Looking for some advice about cable routing

 

I'm going to install a DAB head unit and I will need to route cables for FM and DAB for a new bee sting roof aerial (amplified DAB and FM outputs) and a microphone cable for the handsfree.

 

I'm confident I'll be able to install the new roof aerial. It doesn't look difficult to drop the headlining to access that. I'm not sure whether to re-use the existing FM aerial cable or to replace it. As to the DAB cable, I'm planning to route this along the passenger side and down the A pillar. By getting the glovebox out I'm hoping to get the cable behind the head unit.

 

On the drivers side I need route the microphone cable down the A pillar but not sure what to do after that. Which dash panels do I need to remove to route the cable to the head unit?

 

 

 

 

I've heard of people putting the microphone on top of the steering column which I imagine would be easier to access!

Possibly. I've looked at the Skoda workshop manuals and it appears that the lower part of the dashboard on the driver's side can be removed without too much difficulty. Whether I can feed a cable down the driver's side A pillar and then across to the back of the radio with the lower dash panel out I don't yet know. I'm also wondering whether it is worth replacing the existing FM cable from the aerial or not. I'm going to replace the aerial and I have to run a DAB cable anyway but if there's nothing wrong with the existing FM cable it's just work for no benefit.

I've completed the installation. I swapped out the stock bee sting aerial for a Hirschmann Auta 16 V DAB and changed the head unit for a Kenwood KDC-BT48DAB. All is working very well and I'm really pleased with excellent radio reception, both DAB and FM. I think it was worth it as I can also link my iPhone for streaming music or handsfree calling. The aerial is very similar to the OEM one except it's a bit more upright. It doesn't catch the spoiler either. 

 

I found a guide to swapping out the aerial. It suggested that the headlining could be dropped just by removing the trim at the top of the boot and unclipping the headlining. In fact, I removed a lot more trim than that as I had to route the new aerial cables anyway. I routed the cables under the headlining along the passenger side of the car, above the grab handles (so the cable is trapped) and down the A-pillar. By removing the glovebox I could then route the cables to the back of the radio. As to the microphone, I routed the cable down the A-pillar on the driver's side and removed the lower part of the dash under the steering wheel to get the cable to the head unit. It all took quite a long time and I find removing the trim infuriating because the metal clips are so strong. I'm always afraid I'm going to break the plastic even with trim removal tools. 

What head unit did you go for?

I'm looking into getting a new unit with bluetooth handsfree and possibly DAB. 

Kenwood KDC-BT48DAB. This is single DIN, bluetooth, CD, DAB/FM. It comes with included external microphone and an amplified windscreen DAB aerial. I didn't use the supplied aerial but swapped out the roof aerial instead. The head unit has front and rear USB. The front USB is handy for charging devices. It has 1 1/2 line display, the more expensive BT73 has 2 line display but no preset buttons and I thought it looked more difficult to use.

Edited 9 June, 201412 yr by svenedin