After 8 months of use, I finally decided that it was time to post my install for my backup camera retrofit. Note that finding a good solution was not easy. I do not have the Navigation system with MMI and most backup camera systems that I could find were all for the MMI system.
The details of the car are as follow and a picture of the control is attached as reference.
2011 Audi Q5 2.0T (USA model)
Audi Concert system (no MMI) – should work the same way for the Symphony system
AMI with tune2air WM3000A Bluetooth system (from ViseeO) in the glove box.
6.5" 400x240 screen
No navigation and no parking sensors
What I wanted to add:
Camera/video interface
Rear view camera with moving guide lines based on the steering wheel and automatic selection when Gear is in R.
Mirrorlink via Wi-Fi for iOS and Android
Warning text in English
Front view camera (not a deal breaker if not available)
I was able to add everything I wanted. I skipped on the front view camera. I thought that would be annoying to flip to the front view for a few seconds every time I go front reverse to forward. After 8 months using the system, I never wish I could see the front…
So here is what I got:
Video interface for Audi non MMI: D02S-AMI-DVD: $128
Reaview view camera: L22: $36
MirrorLink: A02: $72
Shipping: $48 (I asked for expedited with tracking)
+ PayPal commission
If I had to redo it, the install would be straight forward. However, for the first time playing with my Audi, it took me over 6 hours. I am pretty handy and had done other custom installs on my Passat. I got great support and help from Erone Wu from Road Passion as I had missed one instruction and I could not get the screen to work. The manual is only one diagram. The system is plug and play with no cutting wires or tapping into weird electrical circuits. I think with good instruction, it would take between 3 and 4 hours to do. By the way, plan for a day. I had to use my car in between my two evenings and I got very frustrated as I had to put back the car together to go somewhere the next day and then disassemble it again the following evening.
The install summary is as follow:
Remove LCD, AC controls, and Radio contracts.
Install the T-cables (all plug and play) and route them to the glove box
Remove the glove box (I drilled a nice round hole behind it for all my cables). The two interface boxes fit nicely in the compartment near the AMI input.
Plug all cables and test the system before routing the wires.
Route the rear camera cable under the plastic door sill, I went on the passage side. The cable is thin and can be pushed under the plastic parts.
Route the cable in the trunk. I was able to make it go under the matts and all the plastic trim. Completely non visible.
Remove the large hatch plastic cover on the inside of the hatch door.
Remove the hatch handle and replace it with the new handle with integrated camera.
Test everything.
Done
The system has been working flawlessly for the last 8 months. The moving guide lines are awesome when you back up and see the path moving based on the steering wheel. The switch to the rear camera is automatic when I move to reverse.
I barely use the mirrorlink. Connecting to the box wifi to mirror your screen is kind of annoying and I find it faster to just look at google map on my iphone directly. However, it does work. I can use google map on my iphone, mirror the screen to the car via airplay (but no touch screen, that would be too good). To enter in the mirrorlink mode, I press on the “voice” button on the steering wheel. It should be a long press but it flips to the mirrorlink right away. This is bad as I can’t use the voice button for the Bluetooth anymore. I never used this button before so it is not bad for me but could be for someone else. I am sure that it is a software issue and that this can be fixed. Work has been crazy lately and I did not follow up with Erone about this.
I am able to use the Audi OEM Bluetooth for the phone, I can still play my music using the tune2air WM3000A, and if I use the mirrorlink feature, I can hear the instruction if I use the media setup on the radio.
Conclusion: for under $300, this system is awesome. It let me use the Audi LCD, have the moving guide lines, and the OEM style backup camera. Once it is install, no one can tell that this is not an Audi system!
Some pictures
Concert system (non MMI):
Tools that I use:
Interface and backup camera:
Connectors behind the LCD (original)
Connectors behind the LCD (with the new T cable)
Connector behind the radio:
Trunk hatch:
Backup camera installed:
Screen with backup view:
Screen with Miracast (for Mirrolink and iOs airplay):