Can i just start by saying a hello to all the fellow forum users. Ive been looking on this site for years now when ive needed help but now ive decided to register and post something for myself

my works have just bought me a new fiat ducato maxi 2.3 van. its got the piano black head unit in it, which isnt touch screen.. now i spend alot of time in my van so ive done a few mods. inverter and leisure battery for charging power tools batteries on the go.

But now ive finally decided to treat myself to a new head unit. the one currently is awfull sounding, and looks hideous.

im looking for a good sounding touch screen, i love pioneer as i dj alot of their goods so some might say im bias about the brand. but i could be persuaded with other brands. i have no idea what to look for in a head unit, but it must be able to hook up to the steering wheels controls and hands free for my phone.

yes i know everything my current head unit has but i would like something more pretty!

fingers cross someone can help me in my search, im not sure on budget so feel free to throw any ideas out,

like i said im a complete novice with things like this so PLEASE HELP!

thanks all

tom

Before replacing the factory fit unit it would be best to do some research, and be prepared for a more difficult job than you might expect.

Such units are coded to the Canbus, and removal and replacement with an aftermarket unit can/will throw up Canbus errors.

People have also experienced issues with getting the steering wheel controls working properly.

I believe that with the correct approach (and ultimately a proxy align) these issues can be overcome, but best be prepared.

These two threads (I think there are others on here as well) illustrate some of the issues (X250 and X290 have similar issues):

https://www.fiatforum.com/ducato/448719-new-van-no-radio.html

https://www.fiatforum.com/ducato/427541-ducato-x250-radio-replacement.html

mate ive got the x250 and ive installed a double din alpine head unit in mine along with alpine type r speakers rockwood fosgate 12.5'' sub and alpine amp all working through the steering wheel controls the only issue i have is the flashing odometer but i can live with that replace the speakers first the standard factory ones are absolute rubbish Cheers Adam

why does is flash? and what speakers would you suggest? as i think the sound is coming from the tweeters and base from the doors,,,,

I've read the flashing is a CANBUS error - I only heard about this stuff when I was investigating LED lights. Any power savings to be made are lost as an artificial power draw has to be added to the compatible bulbs because of the CANBUS - if the power draw is too low, CANBUS assumes the bulb is blown.

I have the entry level CD player, no controls, nothing, so I'm not expecting a problem with CANBUS... or maybe I will. The dash DIN adapter I bought doesn't fit without some dremelling away of the adapter or inside of the dash so I've put that job off for now.

Mevi said:

I've read the flashing is a CANBUS error - I only heard about this stuff when I was investigating LED lights. Any power savings to be made are lost as an artificial power draw has to be added to the compatible bulbs because of the CANBUS - if the power draw is too low, CANBUS assumes the bulb is blown.

I have the entry level CD player, no controls, nothing, so I'm not expecting a problem with CANBUS... or maybe I will. The dash DIN adapter I bought doesn't fit without some dremelling away of the adapter or inside of the dash so I've put that job off for now.

Click to expand...

it isnt a canbus error as such . In any canbus network there are what are called terminators both passive and active in the fiat head unit is a passive terminator which as it name suggests ends the signal from the steering wheel controls which ties into the odometer display ,when the ccu sees a backfeed from the radio it makes the odometer flash because it no longer sees the correct voltage in the system (it should vary by 0.2 to 0.4 volts constantly and needs specialist equipment to be read ) remember can works from 4.4. volts to 4.7 volts and the reading of mine of memory was 4.4 volts at the lower end of the scale hence the flashing because the ccu is looking for a variable voltage it doesnt harm the ccu in any way just causes the flashing odometer.
BTW. ccu stands for chrysler crash unit which is the body control unit made by bosch for theses vehicles useless info for the day
Cheers Adam

Not useless, it's interesting. I'll store that away in my brain as that's sure to come in handy sometime. Better to understand why, than make guesses.

Whatever, you explained it well enough. I'm likening the terminators you describe to the terminators in a SCSI chain or a token ring PC network (I used to work in IT), terminators might be a device, a DIP switch, or a passive dongle.

HughJampton/adlarplant, does it mean I can switch to any FIAT supplied head unit, or is it that CANBUS is aligned to MY basic bottom of the range head unit?

Without the terminator, I don't expect tomwilliams86 can even just take the head unit out and run a new head unit off the leisure system and isolated from the CANBUS entirely?

Can a terminator be faked by pulling a board out of a ebay FIAT stereo, then stuffing it down the back of the dash?

Mevi : first, re the fascia adapter - make sure you have the correct one. For the X290 at least (and I suspect similar might apply for the X250), there are two different versions, one to be used when replacing an existing factory-fit radio, and one for use when the vehicle comes with radio-prep only, but no factory-fit radio. (on the X290 at least, the dashboard is slightly different-shaped in these two circumstances). If you are having to "dremel" you may have the wrong one.

As far as Canbus termination is required, the possibilities are beyond my knowledge. You might be able to fool the system by emulating a terminator in some way, but I suspect it won't be easy.

AFAIK, the flashing odo issue can be resolved by running a proxy-alignment once everything is complete, thus resetting the Canbus parameters. This needs specialist equipment that you could pay a dealer to use, or you could buy Multiecuscan and an appropriate OBD adapter, and run it yourself (and be equipped for further diagnostic work further down the line).

I bought this DIN adapter:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Autoleads...eo-Radio-Single-Din-Fascia-Panel/271406463764

My dash has the stereo mounting points at the bottom of the opening and also at the midway point.

Potential for me making a cock-up has pushed this job waaaay down my to-do list. Maybe I'll just ebay for whatever decent-ish FIAT stereo with bluetooth music playback I can fit in the dash.

I'm following this thread in the hope that Tom gets a solution for his stereo needs. My work Transit got music upgrades too.

...don't take my words as gospel regarding the replacement of a factory-fit radio in an X290, without further checking, but......

...I do know from experience that the dash-shape (radio aperture) for X290s with and without that factory-fit radio are different.

If you are fitting a radio in a vehicle with only radio-prep, the fascia required is that for the immediately-previous X250 (which has the same aperture). I believe you have bought one of those.

AFAIK, to replace the factory fit radio in an X290, you need an X290 specific fascia such as:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CT23FT21-...731469&hash=item3f4f98711a:g:GkcAAOSwjVVVlA2L

....as the dash is now subtly (but noticeably) different from the X250 with the factory-fit radio.

I went round in circles for some time when buying mine, before talking to two car-radio suppliers who both confirmed the above (and indeed, my X290 works with an X250 surround as it only came with radio-prep).

I feel like I've totally hijacked Tom's thread... Mine's an X250, Tom's is a shiny new X290.

Sorry Tom.

Still definitely info he will need to have before buying his adapter... and will make me check twice before buying again.