Hi all,

I've asked questions in the past here on this and hopefully this will be the last time!

Basically I have a 2009 vRS CR170. It's got the facelift interior inside the pre-facelift body if it's of any use to this question. When I got the car I bought a Columbus Sat Nav 1Z0 035 680 A but this never displayed the climatronic functions or showed the navigation instructions on the maxidot. I also lost the Audio function from the original "Swing" unit. The dealer was unable to fix this and said it was most likely the gateway.

I am about to buy another on eBay. The seller is confident it will work. I have a choice of two, an LED and non-LED. The part numbers are:

Non-LED - 3T0 035 680

LED - 3TO 035 680 A

My first preference is the LED, but should these units be ok for my car?

If I purchase this I promise it will be the last time I ask as since I've registered it's been the only thing I've posted about and I really should get more into this as I've got some plans for the car in the coming month or two

Surely another gateway would be cheaper than another Columbus unit. As far as I remember it is only a case of coding the car so it knows it has a sat nav system installed. A knowledgeable person with VCDS should be able to do that for you.

Ian

Thanks for the replies. Very useful information.

My original unit is now sold and this is costing me little extra (enough to justify the LED display in my eyes). Less than £50 to be honest.

From what I have been led to believe, it is not possible to get a retrofit Columbus of any description to display the climate control settings.

The CAN gateway simply needs setting to recognise that there is a navigation unit installed, and is a simple tick box in the program on VCDS. Why the dealer couldn't do that, I really don't know. Without telling the rest of the car that the nav unit is fitted, by ticking controller 37 Navigation, nothing will be displayed on maxidot.

Another probable cause of the maxidot not seeing the audio and navigation menus is that the Columbus could be set for BAP protocol. If it is, then the language the Columbus is trying to speak to the maxidot in is different -- the maxidot won't be able to understand what information is coming out of the head unit. With the BAP protocol properly set, you will get the maxidot and Columbus to speak the same language and so the maxidot will then display the menus that you are lacking at the moment.

If that is what it is, it's a 5 minute job for someone with VCDS to sort out.

Remember it's not automatic that the Columbus will be set correctly for your Octavia -- for example, it might have been fitted previously to a car with a sound system in it, or it might have been installed in a Superb -- especially as it's a 3T0 unit you have.

Get things checked out with VCDS before buying another -- it might well just be a simple change of coding that is required.

Mike

It works straight off and the climate displays with no coding. The only thing i was missing was the Maxidot interface which was just a VCDS code to tell it Nav was installed......although the radio/track display showed on the maxidot.

MFSW also worked with no coding.

3T0 is the one you need so in a word, yes, it will work.

You could just have upgraded the F/W on the 1Z0 though to be a 3T0 :'(

It works straight off and the climate displays with no coding. The only thing i was missing was the Maxidot interface which was just a VCDS code to tell it Nav was installed......although the radio/track display showed on the maxidot.

MFSW also worked with no coding.

3T0 is the one you need so in a word, yes, it will work.

You could just have upgraded the F/W on the 1Z0 though to be a 3T0 :'(

Thanks for that.

Everything was tried with the last unit. It spat out multiple firmware discs unfortunately when it was tried!

Thanks for that.

Everything was tried with the last unit. It spat out multiple firmware discs unfortunately when it was tried!

I am right in thinking that you have this unit climate unit:

and not this one:

The first one i know will work, the second pic (older unit), i am not sure but can't see why it wouldn't as you could get that nav unit with that climate panel....

I am right in thinking that you have this unit climate unit:

and not this one:

The first one i know will work, the second pic (older unit), i am not sure but can't see why it wouldn't as you could get that nav unit with that climate panel....

Yes, it's the first panel. Car is a strange one. Facelift interior and mirrors but older exterior and badging.

Yes, it's the first panel. Car is a strange one. Facelift interior and mirrors but older exterior and badging.

It will work fine then as it will be the same gateways as mine......just need to tick the NAV box in VCDS to get the compass on the maxidot....which i lived without for nearly a year! Other than that it is Plug N Play.

There was a transitional period from pre FL to FL.....It is strange as the Limited Edition VRS had the pre FL interior but was available on an 09?!

It will work fine then as it will be the same gateways as mine......just need to tick the NAV box in VCDS to get the compass on the maxidot....which i lived without for nearly a year! Other than that it is Plug N Play.

There was a transitional period from pre FL to FL.....It is strange as the Limited Edition VRS had the pre FL interior but was available on an 09?!

The only explanation I can think of is they had a shedload of pre facelift bits left! Suits me as the cars very well specced. Irish vrs are slightly higher specs than UK ones and this has Bluetooth, xenons and 18s (options here). Looking at Brock B14's at the mo too.

Thanks for the replies. Very useful information.

My original unit is now sold and this is costing me little extra (enough to justify the LED display in my eyes). Less than £50 to be honest.

I would have kept the Original non LED version. The LED display has its issues as well, especially at night, especially with display dimming. So much so that the firmware on these units offers a display off option to remove the glare from the headunit.

I would have kept the Original non LED version. The LED display has its issues as well, especially at night, especially with display dimming. So much so that the firmware on these units offers a display off option to remove the glare from the headunit.

Good point but I would still prefer the additional functionality. Night mode should help. I've been in a Passat a few times with one and didn't notice anything too bad but apparently a screen protector helps a lot with this issue.

Just to add to this.

I got the unit this evening. Working perfectly so I'm happy. Drove 250km there with the LED display on full and it was fine.