Hi,

I've been looking around a few days now for comprehensive list of what I'll need to replace the radio in my octy (registered Nov 2004). But have seen some conflicting info so I am looking for some confirmation. But my best guess is as follows.

Remove radio with junior hacksaw blades.

Buy fascia adaptor panel SKODA OCTAVIA RADIO FACIA FASCIA ADAPTOR PANEL FP 20 01 on eBay, also, Fascia Plates, In-Car Entertainment GPS, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 20-Jul-08 17:22:01 BST)

Buy aerial adaptor VW/SEAT/SKODA AERIAL ADAPTOR /SIGNAL BOOSTER - NEW on eBay, also, Terminals Cabling, In-Car Entertainment GPS, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 20-Jul-08 01:14:57 BST)

Buy ISO wiring harness adaptor AUTOLEADS PC2-69-4 VOLKSWAGEN / SEAT & SKODA ISO HARNES on eBay, also, Terminals Cabling, In-Car Entertainment GPS, Cars, Parts Vehicles (end time 29-Jul-08 16:56:38 BST)

Do I need all these items? If so will I be in a position to connect the new radio?

Thanks.

The facia is for a MKII, so if yours is a MKI you wont need this.

Ariel adapter, depends on what head unit you buy.

Wiring harness adapter, you don't NEED this but 2 the positive feeds will need swapping over on yours if you don't buy one.

Just buy a head unit, nothing more.

Thats all I did last week

Thanks,

I suppose part of the problem is I'm not certain whether it is Mk 1 or 2! Another member seemed to think it would be Mk1. Is there a sure fire way I can tell?

Is your aerial connected ok mluton?

Thanks again.

Have a look here for pictures of a MKII dash, you will see the radio shape is not a normal DIN rectangle but tapered (bottom is narrower than the top).

(mluton's is a MKI)

Thanks,

I suppose part of the problem is I'm not certain whether it is Mk 1 or 2! Another member seemed to think it would be Mk1. Is there a sure fire way I can tell?

Is your aerial connected ok mluton?

Thanks again.

Mine is an MK1, so if it looks the same then all is good.

Ive not noticed any loss in signal at all.

Thanks mlutona and gizmo.

Mine looks more like a MK1 with those buttons above the radio for the fuel etc.

So hopefully it should be a straight forward job!

The standard Octy head unit injects power down the aerial to an amp in the base of the aerial unit. With out this power, radio reception may be reduced. You can get a power injector if this is the case - I have one fitted to my car with a pioneer head unit.

The standard Octy head unit injects power down the aerial to an amp in the base of the aerial unit. With out this power, radio reception may be reduced. You can get a power injector if this is the case - I have one fitted to my car with a pioneer head unit.

Thanks mbames.

Would I need a DIN or ISO connection?

Nice Kenwood unit Mluton:thumbup:

Just buy a head unit, nothing more.

Thats all I did last week

Nice HU,are those your spare shoes in the passenger footwell;)

Can you still connect up your cd changer or do you have to buy another lead:thumbup:

The factory changer only works with the symphony, so if you still want changer functionality you will need to buy a new changer and lead.

As mentioned earlier, you dont need the facia adaptor or lead. If you choose to not use the lead remember to disconnect the 'K' wire from the factory harness and swap the 12V supply lines over. If you dont disconnect the K wire you could have strange symptoms with the cars convienience module, and the dealers diag equipment will be damaged if they plug it in.

The factory changer only works with the symphony, so if you still want changer functionality you will need to buy a new changer and lead.

Thought as much,thanx mannyo:)

Nice Kenwood unit Mluton:thumbup:

Cheers:thumbup:

No they are not my spare shoes, SWMBO was sat in the car.

IIRC the Kenwood lead from ISO to unit eliminates the K-line, I had to swap the 12v's over, but the manual had a VW section to explain.

No they are not my spare shoes, SWMBO was sat in the car.

I know was only joking:rofl:

Nice HU though!!

There's much more to this one than meets the eye.

The list shown is pretty well right. As the Symphony feeds power to the aerial amp up the coax syou will need the 'power injector' attachment. The radio does not have a pin in the ISO connector for an electric aerial which your new head unit will have but there will be no way for you to connect within the ISO connector that is part of the vehicle harness (not least of which you will probably find it impossible to get a pin to go on the end of the power wire.)

Just reversing the power connections in the harness wiring will not make everything work correctly as the memory power will be in the wrong place. Net result every time you turn the radio and the ignition off the radio will loose its memory. The harness adapter will correct the power situation and will also provide a connector for the aerial amp.

You will also probably find that the auto-dimming of the radio display when sidelights are on and the dial brightness is adjusted does not work properly if at all. I have not yet had time to investigate how to overcome this problem but it suggests the voltage range feeding the radio sensing input is not right.

The one thing that other contributors have missed is that you will loose your steering wheel audio controls. Although most of the Mk1 near the end of life (mine is '04) still used conventional wiring harnesses, there were parts that used Can-Bus data technology, and the steering controls is one of them. I fitted a Blaupunkt Woodstock 52 (£30 from Halfords ex-display!) and there is a proper interface for the controls but it costs about £50!!

Have a look at www.bluespot.co.uk and you will find out much more about all of the above. They are also very helpful on the phone.

No there isn't!? It's that straight forward!

The ISO connector in the car will have a wire in the ISO block going to the electric aerial, it'll be the wire known as the 'K Line', hence the need to break the connection between these two wires somehow, usually by cutting the electric aerial wire on the new head unit loom.

By swapping the red and yellow wires round it will make everything work correctly. The headunit will turn on and off with the ignition and keep all of it's memory. That's why the wires are needed to be switched.

The auto dimming of the head unit will work fine as long as your new head unit has this function. I replaced the head unit in my Octavia and now in my Golf and all of the functions work as they should by wiring it up as described many times on this site.

With regards to the steering wheel controls, I don't know about keeping those in use as I never had them to start with.

Also, with regards to the power injector for the aerial, I didn't use one in my Octavia and picked up all the radio stations I wanted fine, I understand some people have needed to fit one of these. My advice would be to try without at first and then fit one if needed.

My new Kenwood stereo (above) had a connection for steering wheel controls, not that the mk1 Octavia had them.

Also just checked and my Kenwood unit removes the K-line connection.

Edited 20 July, 200817 yr by mluton

No there isn't!? It's that straight forward!

The ISO connector in the car will have a wire in the ISO block going to the electric aerial, it'll be the wire known as the 'K Line', hence the need to break the connection between these two wires somehow, usually by cutting the electric aerial wire on the new head unit loom.

Sorry Dan I think you are wrong, hence the reason for my contribution.

As far as I have seen all recent VAG vehicles put power up the coax to the aerial amp through a feed generated inside the radio. The pin in the ISO standard (when is a standard not a standard - when it's ISO) for the radio connector is missing on the radio. The after-market radio will have that pin and it can be used to feed the power supply adapter for the aerial. The aerial connections incidently are the flat ISO type, not the old long pin variety.

By swapping the red and yellow wires round it will make everything work correctly. The headunit will turn on and off with the ignition and keep all of it's memory. That's why the wires are needed to be switched.

When I replaced my Symphony I got the harness adapter from the start. My son has recently got a Seat Arosa and replaced the original radio in that. With the power leads as original the radio would only work with the ignition on; with the power leads reversed the radio would work without ignition but the memory was lost when the radio and ignition were switched off together (or it may have vice versa - I've been to sleep since then!) When he got the harness adapter we checked and found there was an additional wire in it.

The auto dimming of the head unit will work fine as long as your new head unit has this function. I replaced the head unit in my Octavia and now in my Golf and all of the functions work as they should by wiring it up as described many times on this site.

Agreed, the dimming does work but - in my case - only at the very dimmest dash light setting, and then not very much. I need to investigate this further.

With regards to the steering wheel controls, I don't know about keeping those in use as I never had them to start with.

Puzzles me this. My car is an Octy 1.9TDi SE 130 Mk1 which I suspect may have been an end-of-line upgrade which included steering controls, six speed box, etc none of which may have been on the earlier versions - i.e. it was a 'transition' model.

Also, with regards to the power injector for the aerial, I didn't use one in my Octavia and picked up all the radio stations I wanted fine, I understand some people have needed to fit one of these. My advice would be to try without at first and then fit one if needed.

I didn't think I needed it and nor did my son, until we tried non-local FM stations (which were noisy) or AM (which was non-existent.)

I think we are getting our wires crossed about the ariel amplification. Reading again, you're saying the aerial connection in the back of the Symphony injects sends an amplified signal down the co-ax to the aerial. Agreed.

With regards to the rest of the wiring, the new head unit will have a wire going to the ISO block for a powered antenna. This wire would be what would normally signal for an electric rectracting ariel, so that it extends when the radio is turned on. Because the Skoda doesn't have one of these, that space in the block of wiring has been occupied by the k-line. This has a small voltage applied to it for diagnostics purpose. The new head unit will also be supplying a voltage back down this same wire. This is where the problems can occur. You're sending a voltage down a loom that doesn't want to see it. This can result in damage to your convenience module and also possible damage to diagnostics equipment.

I am suprised to hear about the problems with the live and switched live you've encountered. And again, I neve had a problem picking up any of the radio statins I wanted to listen to in my Octavia, some people do. Hence, try without a booster, if you're not happy with the reception then buy a booster.