Changing from Single-DIN to Double-DIN - A4 2006 Convertible

[gsmdo]

Hi there,

I recently fitted a new head unit on my other car (Škoda Superb) and have been most impressed by it. Not least is the ability to fit a reversing camera - operating wirelessly.

I decided to research whether it might be possible to convert my old A4 convertible to accept a similar unit.

Turns out that it is. The S-line (mine's a Sport) was offered with a double-DIN option, and my car shares most of the parts.

FAIR WARNING - This is a work in progress and I have not completed the installation - I will post again when it's all back together... 😆

 

What you'll need:

An Audi double-DIN cage, part number 8H0858005A (the single-DIN part number is 8H0858005 - so don't get caught out.

You'll need this to accommodate your new head unit, and to allow you to move your climate controls to a lower level. 

 

 

A new centre console - part number 8H0 863 241D 6PS

 

A new ashtray(!) - part numbers 8E0 857 951J 4PK and 8E0 857 967E 6PS

Using eBay I found all these bits for a total of £105 including delivery.

I seem to remember reading a piece on doing this conversion before, where the poster suggested carving up your existing centre console to get stuff to fit. Since the bits were relatively cheap and available, I haven't explored that option.

You have a choice of head units. After my experience with the Škoda, I went back to the firm I dealt with for that - Audio Tech Direct (ATD) - who gave me great guidance to make sure I ordered the right bits. I can't post a link, but do a search for item number 185526960916 on eBay.

Additionally, I ordered a reversing camera, which fits in place of the boot release catch. Item number 174097091532 on eBay.

The impressive thing about the camera is that it's wireless - so no running of cables between the boot and the head unit... 😃

OK - to business...

You'll likely spot that there are some changes from 'factory' already. I have fitted and after-market head unit, a cordless charger for my phone, and heated front seats.

The best way to work out where the (many) fasteners are, is to look at your replacement centre console...

Most are 8mm headed bolts, which anyone with experience of messing with Audi/VAG dashboards and trim will be familiar with. Two 13mm nuts under the rear ashtray and...

...these two, hidden way down by the clutch pedal and on the left... 🤨

The purpose of today's work was to take out the fasteners and identify the wiring I have in the car at present. I've sent pics to ATD, so they can ensure they send me the right loom to ensure it is 'plug & play' - including the steering wheel controls - once it's connected up.

So, these are the original factory plugs that fitted into the back of the Audi Concert stereo my car was equipped with when it was new (it doesn't have the Bose option)...

...and this...

...is the model number on the loom I fitted to connect to the Pioneer unit - which allowed for full functionality of the steering wheel controls.

All a bit of a mess at the moment. I'm going to leave it as it is until I have heard back from ATD. My mate Dave will (hopefully) be around soon, and we can get the console out and the frames swapped over.

I'll post an update then... 😎

Edited to add - Just heard back from ATD. The head unit I have bought will accept the factory plugs and will work as if factory fitted... 😃

 

Edited November 21, 2023 by gsmdo

[gsmdo]

Right - where were we?

Oh - yes...

So - a cold morning, let's get stuck in. After removing another two hidden bolts, and the handbrake handle and shroud, the whole centre console lifted out, with surprisingly little jiggling about. It helps that we're doing this in a convertible with the top down...

Two more 8mm hex bolts and the old frame came free...

...and joined the old console on the garage floor.

The new frame is screwed in place, and the new console fitted. We start reassembly from the back (centre armrest) and work our way forwards.

This will prove to be a mistake.

The bottom of the climate control panel is too wide for the console. Unfortunately, we don't notice this until we've scratched the console... 

I don't understand. My parts guy was adamant that the only parts I needed to swap were those listed (ie console, frame and ashtray).

I wonder if I should have unscrewed the bright trim panel from the bottom.

It's jammed in at the moment - not quite home. We decided to call it a day, as we both had other commitments at lunchtime, and there's no hurry to get this finished.  The head unit hasn't arrived yet - although when I got home this evening there was a 'missed delivery' card, so hopefully it'll be here on Monday.

I'm going to email my parts mate and see if there are any changes we may have missed. All YouTube videos show it being removed and refitted easily - it certainly came out of the original frame with ease....

Any ideas?

 

[Steve Q]

Great walkthrough so far 👍

[gsmdo]

So - I seem to remember seeing a piece on YouTube on repairing textured plastic - they were talking about plastic bumpers, but they used a heat gun to gently warm the area up. Anybody have any experience of this?

I'm going to remove the CC panel tomorrow, which will likely cause a little more damage. If it's bad - I'd like an option to hide (or minimise the appearance of) this.

My plan is to remove the bottom bright trim and see if the unit will fit without it (as it feels like that is the only part that's not fitting into the console). If it does, I can file/grind the trim back on the bench before refitting it to the panel and try to fit it again...

A sneak peek at the next job - boot lid liner removed (just remove the warning triangle and undo the two Allen bolts underneath it - then the whole thing can be unclipped with the correct amount of application).

Which reveals...

...the amazingly complex piece of metalwork which comprises the inner boot lid.

I fear our journey will be taking us behind this Gordian knot of cables...😱

More later...

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by gsmdo

[gsmdo]

So, I removed the climate control panel this afternoon - we are clearly doing something wrong here and I want to get to the bottom of it. It came out quite easily (although it has left some scratches on the 'new' console).

Seems that brute force has broken off pieces of plastic guide on the left side...

...although, looking at the right side, it shouldn't affect eventual refitting...

The bright metal trim on the bottom comes off by undoing two tiny torx self-tappers - and justifies my purchasing that mini-torx set at the Motorcycle Show seven years ago...😆

Underneath, just plastic.

So, the plan is to completely remove the 'new' console and start again, to see it we have gone wrong somewhere - perhaps by fitting something on the inside of a bracket, rather than the outside. If we find ourselves in the same position, we can take some careful measurements and gently file the plastic down to fit. Once it fits correctly, we can remove it, file the bright trim to match, screw it back on and refit.

Whilst the console is out of the car, I'll have a play about with the heat gun to see if I can improve the look of the scratches we made.

Postwoman delivered this today...

😃

Edited November 27, 2023 by gsmdo

[gsmdo]

So - the car has been away at Norwich Audi getting a new cam fitted. At least it's now mechanically tip-top 😎

I have bought another double-DIN cage and console from eBay. These both from the same car and pictured before removed. I've not had a chance to compare anything yet - but my plan will be to remove the head unit and climate control panel from the car, and then fit them into the new frame and console on the garage floor, to see if there are any fit issues. If there aren't, then we'll remove all the parts from the car and start from scratch.

I had the head unit in place (albeit a slightly bodged fit) when I drove to Norwich and back. It worked perfectly, with all the steering wheel controls functioning as they should - a real plug & play solution.

If only I can get it to fit correctly... 😆

[Steve Q]

On 12/13/2023 at 10:01 PM, gsmdo said:

So - the car has been away at Norwich Audi getting a new cam fitted. At least it's now mechanically tip-top 😎

I have bought another double-DIN cage and console from eBay. These both from the same car and pictured before removed. I've not had a chance to compare anything yet - but my plan will be to remove the head unit and climate control panel from the car, and then fit them into the new frame and console on the garage floor, to see if there are any fit issues. If there aren't, then we'll remove all the parts from the car and start from scratch.

I had the head unit in place (albeit a slightly bodged fit) when I drove to Norwich and back. It worked perfectly, with all the steering wheel controls functioning as they should - a real plug & play solution.

If only I can get it to fit correctly... 😆

Fingers crossed this works for you 🤞 keep us posted on how you get on 

[gsmdo]

OK - the job is just about finished...

It looks great and has really modernised the car, without (I think) looking out of place...

My mate Dave and I finished the installation in a marathon session from 1700-2130 yesterday evening.

I didn't take further pictures of the install, because it became so complicated.

My advice if you would like to do this is (*Dave interjects* DON'T!)...😆

To do what you see here, the only Audi part you need to buy is the Double-DIN frame, part number 8H0858005A

In order to use your current console, you'll need a Dremel (other mini-tools are available) to do some minor cutting so that the new cage will fit in place.  It is fairly obvious where this has to happen once you have the frame and the console out.

The part I can't get my head around, is the Climate Control Panel (CCP). It has to move to a lower position in the new cage, to allow for the larger head unit to fit, and the console, as you can see, tapers as it approaches the floor of the car. Now, I'm told that all the CCPs are identical (other than some having heated seat switches etc), yet it is too wide to fit where it should. Dave (who maintains F-35s and is a proper engineer) and I tried assembling everything off the car several times and were unable to get it to fit. It fitted and locked home as it should into the new frame, but the space afforded by the console was insufficient.

So, we ended up hacksawing and filing it so that it would fit ("we" - Hah! Dave did 😆). We took off the lower bright trim first and then cut that separately. We took about 2mm off each side, smoothed it down with wet & dry and then it fitted perfectly. 

Once this was done, the original ashtray fitted, meaning the only part we replaced was the frame.

I'm really pleased with the result, but feel that this thread, which I thought would be a useful guide, is more of a cautionary tale.

Dave and I connected the rear of the head unit to accept a feed from a wireless rear camera. Unfortunately, the one I had bought from ATD (see above posts) turned out to be the wrong one - the boot release grip it was designed to replace was quite different when removed and couldn't be adapted. I've emailed ATD so that we may find a solution.

We will come up with a key to solving this, and I'll post up the results. If a direct fit isn't available, Dave reckons we can remove the lock barrel and fashion a way to use the camera we have got to take its place...

Merry Christmas! 🎅

[Steve Q]

That looks cracking! Are you pleased with the head unit? 

[gsmdo]

9 hours ago, Steve Q said:

That looks cracking! Are you pleased with the head unit? 

Very pleased Steve - just fed up with the rigmarole we ended up having to go through to achieve the end😬😆.

I have the same head unit (with a different mounting kit) in my Škoda, and it's just excellent - allows me to use Waze (my preferred GPS app) and access all my audiobooks etc. Anyone who uses Car Play for iPhone will be familiar with the system...

Mike 🎅

[Steve Q]

10 hours ago, gsmdo said:

Very pleased Steve - just fed up with the rigmarole we ended up having to go through to achieve the end😬😆.

I have the same head unit (with a different mounting kit) in my Škoda, and it's just excellent - allows me to use Waze (my preferred GPS app) and access all my audiobooks etc. Anyone who uses Car Play for iPhone will be familiar with the system...

Mike 🎅

That's great to hear. I know you said you ordered the head unit from ATD but can you advise me on the name of the head unit and it's features? 

[gsmdo]

56 minutes ago, Steve Q said:

That's great to hear. I know you said you ordered the head unit from ATD but can you advise me on the name of the head unit and it's features? 

Hi Steve, it's this one:

 

eBay link:  Click

 

[Steve Q]

1 hour ago, gsmdo said:

Hi Steve, it's this one:

 

eBay link:  Click

 

Thank you 😊

[gsmdo]

So, a sneak peek at the new reversing camera setup...

This arrived from ATD a couple of days ago.

Dave and I will dodge some mince pies and venture into the garage later this week to fit it. As you can see, it is designed to replace the entire panel housing the boot release and number plate lights. So long as the fittings match, it should be a very straightforward job.

I'll put a link in when I know for sure it's the right part. ATD are as great a vendor as ever - free return postage on the other part... 😎

Merry Christmas,

Mike 🎅

 

 

[Steve Q]

22 hours ago, gsmdo said:

So, a sneak peek at the new reversing camera setup...

This arrived from ATD a couple of days ago.

Dave and I will dodge some mince pies and venture into the garage later this week to fit it. As you can see, it is designed to replace the entire panel housing the boot release and number plate lights. So long as the fittings match, it should be a very straightforward job.

I'll put a link in when I know for sure it's the right part. ATD are as great a vendor as ever - free return postage on the other part... 😎

Merry Christmas,

Mike 🎅

 

 

Looks great and merry Christmas 🎄🎁🙂

[gsmdo]

Okay - we're in the home straight now... 😆

The part that ATD sent me replaces this housing on the car. I had already replaced this a couple of years back with a new one, as the original was horribly corroded (it's made of alloy). Once we'd got this off the car (not very hard - all connectors have plugs into the main loom, so you can carry it away with the number plate lights and boot release microswitch still in place).  We got it into the house and started transferring the parts onto the new (plastic) housing. The number plate lights fitted with a bit of brute force, but we were dismayed to see that the housing for the boot release microswitch was different from the original... 🤦‍♂️

Dave is not a person to give up (although I feel this project may have tested that virtue to an unreasonable degree 😆), so he trimmed the microswitch and made it fit into the gap provided, securing it with a self-tapping screw.

We fitted it into the car - perfect! Then we came across a problem with the lock mechanism - nothing to do with this work. At some stage, someone had the lock apart and removed/lost what looks like a woodruff key, which lies along the lock barrel. The upshot of this was that you couldn't open the boot with the key. It is essential that you are able to do this, because if the solenoid fails, you have no way of accessing the boot...

Dave once again came up with a workaround to rectify this. 👍

We took the power supply for the camera and mini transmitter from the back of the 12v socket on the right side of the boot. It is permanently live, but I can't help thinking that the current draw is so low when the camera is not in action, it shouldn't be an issue. If it proves to be one, we'll find a switched source.

Time to test it...🤞

Ta-dah! 🤩

Great picture (much better than the one I fitted to my Škoda). It doesn't have any guidelines as you reverse - but I had already fitted some reversing sensors several years back. They are as simple as they come - powered by the reversing lamp circuit, they trigger a beeper hidden behind the boot trim - audible from the interior.

So, would I recommend this project? Not really. Although I am delighted with the result, fitting the head unit (or - to be more correct - re-siting the Climate Control Panel [CCP]) was a real pain. We ended up solving the situation by cutting and sanding a couple of mm off each side of the CCP to get it to fit. Similarly, we ended up cutting and reusing the original centre console. Had we known these things going in, then it would have taken much less time and angst...

The camera fit initially looked good - but the modifications to the microswitch to get it to fit were challenging (largely because it had to be in exactly the right spot - and stay there).

Without Dave, I would have struggled to get a half decent job done. If you feel confident in your abilities to fettle things that don't fit - or know an excellent engineer like Dave, then the results are definitely worth it. The head unit and camera have dragged the convertible a little further forward into the 21st century 😆, but in such a way that the mods don't (I think) look out of place.

So - if you want to do the same, you'll need:

Double-DIN frame, part number 8H0858005A

Head unit

eBay link:  Click

Reversing camera panel:

eBay link: Click

And a lot of patience, although, if we'd decided to follow the route we were forced down from the start, it would have been much more straightforward.

I hope this has been of some interest.

Happy New Year,

Mike 😎

 

Edited January 3 by gsmdo

[gsmdo]

By the way - if anyone IS daft enough to want to do this, I have a spare double-DIN frame in excellent condition. You can have it for what I paid - £45 including postage.

Mike 😎

[Tarmo]

Hey. I have a B7 avant that I am going to do the 1din-2din conversion. I already have the same headunit. I also have the ashtray needed but would take your 2din cage if you still have it.

PM me

[gsmdo]

Quote

Hey. I have a B7 avant that I am going to do the 1din-2din conversion. I already have the same headunit. I also have the ashtray needed but would take your 2din cage if you still have it.

PM me

I've PMed you, Tarmo.

Mike 🙂