aftermarket HU messes car up?

[mre212]

got a kenwood deck installed in my car and im trying to sell my oem 6 disc. I want to give the kid the radio code but lo and behold i have the card with no numbers on it. So i call my dealership to ask them where i can get it. and the servuice guy tells me that since the car runs through the radio when i go on for service or an inspection that they wont be able to do it. Am i a total retard or doesnt the car's computer do it all, not the headunit?

Also anyone know hwere i can get this code and radio #? the thing is sitting in my closet and im at a loss.

 

[ZoomBy]

i think the readings will maybe display on the radio...but thats just a guess, i dont know

but no a radio isnt needed for service, thats ridiculous, they just need to do there job and hook there computer up to your car and not be lazy about it

 

[stangg172006]

no way, that service guys is a complete moron! as for the code, the dealer made it clear not to lose/miss place it because its a pain to get it again, good luck!

 

[mre212]

no way, that service guys is a complete moron! as for the code, the dealer made it clear not to lose/miss place it because its a pain to get it again, good luck!

but the thing is i havent lost anything. i have the card with no numbers on the back. I have a black tag that i have no clue what its for. i just remember the salesman saying dont lose it.

 

[Goneincognito]

The black tag is for the keys (from memory it is the last few numbers from the VIN).

As for the card.. thats strange. The dealer will be able to reset the code for you but the radio needs to be installed (or at least powered) I think.

Who ever told you that the car runs through the radio really doesn't know the car. Hang on..... I think I may have just described every dealer apart from the couple whe are enthusiests.

 

[maypo59]

Actually.. If the radio loses power, It does check with the ECU to make sure it's in the car it belongs to when power is restored. If you move it to another car it takes the code to tell it it now belongs with THAT ecu. I havn't had anyone try to mount one in a car other than a GTI, so not sure what it will do if it cant contact the ecu. My guess is it won't function.

 

[VWCorrado]

Actually.. If the radio loses power, It does check with the ECU to make sure it's in the car it belongs to when power is restored. If you move it to another car it takes the code to tell it it now belongs with THAT ecu. I havn't had anyone try to mount one in a car other than a GTI, so not sure what it will do if it cant contact the ecu. My guess is it won't function.

I have been told by a couple of service managers (one who is a friend) that the radio and the car's ecu are constantly communicating with each other. I have also been told that if an aftermarket head unit is not installed correctly it can cause problems for the dealer's vag com. In fact they have cancelled one person's warranty because their custom audio setup sent some sort of feedback to their vag com and killed it. One of these vag computers costs a dealer about $15k, so you can imagine the anger on the dealer's end. In fact some dealerships will not scan a car with an aftermarket radio for just this reason.

 

[capulina]

i have been driving around with no headunit for a few days, just a big hole in the dash, (while i finish my install) and there has definetely not been a single problem. i also noticed that my radio code was not written down on the radio id card, it was just left blank so when i took my car in for 5k service i made sure to tell the service guy and he looked it up in the system and wrote the code down on the card, all in like under two minutes.

later i found my radio code written in my owner's manual, try looking there too in case they worte it down in the wrong place.

as for voiding warranty due to audio install, i highly doubt that. sounds more like a rumor to discourage tinkering with original equipment. i am in the middle of my install, and i have made sure to do everything safe, clean, and prefessional to avoid problems often created by aftermarket audio installs.

 

[VWCorrado]

as for voiding warranty due to audio install, i highly doubt that. sounds more like a rumor to discourage tinkering with original equipment. i am in the middle of my install, and i have made sure to do everything safe, clean, and prefessional to avoid problems often created by aftermarket audio installs.

Exactly. If you do it right then you would have no problems, and no warranty issues. You will only have problems when the radio installation isn't correctly wired, or is hacked together instead of using a harness.

 

[snoopy]

My cars been serviced with an aftermarket headunit there was no problem.

Well apart from the guy who did it was talking to me for about an hour about my system.:biggrin: as he was an audio guy too.

 

[masencup]

Here is a link with a description of the Vag-Aftermarket radio issue. Basically it can be summed up as a bad install.

http://www.wak-tt.com/vagcom/afmradioprob.htm

 

[snoopy]

The link above refers to the Golf mk4 with the K line not the CANbus system on the mk5.

 

[loccusst]

I love reading this stuff......
I am a mobile certified installer through MECP and I love to talk to service advisor guys when I bring my cars in with aftermarket items such as remote starters and radios. Most of these so called service advisors are nothing more than a glorified secretary. The techs in the bays doing the work have to tell them what to tell the customer 90% of the time. They feed everyone a line of BS that can be smelled from miles away. GM uses directed remote starters on their cars. GM even hires installers to install remote starters at the GM certified dealerships. Honda uses Pioneer while Jag uses Alpine type X in their Jag X type. The manufacturers are using aftermarket companies left and right in thier cars and even advertising that they come with these systems. Most service advisors feel about aftermarket electronics like the caveman felt about fire. It's cool and I would love to have it in my cave but I don't understand exactly how it works nor do I want to so I am afraid of it. It must be evil. While others simply wont touch anything not oem and plug their ears and go LALALAL...I don't want to talk to you and your warranty is voided so go away.
The guy who's radio supposedly fried the vag tool....um don't think so. The dealership who said the entire warranty was voided because of the radio.....um don't think so. The radio doesn't need to be in the car for the car to run. The vehicle has nothing to run through the radio that is a part of the functionality of the car. I have seen GM radios that do have warning lights on the dashes come on, dome lights not work, and information systems mess up when the factory radio is removed. I have seen Hondas that the dome light and keyless wont work. The MKV is not one of these.

 

[SoCalComatose]

I love reading this stuff......
I am a mobile certified installer through MECP and I love to talk to service advisor guys when I bring my cars in with aftermarket items such as remote starters and radios. Most of these so called service advisors are nothing more than a glorified secretary. The techs in the bays doing the work have to tell them what to tell the customer 90% of the time. They feed everyone a line of BS that can be smelled from miles away. GM uses directed remote starters on their cars. GM even hires installers to install remote starters at the GM certified dealerships. Honda uses Pioneer while Jag uses Alpine type X in their Jag X type. The manufacturers are using aftermarket companies left and right in thier cars and even advertising that they come with these systems. Most service advisors feel about aftermarket electronics like the caveman felt about fire. It's cool and I would love to have it in my cave but I don't understand exactly how it works nor do I want to so I am afraid of it. It must be evil. While others simply wont touch anything not oem and plug their ears and go LALALAL...I don't want to talk to you and your warranty is voided so go away.
The guy who's radio supposedly fried the vag tool....um don't think so. The dealership who said the entire warranty was voided because of the radio.....um don't think so. The radio doesn't need to be in the car for the car to run. The vehicle has nothing to run through the radio that is a part of the functionality of the car. I have seen GM radios that do have warning lights on the dashes come on, dome lights not work, and information systems mess up when the factory radio is removed. I have seen Hondas that the dome light and keyless wont work. The MKV is not one of these.

Nice post. That makes me feel better about the AVIC-D2 going in shortly! :thumbup:

 

[RJS5689]

I have been told by a couple of service managers (one who is a friend) that the radio and the car's ecu are constantly communicating with each other. I have also been told that if an aftermarket head unit is not installed correctly it can cause problems for the dealer's vag com. In fact they have cancelled one person's warranty because their custom audio setup sent some sort of feedback to their vag com and killed it. One of these vag computers costs a dealer about $15k, so you can imagine the anger on the dealer's end. In fact some dealerships will not scan a car with an aftermarket radio for just this reason.

Um too bad that illegal, you cant just void someones warrenty because their product messed something up. Sound sliek some BS to keep people away from mods. My car has been serviced w/ my system and i have had no issues.