby, hole drilled and grommet inserted. I had to remove this again to get the cable through but I wanted to check that it fitted.

Carefully drilling hole in the side of the glovebox (there's nothing important right behind this bit) after picking a drillbit that wouldn't pull through the material too aggressively.

Cable plugged in and routed with grommet.

Other end of cable emerging through grommet in cubby.

 

[2haw]

I did this to my old Beach a couple of years back but didnt drill a hole, just left the glovebox USB hanging out slightly and run the lightning cable back in and down to the lower cubby. I posted a couple of photos on here at the time.

Took it all out and back as original when I sold it.

 

[Nolan]

The hole in the glovebox is the only bit that I couldn't put back to original but I guess I could put a rubber blank in there if I wanted to sell or ever fitted the extra OEM USB sockets and it wouldn't look too out of place.

 

[Tom Rae]

Nolan, I found this very helpful however I am not sure how to remove the cubby? Like you I thought I had ordered the correct package!

Tom

 

[Tom Rae]

I have now done this as per Nolan's instructions and I can confirm it is easy to do. The cubby has just one torx screw at the back which is exposed when the rubber mat is removed. With the gear selector in D the bottom edge of the cubby pulls out giving plenty access. I used a long plastic cable tie to fish the lead through from the glovebox and rubber grommets top and bottom. The VW parts alone are about £200 as mentioned earlier. The lead requires to be more than 50cms but there is room to store reasonable excess - I used a high quality JuicEbitz one metre data and charging cable with a right angled micro C for the princely sum of £4.75 or thereabouts.

 

[Ting Tong]

There’s a chap on Facebook that 3D prints switch blanks with a usb socket.

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