Buy all your VW California Accessories at the Club Shop Visit Shop

Useful info if your ordering a T6 Regarding Factory Radio.

moysvdub1

moysvdub1

Messages
60
Location
lancs
Vehicle
T5 SE 140
Hello people

useful if your ordering a T6 If your considering navigation or media package then you will have to order it from new it is impossible to retro fit or upgrade later on

this is completely unfair and vw are not interested in helping
the radio units now have component protection

now your probably wondering what this is, Basically the vin/chassis number is stored in the radio to match the vehicle which is great if it is ever stolen as no one else can use it in another vehicle

Now for the down side i have worked with vw vans / Campers California models for over 20 years
and lots of people want to upgrade later on and change there radio for may be a factory genuine navigation or media unit

if you own a T5 its not a problem if you own a T6 forget it
a good friend has a factory media radio unit taken out his written off T6
he now has purchased a replacment vehicle T6 which has bluetooth but not nav / or media
so he decided to exchange the radio and put in his factory vw nav media radio
fits in plugs in and has gone strait into component protection

he has been to his local dealer to have it unlocked as it is a legitimate radio
they removed the component protection but this then locks the navi and the blue tooth down
and vw will not unlock this

vw uk are not even willing to help they have informed him it can be done but vw refuse to do it
he is not a happy customer

the only answer he has had is that they refuse to do it
the radio is 100% legitimate and he is willing to pay vw to unlock this via there on systems
and they won't even unlock the bluetooth

so this new this system should be called dealer profit protection

as he has a 2500 3000 pound factory radio that isn't worth a carrot

so people if your contemplating factory option nav / media radio
this is what vw want you will have to pay the premium and order this from new and pay the price

as the factory units cannot be exchanged afterwards
completely unfair going forward more and more people will come across this...

hope the information helps before you order your dream vehicle.
 
Good thing , maybe helps preventing steeling radio's and selling them on ebay...
 
Shame they do not invest more in spare wheel protection.
This seems wrong given the ownership of the unit is clear.
 
Last edited:
Ownership is something that is getting more and more complex these days with "it's mine, I paid you for it" now mingled in with "you actually only paid for the right to use it".
I have LPs and CDs that I know are mine, but that collection of Amazon tracks or the software on my computer - who really 'owns' it?
If this is now being introduced to items such as media players kit in vehicles, I wonder what the consumer rights are? Unfair contract? Anti-competetive?
 
The way this reads to me is that you can't install a second hand unit. This doesn't prevent people upgrading with a new unit does it? I agree that this is a special case as he was the owner of the unit already, but it is a good thing to prevent theft.
 
So if there is a problem with the fitted unit then VW can exchange the unit for a new one and re-code it, but refuse to code in the same unit provided by the owner?

I would think this would not apply to a 3rd Party replacement unit as this would be Illegal/Anti-competative in the extreme.

I think there is a little more going on here that we haven't been told.

I've had 2 vehicles written off in the past and I've never been able to remove fixed items from the vehicles because basically the whole vehicle was owned by the Insurer once agreement was reached.
 
He removed the unit before the vehicle salvage company collected it and before he was paid out there fore it was his vehicle and was in his Wright to do so there's nothing untoward as the chassis and vin are stored in the radio unit and VW wouldn't of removed the component protection
All the details were supplied and they removed it
But in doing this as I explained it them Disables the navigation and blue tooth
So only the radio cd works as a basic unit
They refuse to unlock these features
He has asked VW uk to open a case
And demand this in writing to why they won't
And I'm sure if you had a faulty unit and already had these features on your unit they would replace and unlock a new one
And if you were out of warranty in a few years release you of 2500 / to 3000 for the privilege

It is completely unfair even the new Nav cards can only be used once eg from new in the radio they are put into so if you lose the navigation card it's off to VW for a brand new one and there hundreds to buy
Have a look on the internet there's lots of people with golf 7s who are having the same problem with VW simply wanting to upgrade there factory radio for a factory radio with navigation

And Vw's answer is it didn't leave the factory like that so no we are doing it
Although they've admitted on the phone it can be done they won't
As time goes on and people want to upgrade as they do and we all do well most of us this will become more apparent
(Vw's dealer profit protection very naughty)

How many people have changed or added something to there van California

Well imagine only VW being able to this them saying no sorry it didn't leave the factory like that so tatty bye
 
He removed the unit before the vehicle salvage company collected it and before he was paid out there fore it was his vehicle and was in his Wright to do so there's nothing untoward as the chassis and vin are stored in the radio unit and VW wouldn't of removed the component protection
All the details were supplied and they removed it
But in doing this as I explained it them Disables the navigation and blue tooth
So only the radio cd works as a basic unit
They refuse to unlock these features
He has asked VW uk to open a case
And demand this in writing to why they won't
And I'm sure if you had a faulty unit and already had these features on your unit they would replace and unlock a new one
And if you were out of warranty in a few years release you of 2500 / to 3000 for the privilege

It is completely unfair even the new Nav cards can only be used once eg from new in the radio they are put into so if you lose the navigation card it's off to VW for a brand new one and there hundreds to buy
Have a look on the internet there's lots of people with golf 7s who are having the same problem with VW simply wanting to upgrade there factory radio for a factory radio with navigation

And Vw's answer is it didn't leave the factory like that so no we are doing it
Although they've admitted on the phone it can be done they won't
As time goes on and people want to upgrade as they do and we all do well most of us this will become more apparent
(Vw's dealer profit protection very naughty)

How many people have changed or added something to there van California

Well imagine only VW being able to this them saying no sorry it didn't leave the factory like that so tatty bye
This is partially the reason why I am very anti built in Sat Nav. I just paid for the minimum upgrades to be able to use Apple CarPlay. (Upgrade to 6.33" screen + AppConnect). My Satnav is Apple Maps.

Yes there are some restrictions - especially when off-line. And I'd prefer to use Waze but Apple won't let me. But at least I will never have to pay an auto manufacturer for a map upgrade.
 
Last edited:
I just bought my T5 with the DAB radio, and exchanged that for the RNS510 in a VW garage. Afterwards I sold the DAB. Well we had to call the garage to get the code, so the item cold be unlocked, but no problem.

That could easy be a scenario when I get a T6 … but it seems that is not possible at the moment. Really poor and a waste of good products, now you are no longer able to "recycle" items you dont need anymore. So the just become garbage … not a clever VW move.

By the way, a RNS that is not installed "ab fabrik", has several funktions not working. i.e. the Voicecontrol and Television. My garage told me, that this is just the way it is. The technology is in the car, but they are not able to access it. Ever heard about that?
 
It's not even the money he has paid for the component protection to be removed with VW and offer to pay to have the extra features unlocked but they won't

Really not fair what's happens when say in a year mr or Mrs find there used dream used VW t6 and or California correct colour everything they want apart from the media Nav system and the only ones with the system are the wrong colour / and VW say sorry no that didn't leave the factory with Nav / media radio so no we won't fit one in although they can do they won't
It will be a cheap Chinese alternative only
But if you are a true enthusiast you want the real deal
( So sad it's all about numbers and and control there's no customer care anymore )
 
He removed the unit before the vehicle salvage company collected it and before he was paid out there fore it was his vehicle and was in his Wright to do so there's nothing untoward as the chassis and vin are stored in the radio unit and VW wouldn't of removed the component protection
All the details were supplied and they removed it
But in doing this as I explained it them Disables the navigation and blue tooth
So only the radio cd works as a basic unit
They refuse to unlock these features
He has asked VW uk to open a case
And demand this in writing to why they won't
And I'm sure if you had a faulty unit and already had these features on your unit they would replace and unlock a new one
And if you were out of warranty in a few years release you of 2500 / to 3000 for the privilege

It is completely unfair even the new Nav cards can only be used once eg from new in the radio they are put into so if you lose the navigation card it's off to VW for a brand new one and there hundreds to buy
Have a look on the internet there's lots of people with golf 7s who are having the same problem with VW simply wanting to upgrade there factory radio for a factory radio with navigation

And Vw's answer is it didn't leave the factory like that so no we are doing it
Although they've admitted on the phone it can be done they won't
As time goes on and people want to upgrade as they do and we all do well most of us this will become more apparent
(Vw's dealer profit protection very naughty)

How many people have changed or added something to there van California

Well imagine only VW being able to this them saying no sorry it didn't leave the factory like that so tatty bye
So has your colleague taken legal advice as it would appear he has title to this Unit and VW are depriving him of its full functionality.

Also, what VW can do, or in this case won't do, someone else will be able to in time, as shown in the recent case of the FBI and Apple.
 
The t5 models Nav rns 510 are not a problem plug and play with the 4 digit code
Bluetooth module can be added
You would possibly need a different
Bcm body control unit to activate the voice control after the VW Bluetooth module is added and a little programming via vcds which is straight fwd
there will be also a separate module for the tv function also
Would get costly but can be done
 
He has opened a case with VW uk and ask for it in written to why they refused and won't unlock the features
And has informed them it won't stop here and legal advise is the next point as they can't refuse to put it in writing
 
Back
Top