RNS-E from Zawa: who else purchased and has installed successfully?

[alrightroad]

I have one of the older ones in my 2001 allroad functioning 100%. Bought the new setup from Adam and having trouble getting it to work. I know physicall installation (GPS antenna, harness, etc) is correct as I have done this several times. I tested Adams unit in my allroad using the existing allroad harness and it functions there fine.

Problem is when installed in RS6 the maps dont move at all. My RS6 has factory nav and factory satellite radio. Anyone else beside Tom Sawyer have tihs exact setup? Success?

Thanks.

Eric

[NSU RS6]

Check your email Eric. I had a couple of hiccups with mine, but it was mostly my fault installing the GPS antenna upside down.

[ben916]

I have one of the older ones in my 2001 allroad functioning 100%. Bought the new setup from Adam and having trouble getting it to work. I know physicall installation (GPS antenna, harness, etc) is correct as I have done this several times. I tested Adams unit in my allroad using the existing allroad harness and it functions there fine.

Problem is when installed in RS6 the maps dont move at all. My RS6 has factory nav and factory satellite radio. Anyone else beside Tom Sawyer have tihs exact setup? Success?

Thanks.

Eric

I have the RNS-E unit formerly owned by Tom Sawyer (not yet installed due to the wee bit of chaos with the oil cooler/coolant tube and f@#$ed radiator, oh and moving 1300 miles and new job and leaving family behind).

Doesn't it take up to 6+ hours to let the GPS "settle"???
Also, don't you have to VAGCOM it to remove the factory $hitbird Nav and replace it with the coding for the RNS-E???

I am hoping at a guy named Mark that lives in Roy, Washington can assist in the installation of my unit...

Also have you checked out nene's site? www.htms.org for install issues/guidance???

[alrightroad]

Ben, thanks for the reply. I figured you would pipe up when you had time to think about installing Kevin's old unit. I am working through the details now on the pinouts and coding. So far, there are several reports of a few miles to a few hours on letting the RNS-E 'sync' up with the RS6. it's been a week with mine and various changes but no dice yet. I'm sure its a cable/pinout issue... which I will resolve this weekend. RS6's are different than other C5 platforms I suppose due to more factory items inclusive and competing for same resources and signals of RNS-E. I'll let you know what I find out as I plan on documenting it along the way. That link you sent is helpful as well (thanks!).

Hope you are settling in well in the PNW. Litterally opposite of my location.

e

[marklar182]

I believe (don't quote me on this), the cause is that the 2010 RNS-E does not use the RS6 speed signal to move the maps. It is done over K and the RS6 does not send speed over K. However the maps can also move by GPS signal, but it does take time to sync and GPS only is ultimately not as accurate as speed+GPS.

As for coding, the RNS-E should already be pre-coded so no changes should be necessary.

[kday]

I don't know if this is relevant, but I have an original RNS-E and did not hook up the speed sensor. When I first hooked up the GPS, the maps had a huge lag in updating. But over the course of a few days it resolved itself and now the nav works fine for turn-by-turn without the wheel speed signal. (Well, it does get confused in tunnels, maybe it could be better -- but it's fine.)

[NSU RS6]

I am pretty sure that mine has no speed input - position is calulated entirely over GPS. It's accuracy is impeccable. I just wonder if a speed input would provide for a higher frequency position feedback. Right now, I would say I get feedback every two seconds or so. My wife's 2005 Lexus is much faster for position feedback, but the screen absoultely sucks compared to this latest RNS-E unit.

[NSU RS6]

I have the RNS-E unit formerly owned by Tom Sawyer (not yet installed due to the wee bit of chaos with the oil cooler/coolant tube and f@#$ed radiator, oh and moving 1300 miles and new job and leaving family behind).

Kevin and I bought ours at the same time.


Doesn't it take up to 6+ hours to let the GPS "settle"???

Mine did. At least.


Also, don't you have to VAGCOM it to remove the factory $hitbird Nav and replace it with the coding for the RNS-E???

Zawa has already done this.


I am hoping at a guy named Mark that lives in Roy, Washington can assist in the installation of my unit...

Since Kevin has already moved the pin for Bose input, the install should take less than a half an hour if you put the GPS antenna above the glovebox. The GPS antenna location shown on htms.org is probably a better spot and would probably add a half hour to the install due to the need to remove the instrument cluster instaed of the glovebox.


Also have you checked out nene's site? www.htms.org for install issues/guidance???

Great site - but the latest RNS-E can be a much simpler install.

[Chung]

I am hoping at a guy named Mark that lives in Roy, Washington can assist in the installation of my unit...


When you do get together for the install, let me know and I will bring some beer. I am about to embark on my Bluetooth install. My RS6 is like a superleggera without the glove box right now, so nimble.

[NSU RS6]

My RS6 is like a superleggera without the glove box right now, so nimble.

That has probably dropped you into the low 4's for sure.........

[hahnmgh63]

Ben & Chung, I would be happy to help with the install, your place or mine just let me know. Chung I take it you have the glovebox out for access to the Onstar for the Bluetooth install? The factory Bluetooth is really a great install once working, I could only imagine how much better it would be with a MFSW, for that I'll have to ask my daughter as her '08 A4 has Nav, Bluetooth & MFSW. At least the Bluetooth install in our cars isn't completely from scratch, we do have the microphone and part of the wiring thanks to the old Onstar.

P.S. I will be out of town on vacation from the 20-29th of May and will be doing a timing belt/waterpump on our Secretaries Beattle probably on the 13~14th of May (I'm a sucker for volunteering but the dealer wanted $1550 + tax and I got her all of the parts for less than $300)

[alrightroad]

hahnmgh63, do you have RNS-E in your headrests? I just noticed you have RNS-E listed twice in your signature. ha ha.

I have the older RNS-E and factory BT module with MFSW working well in my allroad. I'll get this sorted out in the RS6 and likely type up a document for future reference. I think nene's write-up is near complete but minus some harness mentions and also discussion on factory nav/satellite/onstar differences and signals conflicts with the assumed C5 PNP harness. Mention about GALA and tapping wiress behind cluster and why would be helpful also. I am hoping to retrofit a newer generation S-line/TT/S/RS flavor MFSW into the whole picture as time goes on. I am woking on that but research takes much longer since the newer generation airbags are 2 stage and ours are single stage (thanks to zawa for the direction on that). Safety first, then functionality.

[hahnmgh63]

Signature fixed, Ooops. You can use the older MFSW in the RS6 but then you end up with the Tip rocker switches and no paddles. As you mentioned, the newer MFSW has been adapted to the RS6 but I'm not sure if anyone has gotten the newer Airbags to work. I would love an RS8, TTRS, or S5 steering wheels. Along with the HTMS install this is a good guide too: http://www.allroadfaq.com/downloads/mods/TED_RNS_E.pdf and here http://home.comcast.net/~nelson.paiva/RNS-E.pdf

[alrightroad]

Would be nice...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/110732264300?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[Chung]

Sorry for the thread jack...

I am going to use the same system Tom Sawyer used that uses the onstar controls. Not quite as good as steering wheel control but better than using the radio I think.

[ben916]

Sorry for the thread jack...

I am going to use the same system Tom Sawyer used that uses the onstar controls. Not quite as good as steering wheel control but better than using the radio I think.

So you are gonna wire up the red Onstar button for answering the phone versus the RNS-E button?
Geez!! one more project for me after reading this....

Mark, i have no tools here nor space.
I am in Vegas next week until friday.
Kids are flying up on the 17th of May for 6 days...

[sheatisdale]

I just got one from him. Awesome guy to deal with and he really knows his stuff. He also packed it about as good as anything I've ever received. I'm prepping for my install today.

[alrightroad]

Let me know if you get stuck. I have been meaning to post some pointers. Be sure to unplug your telematics/onstar/nav equipment. It will interfere with gps and seed signals needed by the RNS-E. Be sure to connect can high and low speed signal behind cluster.

[hahnmgh63]

Ben916 & I installed his unit (Sawyers) about two weeks ago, then I did mine the next day. Ben's had the stock radio, I had previously had a RNS-E installed. I had previously installed a RNS-E about 5 years ago and a couple of years ago installed the factory Bluetooth, when doing the Bluetooth I also swapped the Onstar GPS antenna over to the RNS-E and removed the previous installed Magnetic antenna. Ben's was a little more work as we had to pull the Onstar and accidentally started by plugging the Onstar Cell antenna in instead of the GPS antenna. Zawa (Adam) kit was very nicely packaged and had everything you need. Compared with finding a cheap old unit in good shape it's a pretty good deal.

[ben916]

Ben916 & I installed his unit (Sawyers) about two weeks ago, then I did mine the next day. Ben's had the stock radio, I had previously had a RNS-E installed. I had previously installed a RNS-E about 5 years ago and a couple of years ago installed the factory Bluetooth, when doing the Bluetooth I also swapped the Onstar GPS antenna over to the RNS-E and removed the previous installed Magnetic antenna. Ben's was a little more work as we had to pull the Onstar and accidentally started by plugging the Onstar Cell antenna in instead of the GPS antenna. Zawa (Adam) kit was very nicely packaged and had everything you need. Compared with finding a cheap old unit in good shape it's a pretty good deal.

Yep, 1000 HUGE thanks to Mark for the space, time and guidance on what the heck to do!!!!

The Bluetooth is next but not before a timing belt - new bolts are in from PUREMS...

EDIT: he did most of it...

[mik15]

i have also installed the RNS-E last week and i am now looking for the OEM bluetooth module, could you please let me know which one would be the best so that the latest phones could connect to, guys on rs246 were saying that i should get the latest possible module to make sure that iPhone 4S works...is there a specific p/n i should be looking for?

[hahnmgh63]

I have part # 8P0862335AA and it works great in N. America. You should give your dealer a call as One for N. America may not be the best for Europe and such. Try Audiforum.us for some good info on the Bluetooth modules.

[alrightroad]

If you install the BT module you have to remove the microphone leads from the telematics harness and re-tap into the BT harness. Zawa's BT and RNS-E setup is certainly top notch (best packaging in the world). However, there are some modifications required for the RS6 for both the RNS-E and BT harnesses if you had original nav and OnStar. I have pics of the harness pinouts and what to pull for the mic if anyone needs it.

[zawa]

mik15

Contact me if you are looking for BT, RNS-E or SAT

Thanx

zawa

[sheatisdale]

I got mine from Adam (Zawa) and put it in this past weekend. It came in the best packing I've ever seen and all the pieces were flawless. Took me about 4 hours with breaks and interruptions to remove the old Nav, install Sirius, remove Symphony II, tap speed from behind the instrument cluster and install the RNS-E. It was easy as pie and his info was great.

I wish I had done this when I got the car!

You can't go wrong buying it from Adam.

[NSU RS6]

Is there an advantage to tapping the speed from behind the instrument cluster? I love my RNS-E, which kicks butt over the NAV in my wife's Lexus. The ONLY thing better in the Lexus is map refresh time. I would say that the RNS-E is about every second, the Lexus every half second. When I purchased my RNS-E I was told that tapping into the speedo was not necessary - and it is not, as my map does function. However, if tapping the speed makes for smoother resolution, I would do it.

[sheatisdale]

The advantage supposedly is that it updates faster and that you have GALA.

[marklar182]

With the speed signal attached it absolutely updates faster, and continues to update when GPS signal is breifly lost (tunnels, garages, ect).

[ben916]

With the speed signal attached it absolutely updates faster, and continues to update when GPS signal is breifly lost (tunnels, garages, ect).

I have noticed this...

[bmwade]

Just got my RNS-E from Zawa! Cant wait to get it hooked up! but I'm Looking at the 61 page install PDF and wondering if anyone has cliff notes?? Im super ADD and got through like 5 pages before i came here lol I just got nav, no BT or XM...

[zawa]

Its not that bad, please contact others who allready did it in RS6, pick somebody from my feedback list or contact Rich.

Or just email me.

BR

A


Just got my RNS-E from Zawa! Cant wait to get it hooked up! but I'm Looking at the 61 page install PDF and wondering if anyone has cliff notes?? Im super ADD and got through like 5 pages before i came here lol I just got nav, no BT or XM...

[ben916]

not that I am the expert, that would be Mark.

1. If you have the factory nav, you could/can use the sharkfin sat connection from the ONSTAR. It is under the passenger foot well, yes you have to remove the glovebox to access it. YES, it is a mother to pull the carpet back. There are three bolts holding the ONSTAR module to the firewall.
2. If you don't have the factory nav, just use the supplied magnetic GPS antenna and attach to a location under the dash.
3. The keys that are supplied are marginal, I just happened to purchase a set with the Phatnoise that I was planning on installing but got the RNS-E instead. ECS tuning is where I got the second set.
4. Cover the gear shift with a towel or something.
5. Once everything is connected and powered on, it took about 30 minutes to align to where I was located. Initially, I had 2-3 satelites, it needs 3 to triangulate. I typically receive 7-8 on any given day.

If I had to do it over:
1. I would have purchase the BT module AND the harness with the BT module wired in.
2. Tap into the speed sensor from the instrument cluster. There are times in city traffic/streets where the refresh is not quick enough or the signal does not refresh fast enough to recognize a change in direction. What I mean by this is if you do a three point, the GPS thinks you are still pointed in the original direction, versus refreshing to point in the direction the car is facing (n,s,e,w).

[zawa]

as above

[AudiPilot]

However, there are some modifications required for the RS6 for both the RNS-E and BT harnesses if you had original nav and OnStar. I have pics of the harness pinouts and what to pull for the mic if anyone needs it.

BLUF:
1) Is there specific VCDS re-coding required to "code out" the factory radio nav after RNS-E installation?
2) Do I need a different wiring bundle than the one I'm expecting to come from zawa with the RNS-E? (Like the Kufatec conversion bundle, link below)

I'm about to install one of zawa's units in my RS6 to replace the Symphony II (he's been awesome to work with, just as everyone says). My car has the original "radio" nav (MFD text), and I'm wondering if there's specific VCDS re-coding that needs to be done to "code out" the original nav, understanding that the coding for the unit itself is handled by zawa. I ask because Kufatec sells a wire bundle that's a "complete set for conversion from a radio navigation unit to an original DVD navigation unit RNS-E" (link below). So I'm also wondering if the zawa-included wiring bundle is adequate, or whether I need to get a "conversion" wiring bundle.

I have original OnStar as well, but not planning to wire to it unless there's a relatively straightforward way to re-purpose the integrated microphone with a FISCON BT phone setup (instead of using their aftermarket microphone that clips to the headliner).

After searching, I haven't seen anyone mention Kufatec's RNS-E accessory solutions, but I'm also planning on their "AUX, A2DP Bluetooth Plug and Play Music Receiver for Audi RNS Media" (link below), which should give not only BT audio (with proper song title info displayed) as well as an AUX-in option as an alternative. Seems like a very easy implementation and avoids trying to fit a (massive) OE AMI unit in/around/behind and then finding a BT solution to add on to it.

Kufatec radio nav to RNS-E conversion bundle: https://www.kufatec.com/en/car-hifi/oem-radio-adapter/rns-e-bundle-rns-e-adapter-complete-set-34521-1
Kufatec BT RNS-E "AMI alternative": https://www.kufatec.com/en/car-hifi/music-in-car/aux-a2dp-bluetooth-plug-and-play-music-receiver-for-audi-rns-media-41563

[nene]

I got my original wiring harness from Zawa. My installation: RNS-E Install (http://www.htms.org/rnse.html)

[AudiPilot]

I got my original wiring harness from Zawa. My installation: RNS-E Install (http://www.htms.org/rnse.html)

Awesome, that’s a very helpful and thorough guide! I appreciate not having to reinvent the wheel. Just got the unit, so will install soon.

[hahnmgh63]

My Coding: 0509673 It has been a while since I looked at it but after install bring up the Nav or Radio coding with Vagcom and I think it has a pop-up coding helper. Also you will need to change the code I believe for the Instrument cluster. I'm not posting mine as mine will be different as my Instrument cluster is also coded for the 6spd manual so I get 'depress clutch to start' message and such.

[AudiPilot]

My Coding: 0509673 It has been a while since I looked at it but after install bring up the Nav or Radio coding with Vagcom and I think it has a pop-up coding helper. Also you will need to change the code I believe for the Instrument cluster. I'm not posting mine as mine will be different as my Instrument cluster is also coded for the 6spd manual so I get 'depress clutch to start' message and such.

Thank you! Yes I think it also depends heavily on what peripherals you have (like AMI, BT phone, CD changer, etc.), so hopefully it all goes in smoothly based on what I told Zawa I needed.

[AudiPilot]

I got my original wiring harness from Zawa. My installation: RNS-E Install (http://www.htms.org/rnse.html)

I have your guide all printed out and have read it multiple times... first issue seems to be the wiring harness -- Zawa sent me one with four connectors (pictured)... the car only has three behind the Symphony II. Any suggestions? Do I need to get Zawa to send a different harness?

Update: Apparently “Connector II” (brown) is for non-Bose speaker systems. I’ve been told to simply leave it unconnected, which seems weird, but will give it a shot.

https://www.rs6.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=19142&stc=1
https://www.rs6.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=19143&stc=1

[nene]

This appears to be a new harness that is being provided that is more general in nature. You don't have to connect the extra one. If you noticed the original harness that I purchased only had 3 connectors. You should have enough room behind the radio to stash it. I would recommend at least using some felt around the extra unplugged connector as well as a zip tie to keep it all tidy. This way when you go over bumps and such you won't hear anything loose back there, which will drive you crazy.

[AudiPilot]

This appears to be a new harness that is being provided that is more general in nature. You don't have to connect the extra one. If you noticed the original harness that I purchased only had 3 connectors. You should have enough room behind the radio to stash it. I would recommend at least using some felt around the extra unplugged connector as well as a zip tie to keep it all tidy. This way when you go over bumps and such you won't hear anything loose back there, which will drive you crazy.

Thanks for the reassurance, I’ll give it a shot, and will definitely wrap the unused connector as you described. I was expecting three connectors! When you wrapped your wiring with zip ties, did you just use a thin packing wrap (like 1/8” thick)? I removed and replaced everything from the cup holder up top down to the ash tray in that area, so I’ve definitely seen there’s plenty of room (as your instructions indicated, too). I have the instrument cluster out for a center LCD replacement, so as soon as it’s back I’ll get the head unit installed.

[nene]

The zip ties I used were thin. The thickness is less important. You just want to make sure nothing is dangling and could shake/rattle during normal driving.
Before you start bolting everything back, make sure to turn it on once all plugged in. Use a pillow to sort of hold the new system over the shifting lever for example.