RNS-E powers up but has no button illumination

8085 Views 11 Replies 4 Participants Last post by jakerade, Sep 22, 2005

spassmore

Discussion Starter · Sep 15, 2005

Re: RNS-E retrofit for Dummies

hi there

I have installed a RNS-E into my 2002 A4. It powers up but has no button illumination and the car has no k-line loom and no B External Connecter either on the adapter or on my car. Does this mean I cannot install the RNS-E? I had a Chorus Rad/Cass before. If I can't install the RNS-E does anybody know if I can install the RNS-D?

I took the car to Audi who said that there was no communication to the unit - Craig B was very helpful and suggested that this is due to the lack of k-line to the unit. When the unit powers up it asks me for the pin number (which I am trying to get hold of or reset) - the MFD in the cluster shows an arrow and street name so that seems to be fine.

Any help is very much appreciated.

Cheers

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AudiA4B6US

· #2 · Sep 15, 2005

Hard to say without more details. You said you had the Chorus radio, since it's a 2002 I suppose it's a B6 with a Chorus II. This head unit would have the k-line and CAN high/low in the radio plugs somewhere. It would help if you could post the wiring diagram which should be printed on your Chorus, this would show where which pin is located.

The next question would be where you got the RNS-E adapter from and if it's the right one. If you check the wires, is the k-line and CAN high/low properly wired in your adapter?

And last but not least, which RNS-E did you get (part number)?

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AudiA4B6US

· #3 · Sep 15, 2005

craigyb said:
What I actually said was K-line would stop you programming the RNS-E, not functioning.

If your RNS-e powers up from the ignition switch and your get info in the cluster as you suggested in your mails to me, I cant see why CANBUS is not working.

But your not getting illumination, so that suggests you have not got canbus. By powers on, do you mean you power it on manually by the button on the front? if so then chnaces are you dont have CANBUS on your connector.

Craig

Craigs answer belongs to this topic...

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spassmore

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 15, 2005

AudiA4B6US said:
craigyb said:

What I actually said was K-line would stop you programming the RNS-E, not functioning.

If your RNS-e powers up from the ignition switch and your get info in the cluster as you suggested in your mails to me, I cant see why CANBUS is not working.

But your not getting illumination, so that suggests you have not got canbus. By powers on, do you mean you power it on manually by the button on the front? if so then chnaces are you dont have CANBUS on your connector.

Craig

Click to expand...

Craigs answer belongs to this topic...

Hi

Apologies Craig I didnt write that clearly enough.

Firstly I have just double checked and my car is a 9/01 model not an 02 as I thought (p/plate). My Chorus was p/n 8E0 035 152 and my RNS-E is 8E0 035 192 C. When I put they key in the ignition the unit comes on and in turn switches off when you turn the car off and remove the key. I do indeed also get the info on the cluster. How do I upload the pics I have?

Thanks

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craigyb

· #5 · Sep 15, 2005

So why doesn't the illumination work?

Tell me, does the unit go into night mode when you switch your lights on? can you tell that if you have no code for it?

Maybe your lighting is duff in the unit if the screen does change to night mode.

Other than that I'm not sure.

Craig

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AudiA4B6US

· #6 · Sep 15, 2005

OK, you have a 8E which is a A4/B6 and your RNS-E is an 8E0 which is the ocrrect one for your car. You say the RNS-E turns on/off with your ignition key and your DIS is working as well which would both indicate that CAN is working fine. If CAN is working for the ignition signal and DIS it should work for illumination as well. If your RNS-E button don't illuminate if you turn on the lights then something is wrong with the RNS-E.

The first thing would be to check your RNS-E adapter. If you don't have connector B then you won't have the k-line connected properly. That's propably the first thing you should fix. Once you can talk to your RNS-E you can confirm the config and look for the serial number. I have seen pictures of A3/A6 units with an A4 faceplate and all kinds of crazy combinations and until you can actually connect to the unit with VAG-COM you won't be able to confirm the model number (regardless what's printed on the case) nor serial number.

The second thing to fix is the security code issue. Did you say you have the code but your unit doesn't accept it or do you not have the code and want your dealer to get it for you? If you have the code you can try to reset your unit by pressing RADIO and SETUP together until the MMI screen shows up. After that you should be able to enter you code to unlock the RNS-E.

To upload pictures, check out the Album at the top. Make sure you downsize the pictures to 800x600 with less than 150k, otherwise you get an error.

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spassmore

Discussion Starter · #7 · Sep 15, 2005

craigyb said:
So why doesn't the illumination work?

Tell me, does the unit go into night mode when you switch your lights on? can you tell that if you have no code for it?

Maybe your lighting is duff in the unit if the screen does change to night mode.

Other than that I'm not sure.

Craig

I take it night mode dims the display - if so then no it does not. I had a look at the wiring diagram on the Chorus and according to that I have a K-line cable (green/blk) in the power connector however that is not carried to anywhere in the RNS-E adapter loom and according to the diag on the RNS-E the k-line should link to the B Connector. My adapter lead does not have a B connector at all - probably answer why my glovebox cd changer is dead with the rns-e connected as well??

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spassmore

Discussion Starter · #8 · Sep 15, 2005

AudiA4B6US said:
OK, you have a 8E which is a A4/B6 and your RNS-E is an 8E0 which is the ocrrect one for your car. You say the RNS-E turns on/off with your ignition key and your DIS is working as well which would both indicate that CAN is working fine. If CAN is working for the ignition signal and DIS it should work for illumination as well. If your RNS-E button don't illuminate if you turn on the lights then something is wrong with the RNS-E.

The first thing would be to check your RNS-E adapter. If you don't have connector B then you won't have the k-line connected properly. That's propably the first thing you should fix. Once you can talk to your RNS-E you can confirm the config and look for the serial number. I have seen pictures of A3/A6 units with an A4 faceplate and all kinds of crazy combinations and until you can actually connect to the unit with VAG-COM you won't be able to confirm the model number (regardless what's printed on the case) nor serial number.

The second thing to fix is the security code issue. Did you say you have the code but your unit doesn't accept it or do you not have the code and want your dealer to get it for you? If you have the code you can try to reset your unit by pressing RADIO and SETUP together until the MMI screen shows up. After that you should be able to enter you code to unlock the RNS-E.

To upload pictures, check out the Album at the top. Make sure you downsize the pictures to 800x600 with less than 150k, otherwise you get an error.

Yes sounds right - the unit is a bit of a state but there is no going back now ! I dont have the code at all and I can't get it from Audi until I find out the serial number - what i think was the serial number label is no longer there (which also concerns me a little although the unit originally came from a breaker) I will buy a 'B' lead - obviously one end goes into the adapter at the RNS-E side but do the wires from it then connect into the existing multiplugs (i only have 3 - i think the missing 4th one is for phone is that right?) I have uploaded 6 pics (titled Scott P) to the Album. Thanks

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AudiA4B6US

· #9 · Sep 15, 2005

Your RNS-E adapter doesn't have the B connector but it has the C connector. It also looks like you have a non Bose system with the speaker wires in the brown plug. In theory you have three plugs in your car, the power connector (with k-line), the speaker connector (brown) and the CDC connector with the CAN wires. For me it looks like you got the wrong RNS-E adapter because it's not having the B connector but you got the C connector which is only required if your have the factory phone kit.

Your Chorus diagram shows CAN high/low in the CDC (red) plug and the k-line in the power connector. I would recommend to get a new RNS-E adapter for your car. Based on the information provided so far I would say you have a 2002 A4 with CD changer, passive front speakers (powered by the head unit) and active rear speakers (using the line out in the CDC connector), and no phone or basic navigation. What you need is an RNS-E adapter with both the B and C connector as well as D (power) and A (speaker) connector.

This all will not help with your code issue but it will help once you got the code issue resolved. And the serial number is not printed on the label. If you get a brand new device, there is a removable sticker with the serial number and code. This gets removed in the factory before the install and the sticker gets put in the manual. Your can only connect a VAG-COM to read the serial number or get an adapter with k-line and let the dealer read the serial number of the unit.

You can actually set the RNS-E to stay always in day mode or night mode or switch automatically between the two when you turn on the lights. I know some have set the RNS-E to stay in day mode because they did the DRL VAG-COM mod and don't like the RNS-E to be in night mode all the time. If you got such a unit it is logical that the buttons don't light up but ignition works. This is something to check once you got access to the unit after entering the correct code.

Good luck...

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spassmore

Discussion Starter · #10 · Sep 15, 2005

AudiA4B6US said:
Your RNS-E adapter doesn't have the B connector but it has the C connector. It also looks like you have a non Bose system with the speaker wires in the brown plug. In theory you have three plugs in your car, the power connector (with k-line), the speaker connector (brown) and the CDC connector with the CAN wires. For me it looks like you got the wrong RNS-E adapter because it's not having the B connector but you got the C connector which is only required if your have the factory phone kit.

Your Chorus diagram shows CAN high/low in the CDC (red) plug and the k-line in the power connector. I would recommend to get a new RNS-E adapter for your car. Based on the information provided so far I would say you have a 2002 A4 with CD changer, passive front speakers (powered by the head unit) and active rear speakers (using the line out in the CDC connector), and no phone or basic navigation. What you need is an RNS-E adapter with both the B and C connector as well as D (power) and A (speaker) connector.

This all will not help with your code issue but it will help once you got the code issue resolved. And the serial number is not printed on the label. If you get a brand new device, there is a removable sticker with the serial number and code. This gets removed in the factory before the install and the sticker gets put in the manual. Your can only connect a VAG-COM to read the serial number or get an adapter with k-line and let the dealer read the serial number of the unit.

You can actually set the RNS-E to stay always in day mode or night mode or switch automatically between the two when you turn on the lights. I know some have set the RNS-E to stay in day mode because they did the DRL VAG-COM mod and don't like the RNS-E to be in night mode all the time. If you got such a unit it is logical that the buttons don't light up but ignition works. This is something to check once you got access to the unit after entering the correct code.

Good luck...

Guys Thanks very much your help has been absolutely brilliant and I will now go and try and source the correct lead. I will keep you updated.

Regards

Scott

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spassmore

Discussion Starter · #11 · Sep 16, 2005

Sorted !

I ordered the B Connector and decided to temporary patch together the K-Line to see if Audi could get the pin number. I did so and took it into them for a 'while you wait' appointment. After yet another 10 mins of them telling me it will never work as you can't Retrofit Sat Nav I asked that they try once more and if it doesn't work then at the end of the day I am still paying for the labour involved. The Workshop Manager reluctantly agreed to try it. 55 mins later the Service reception lady came into the customer waiting room and told me the car was ready, ok I said, how did you get on? Oh it worked was the sheepish reply - needless to say the Workshop Manager didn't show his face ! Anyway to cut a very long story short it was the lack of K-Line that prevented the VAG diagnostics programming my unit and once I had connected that they had no problems coding it to my car and giviing me the pin code. All I need to do now is finish the faceplate repair, fit the new centre console and climate control, source a button cap (the top right hand side one is missing), wire the cd changer, source and retrofit a Bluetooth phone kit ( I want to be able to dial from the unit) and work out why there is no output from the rear speakers (this was the case with my Chorus as well) Phew, it actually sounds like I still have a long way to go! The night mode and button illumination is also working now as is the engineer mode.

Has anyone tried the following phone kit

http://shop.kufatec.de/product_info.php/products_id/288?osCsid=513e34b113ad99b5ca91d62a3e8da37b

if so what exactly does this part install - i.e what do you still have to add?

Thanks for your help guys ! I will post some more pics once its complete as my Nav facia will be painted silver as will my climate control one - it needs painted due to me having to fill damage with plastic filler. If anyone knows where i can source a button cap or even a replacement facia then please let me know.

Cheers

Scott

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jakerade

· #12 · Sep 22, 2005

Re no output to the rear speakers - on my adapter they were wire up the wrong way on the C connector - eg the 2 line out wires on the adapter were wired for the front speakers and not the rear. I traced the wires back to the C connector and swapped the pins around - that solved the problem. Hope this helps

Jake

PS did you buy that unit on ebay a few weeks back - saw it for sale with the missing button

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