Lately I've driven cars from various VW brands, all with BT integrated, same as my vRS. Well, not exactly the same and here is what I mean:

 

1) 2011 Fabia vRS - BT Media playback supported, but has to be controlled from the device rather than from the car. So in order to start playing music, Pause and (most important) Skip, you need to reach out and grab your phone. Ok you can do it via voice command if you can bother repeating a 10" long sequence  in order to just skip a track but what I mean is that the radio's "Previous" and "Next" buttons don't work (when streaming BT music). Equally important: There is no media info displayed (track, title, album, folder etc. etc.) on the screen (Swing radio not Amundsen if that's has anything to do) but rather a constant (and damb) "BT MEDIA"  indication on the Swing's screen... 

 

2) 2013 VW Beattle - BT Media playback supported fully. Media info shows up nicely on the radio's screen, and you can can pause, skip tracks from noth the steering wheel's controls and the radio's. Very nice...

 

3) 2014 Skoda Rapid - Thought it would be just an age's issue and full control would be standard by 2014? Nop!! Same as case 1)

 

4) 2014 Audi A1 - Ah, back to luxury... Everything works as it should, as in 2).

 

Sooo...  What is the difference between all those cars that allows certain ones to offer full BT control from the car's buttons while others are only granted the capability of inputting the BT simply as a sound source while control has to be performed from the driver's own device? Maybe it's a coincidence, that VW and Audi had the "good" version and the 2 Skodas the "bad", but then again maybe not... I use my BT everyday and I would love to do the modification necessary in order to enjoy full control over my BT media so any related knowledge would be greatly appreciated...

Edited 7 May, 201412 yr by newbie69

It usually depends on the Bluetooth module fitted and the age of the car it's fitted to.

 

I'm just in the process of getting Bluetooth for my car and it's really complicated finding the right module that does everything you want.

 

The one I've gone for will show up in the Columbus and in the Maxidot. Other's only show in the Columbus not the maxidot.

 

What stereo do you have and do you have the maxidot display in your instruments?

 

Phil

Edited 7 May, 201412 yr by Phil-E

Hi Phil,

 

I have Maxidot yes, and my stereo is the Swing one. I also have full steering wheel controls (Volume up/down, Previous/Next) which work fine in all other modes (Radio, CD) but not in BT streaming and I think this is the MAX luxury anyone can get in its vRS in terms of BT media control. That's why it really is a shame. I don't get it at all. If you implement BT media capabilities why not doing it right instead of installing a chopped version??!!

 

I doubt anybody in a vRS can control BT music from the wheel or at least the stereo even with the Amundsen stereo. Please correct me if I'm wrong but I'm also of the opinion it's a module, rather than a stereo, issue.

Edited 7 May, 201412 yr by newbie69

Are you able to skip tracks with the maxidot in the bluetooth menu?

 

Phil

Edited 7 May, 201412 yr by Phil-E

Am I right in understanding what you mean is: entering BT menu by pressing the Voice button, finding the BT section and skipping from there using the right hand indication stalk?? Never had a clue there was such a possibility. If that's true that's another non-practical way to do a simple job apart from the voice command that takes a lifetime to complete...

 

Problem is the car is at the dealers currently and I am left with the A1 which anyway does everything it's supposed to so can't check your suggestion. But supposedly that I can, what is the next step here?

Ahh so confusing.

Dont the vw and audi units have the BT module built into the headunit?

And the skoda is a module which you plug into the back of the HU?

Maybe thats something to do with it?

I know nothing about the units themselves really. But I'd like to know what and how it needs to be done to have proper BT functionality on our cars as well. Once I experienced how comfortable this was I can't just accept I have to live with the odd system I have in mine. There must be something you can do about it...

Im not that well clued up, its only what iv read.

Itd be nice to fit a vw unit i suppose, but the different coloured button leds would be an eye sore

My amundsen on the monte controls BT device fine.. albeit takes half a second to complete the command!

I have BT and swing too. The Mk3 Octavia's have full BT control I believe, so not a ŠKODA thing, just an age thing

I've just changed to the top end 3C8 035 730D which does everything correctly over bluetooth.  Only issue is that you'll need to fit a GSM antenna as it also acts as a WiFi access point.  Currently available for £100 on eBay, Item number 111346256609.

 

I'm not sure what the next one down is that doesn't need a GSM antenna fitted but still has the full AVRCP bluetooth profile.

Anybody know what MFA stands for?

Do i have white MFA? Or red MFA? Or MFA +? Or what day is it?

Cheers

MFA is what Maxidot is called in a VW.

 

If it says red MFA in Skoda terms it means the pre-facelift dash (was all red in VWs or all white in Skoda). Like this:

 

 

White refers to facelift (went to all white in VW and also stayed white in Skoda).

 

They are both white in Skodas.

 

Yours should be the newer (white) one. Like this:

 

 

A note on the Premium bluetooth. To work fully (text readout and wifi hotspot) you will need a phone that supports RSAP (remote sim access protocol).

 

Phil

I've just changed to the top end 3C8 035 730D which does everything correctly over bluetooth.  Only issue is that you'll need to fit a GSM antenna as it also acts as a WiFi access point.  Currently available for £100 on eBay, Item number 111346256609.

 

I'm not sure what the next one down is that doesn't need a GSM antenna fitted but still has the full AVRCP bluetooth profile.

 

Very interesting, probably what I am looking for. A few questions though: 1) How easy is the installation? Is this a simple swap, old bt unit out and new bt unit in or you have to preview new connectors etc. to go with it? 2) As I don't care about the WiFi functionality, would I still need to fit a GSM antenna for it to work properly?  3) Looking the unit's code up I see RNS 510 going with it most of the time, which I think is Amundsen's code. I have RNS310 (Swing), would you suppose it will still work as it should? Which stereo do you have it paired with btw? Thanks!

MFA is what Maxidot is called in a VW.

If it says red MFA in Skoda terms it means the pre-facelift dash (was all red in VWs or all white in Skoda). Like this:

White refers to facelift (went to all white in VW and also stayed white in Skoda).

They are both white in Skodas.

Yours should be the newer (white) one. Like this:

A note on the Premium bluetooth. To work fully (text readout and wifi hotspot) you will need a phone that supports RSAP (remote sim access protocol).

Phil

Top man

Cheers mate

I think it would work in HFP (Hands Free Protocol) mode without the GSM antenna.

 

The GSM antenna is needed to work in RSAP mode but should work without it. Probably get a fault code on it.

 

They are cheap to buy. So may as well plug one in should you wish to use RSAP and get text readout etc.

 

Here's the one that I have just bought that came recommended by someone on here:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181129353654?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

I think the wiring harness for all the Bluetooth modules are standard and the same so should work fine.

 

Phil

It's not the cost that worries me, but rather the complexity of the installation like in case I have to remove the roof liner etc. This is work which never really goes as planned, something breaks in the way and you end up trying to figure a way to cover the accident. Or is it easier than that? Where would the antenna be mounted?

 

As for the control unit, instructions say it's a 2 min job to replace and with the telephone installation already done from factory I would probably need nothing more than the unit itself. Where is that located out of curiosity? Is it really a 2min job?

I'm not entirely sure on the Fabia. In the Octavia the module is under the drivers seat so would literally be a 2 minute job.

 

The antenna can go anywhere. As long as it gets a mobile phone signal so would probably work fine under the seat (depending where the module is).

 

Phil

 

EDIT:

 

The module should be under the rear seats

 

Plug and play swap it over. You could put the antenna on the back of the seats or tucked under the parcel shelf perhaps. The you would maybe need to check how the module is coded with  VCDS but might work out of the box.

Edited 8 May, 201412 yr by Phil-E

Hmmmm....  

 

But then again I'm thinking, 150 euros for seeing the song titles on screen and skipping tracks from the steering wheel?? Sure it's nice and comfortable but you buy an entire stereo for that amount of money... Ahhh, these things are ridiculously expensive when not specced from factory. Though, I couldn't have specced that anyway since Skoda decided to fit the cheap version... Will have to thing about it some more but it's good to know it's doable.

Edited 8 May, 201412 yr by newbie69

I have the amundsen + in my 13plate Monte and when I first got the car all BT functions worked using the stock player on my Note 2 Inc track change on stalk and text on screen, then it stopped?? Just upgraded to the note 3 and everything works perfectly again....not sure what relevance there is to this thread but just thought I would 'wade in'

It may be the type of phone that matters rather than the module on the HU?

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

I should have mentioned my experiences on all 4 cars where with the same phone (Nexus 4) so, while the phone may play some role here, I already have a capable one since it worked fine with VW and Audi.

It's under the driver's seat. To get at it you have to remove the drivers seat which is 4 bolts and depending on your spec anywhere from zero (no side airbags or heated seats) to 2 connectors underneath the seat.  Then remove the bottom B post trim (which needs you to release the bottom of the upper B post trim first) and then the lower trim from the B post to the A post. These all just unclip.  You then carefully lift the carpet, remove the 1 connector into the module and the three nuts that hold the module. Refitting is the reverse of disassembly, just make sure you recover any trim clips from the body work with a pair of pliers and start the refit with them attached to the trim.

 

Total time was about 45 minutes for this although I've had the seat out before to fit the underseat storage so I knew that stage quite well.

 

As has been said to avoid fault codes you'll want a GSM antenna, check out ebay 120977270583. The cable could be run along the sill whilst the trim's off and you could stick the antenna up in the dash somewhere. I didn't do this as I ran a cable back along the sill into the boot and then up the D post (estate) trim to a new antenna. A big job which I wouldn't recommend unless you want a full factory look to go with a DAB Columbus. I also had to run a DAB and GPS antenna cables along the passenger side sill to achieve this.

Thanks for the detailed description of the procedure. The only question that remains for me is whether the upgraded control unit can perform as it should with a Swing stereo as I've mostly seen it paired with Amundsens (if that affects the unit's correct function).

Just to bump this thread, 

 

Iv just bought a Bluetooth module from Ebay with part number 5k035730d to my SWING stereo. It needed the telephone module adding through vcds for the car to pick up on it being installed. But, Bluetooth works all fine with calls and phone book controlled by the wiperstalk buttons but even though i have vol control/mute/answer wheel and previous/skip buttons, i cant control music via the mfsw. Iv tried activating the MFSW button on VCDS but this disables the Bluetooth functions. Im a bit gutted i cant get the steering wheel buttons to work and have to control the music via the phone. 

How come you bought that module instead of 3C8 035 730D which is at least proved to work 100% as it should with Amundsens mate? Maybe the 5k035730d does not support MFSW control? I had found a detailed list as to which module supports what at the time...