Carplay options

[Freeroamer]

What are my options for carplay on a 2015 Golf TDI S?

 

[seanf]

I did the update using a kit from EurozoneTuning. Pretty much Plug and play. I did have to do a couple of small tweaks using VCDS. I’ve had it for about 2 years with no issues. Absolutely the best thing I have done to my car. CarPlay is fantastic.
This kit is not perfect though. No Satellite radio and no HD radio because the parts are European. The kit is expensive but it integrates perfectly in the car.
I Highly Recommend it.

 

[Nuje]

Same here, although I went with a setup from APG in Poland (don't worry - their English is pretty good).

As mentioned above, it's pretty much straight up "remove this and this; install that and that; flip a couple bits with VCDS" and it works. There are other options out there that are less expensive, but you pay for that with your time in figuring out all of the proper parts and getting past the component protection (typically involves having someone remotely connect to your car via your computer).

The other upside of the getting the MIB2 install is that it allows you to add in the Active Info Display / Virtual Cockpit as well (see signature).

 

[ThatBruceGuy]

@Nuje You just went with the [MIB2 High 8'' FL kit] eh?

it's pretty much straight up "remove this and this; install that and that; flip a couple bits with VCDS" and it works.

There's also a module buried under the passenger seat for the SEL version of the MIB1, afaik.
Did you have to pull that out too?

 

[Nuje]

Yes - that's the kit I purchased from them.
The SEL has the amplifier under the driver's seat - no need to fiddle with that if you go with the "hacked" upgrade hardware from APG. They made it all work.

MIB2 ostensibly requires a different amp, but the APG folks figured out how to get the unit to work with the MIB1 amp.

 

[MattRabbit]

I purchased the MIB2 screen and head unit used and the USB/Aux port from aliexpress and had them coded to work with my car. It cost around $440 all in including programming, and it works GREAT. The hardest part of the install was routing the cable for the USB port through the dash to the glove box (that was a royal pain), but everything else went really well. I went with the standard 6.5" screen, as they don't really make the brushed aluminum dash bezel in the other sizes. I'd love to upgrade to the 8" glass screen - all in good time.

The car is a Golf SE with Fender audio.

 

[Nuje]

How did you get the head unit coded to work with your car? I think the MIB2 display screen is just a "dumb" terminal - just displays whatever signal is sent its way, but the head unit is tied to the VIN, and (back a couple years) given that my model of car (2015 TDI) never came with MIB2 capability, VW's computers won't allow it to pair; it required some kind of "enhanced" pairing techniques.

 

[pedroYUL]

What are my options for carplay on a 2015 Golf TDI S?

Not many, there is no aftermarket solution at all, as the infotainment does more than just provide radio/audio.

The option(s) is to retrofit a system from a newer car. Starting in 2016, carplay and Android auto was offered, but you also have to upgrade the USB plug to the correct one that can transmit data.

Get reading, but most likely you have an MIB1 which does not support AA/carplay. You need to upgrade to an MIB2 standard or higher, and then the screen, since the resolution won't be compatible between them.

MIB is the unit inside the glovebox.

 

[Freeroamer]

I did the update using a kit from EurozoneTuning. Pretty much Plug and play. I did have to do a couple of small tweaks using VCDS. I’ve had it for about 2 years with no issues. Absolutely the best thing I have done to my car. CarPlay is fantastic.
This kit is not perfect though. No Satellite radio and no HD radio because the parts are European. The kit is expensive but it integrates perfectly in the car.
I Highly Recommend it.

Don't really want HD radio or Sat radio tbh.. I'm an apple music and waze guy.

 

[BarryT82]

You can buy the same radio on eBay for half the price.

 

[Nuje]

Yes, easy enough to find MIB2 head unit and larger displays on ebay. The problem is that our 2015s never came with MIB2, so dealers are unable to pair them to our cars. The dealer's "pairing" (removing component protection so that it'll work in a different car than the one it came out of) involves a "call home" to VW's servers; which will look at the VIN of your car and basically say, "nope - this car was never equipped or even available to have MIB2 as an option, so no can do."

At least, when I looked into the process, this was the stumbling block; maybe things have changed, but as far as I'm aware, someone somewhere (and dealers cannot) needs to do some magic to get around Component Protection.

 

[BarryT82]

Yes, easy enough to find MIB2 head unit and larger displays on ebay. The problem is that our 2015s never came with MIB2, so dealers are unable to pair them to our cars. The dealer's "pairing" (removing component protection so that it'll work in a different car than the one it came out of) involves a "call home" to VW's servers; which will look at the VIN of your car and basically say, "nope - this car was never equipped or even available to have MIB2 as an option, so no can do."

At least, when I looked into the process, this was the stumbling block; maybe things have changed, but as far as I'm aware, someone somewhere (and dealers cannot) needs to do some magic to get around Component Protection.

You can find them on eBay with the component protection removed. I purchased a US model from a 2019 Atlas and shipped it to Peter in Chicago. He removed component protection and enabled all of the features. I have about $1,100 into the entire setup with the 8” glass screen.

 

[hskrdu]

Is "Peter in Chicago" a member here?

 

[Nuje]

You can find them on eBay with the component protection removed. I purchased a US model from a 2019 Atlas and shipped it to Peter in Chicago. He removed component protection and enabled all of the features. I have about $1,100 into the entire setup with the 8” glass screen.

Given that the component in question has to be VIN-matched to your car, "removing component protection" isn't really a thing that the head unit came be purchased "with".
And as I said, "someone somewhere" (in your case - "Peter in Chicago", who is....?) has to do something to do that VIN-matching. Lots of other people have had it done remotely via a screen sharing session with "Jack in Poland" or "that guy in Singapore".

So again, not quite "plug and play".

 

[pedroYUL]

I used "some other guy in Brazil" lol

...and yes, the new unit will be hacked, and at least mine still reports into VCDS as Component Protection active, both at address 5F and the CAN bus

 

[BarryT82]

Given that the component in question has to be VIN-matched to your car, "removing component protection" isn't really a thing that the head unit came be purchased "with".
And as I said, "someone somewhere" (in your case - "Peter in Chicago", who is....?) has to do something to do that VIN-matching. Lots of other people have had it done remotely via a screen sharing session with "Jack in Poland" or "that guy in Singapore".

So again, not quite "plug and play".

I never gave Peter the VIN. I can take it and install it in another vehicle and it’ll work without having to change the component protection again. I spoke with Jack and he said that he could also do this, but I’d have to ship it to Poland.

 

[Cuzoe]

I suspect the method that Peter in Chicago is using is very similar to what APG out of Poland does. Neither method should require the VIN but I think APG requests it so that they can pre-code as much as possible while I suspect Peter just asks which car you have and maybe the trim because we don't have the mix and match options that are available in the rest of the world. In either case, the unit is hacked (a term that I'm not using negatively by the way) in software to ignore the component protection faults.

If it helps the best way to think about it is that the car actually doesn't care about the parts that are in there but it does report its identity. The other parts, when seeing that the identity reported by the car does not match their own identity, trigger component protection (on themselves) and then limit their function(s). If you program a part to not limit its function it doesn't matter that component protection is "active."

 

[Nuje]

Great explanation, @Cuzoe!
Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Cuzoe]

For what it's worth, the dealer can remove (although that isn't the proper term) component protection from an MIB II unit if you install it in your TDI. They can also enable the functions your car came with, which is likely just bluetooth audio, because that enablement is tied to your VIN in their system. They absolutely cannot enable the MIB II functions like CarPlay/Android Auto because those are not tied to your VIN (and were never available on your car).

The issue is that even if they are willing to do it their labor is going to cost you more than the cost of having one of the various "vendors" do it and you'll still need to use a "vendor" to get what you really want, which is App-Connect. If you want to install an MIB II and have the same functions as your MIB I until you are able to use a vendor that is possible. But unless you can get a dealer to do it for for very cheap, like almost free, your best bet is to just have all the parts on hand and knock it out at once.

If you buy a hacked unit (that ignores component protection faults) you should not let the dealer attempt to correct those faults as it could soft-brick the unit, at which point it will have to back to Peter/Jack/APG or whoever so they can try to recover it. I don't know that many dealers are going to do a scan and then attempt to resolve issues without notifying the customer. But the reason an APG unit has an option to "show on up on diagnostic scans for next 3 (or 10) power ups" is to minimize the risk of this happening.

I have MIB 2.5, a hacked unit purchased from APG. I did not like having the component protection faults, even though it didn't impact function. I had a "vendor" from another forum load fresh software (clearing out whatever APG had installed) and then "remove" component protection by tying the unit to my car. He then activated everything. So my unit now works as advertised and has no faults, even in a scan.

 

[BarryT82]

CarPlay, Bluetooth, Sirius, HD radio, and all of the functions work on mine. I have no idea what Peter did to make it all work, but he updated it to the latest firmware and sent me pictures during the update process. He updated the maps too.

 

[Nuje]

They absolutely cannot enable the MIB II functions like CarPlay/Android Auto because those are not tied to your VIN (and were never available on your car).

Right - forgot about that aspect. If you're reading other forums / explanations, you might come across "FEC" - feature enablement codes. Those are the things like CarPlay/AA where, if your car didn't come with them from the factory, the dealer won't be able to "enable" them.

 

[hskrdu]

I thought if you retrofit a MIB2 unit, you could "buy" the App-Connect code / pay to enable the FEC for that unit, even though the car didn't come with them from the factory?

 

[pedroYUL]

Nope, FECs are model specific, and if you buy an euro FEC, most likely the dealer wouldn't know how to activate...actually, in my experience 3 dealers around me were either clueless, or unwilling.

 

[Cuzoe]

@pedroYUL is correct, at least here in NAR. In fact, if anyone wants to buy an App-connect registration code I will try to dig mine up, haha. ROW gets plenty of options a-la-carte. Other options can be purchased later, like App-connect and they also have retrofit kits to add things like rear view cameras or shifter buttons like ESC/MODE.

 

[hskrdu]

So if this is accurate, why would anyone do a MIB1 to MIB2 upgrade? Or are you saying that it can be done, but not through the dealer?

 

[frey]

I never gave Peter the VIN. I can take it and install it in another vehicle and it’ll work without having to change the component protection again. I spoke with Jack and he said that he could also do this, but I’d have to ship it to Poland.

I need to get in touch with "Peter in Chicago" please. 2015 GSW tdi with radio locked CP active. I can bring the car to him.

 

[pedroYUL]

So if this is accurate, why would anyone do a MIB1 to MIB2 upgrade? Or are you saying that it can be done, but not through the dealer?

The MIB1 to MIB2 upgrade can be done, and you might get dealer help to deal with CP, but not FECs.

 

[hskrdu]

The MIB1 to MIB2 upgrade can be done, and you might get dealer help to deal with CP, but not FECs.

This thread makes it sound like it can be done? At least for App-Connect...

MIB Retrofits, FeC/SWaP, Hacked vs Legit

I haven't seen a lot of information posted about this topic, so I thought I'd share what I know. MIB-1 and MIB-2 units utilize a feature activation mechanism called SWaP (Software as Product). By entering an FeC (Feature enablement code), VW techs can provision your vehicle's infotainment...

www.golfmk7.com

 

[Nuje]

For 2015s, not possible via dealer, unless you're buying foreign "part" (software activation code).
Not sure I'd be willing to risk £300 ($400USD) for a software code, trusting that my dealer would be willing or able to utilize it.
Doesn't hurt to ask your dealer, I guess, but if dealer can't make it work, your left with a bunch of 1s and 0s and that's about it.

 

[Cuzoe]

This thread has gotten pretty deep into the weeds about how all of this works (and how some things won't work), haha. After doing a ton of reading along with a series of retrofits myself (MIB I > MIB II > MIB II w/ Nav > MIB 2.5) I have yet to see an instance where anyone here in the states was able to have the dealer fully activate an MIB II unit in a 2015. That includes buying the UK activation code. I bought one of those codes, did not work.

I don't see any reason that anyone would attempt to invent (not re-invent) the wheel when it comes to this retrofit. Buy a hacked unit that is plug and play. Or buy a used non hacked unit and have it activated remotely. For remote activation you will need a laptop, a clone VAS5054 and a specific D-Link USB ethernet adapter. There are threads on Vortex and GolfMk7 where people rent out the VAS and D-Link specifically so that people can have remote coding/activations done).

Hacked units are generally more expensive. And that includes buying a used non hacked unit and sending it to "Peter in Chicago," assuming I've heard correctly that he charges around $500. I had my MIB 2.5 fully activated, remotely, for $150. Add $30-40 to rent the VAS/D-Link if needed.