Technical Uconnect + DAB Retrofit in Pre-Facelift Panda.

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Technical Uconnect + DAB Retrofit in Pre-Facelift Panda.

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I'm really interested in this Uconnect + DAB upgrade in my Panda.
So i started this thread for everyone that is also interested in it.
We can use this thread for technical information exchange to find out if such a upgrade is possible and what is needed to make it all work in the Pre-Facelift Panda.
I reckon i will not be the only one that is interested in this retrofit in the Pre-Facelift Panda. :D

panda_assetdesk_tecnologia_box01.jpg
 
I'm also interested but fear that Fiat will make it expensive for a retro refit eg the space saver wheel cost. I would also expect that a new aerial would also be required.
 
Interesting - not implying disagreement, after information - why would you want to spend more than a hundred quid or so just to get DAB?


I spent 500 notes getting the Toyota integrated DAB module fitted in my Yaris. Figuring I'd keep the car for at least 5 years so it would work out at a matter of pennies per day.

Some people splurge that kind of money on sky tv or footie in a year. Horses for courses I suppose.

I don't regret a penny of it :) Miss not having it in the panda though.

All the best,
M
 
Hi all

So I have a 2015 Cross which is probably my favourite car ever and I have had an aftermarket DAB head unit fitted plus aerial, amplifier and speakers which all sound great. Unfortunately the ICE guys can't get the steering wheel controls to work without creating a drain on the battery (plus the mileage indicator flashing), something to do with the CANBUS apparently...

Can I fit the new Fiat DAB head unit and get it integrated into the car controls?
 
Hi all

So I have a 2015 Cross which is probably my favourite car ever and I have had an aftermarket DAB head unit fitted plus aerial, amplifier and speakers which all sound great. Unfortunately the ICE guys can't get the steering wheel controls to work without creating a drain on the battery (plus the mileage indicator flashing), something to do with the CANBUS apparently...

Can I fit the new Fiat DAB head unit and get it integrated into the car controls?
They (FIAT Dealer) told me, it's not possible.
Blue&Me is Windows based and have a different set-up then the new Uconnect system.
Also a completely different wire harnas for the new system.
 
Hi, thanks for the extra fast reply.:)

My Fiat dealer basically told me I shouldn't be interfering with the vehicle and he wasn't able/allowed to sell me a new head unit.

Bit of a pain but not the end of the world or justification to buy a brand new Cross...
 
Local dealer here said (of upgrading to the Uconnect capable head unit) if, for some reason, the wiring harness isn't expensive enough (200 Euros just for the patch cables, so steering wheel controls still won't work), if I wanted a fully integrated job (which they refuse to do but will quote prices on), it would cost over 2000 Euro due to the new body computer (800 Euro) and complete wiring harness (950 Euro) required (plus assorted plugs, pins and fittings, antenna etc) in addition to the head unit itself, not to mention labor (replacing the complete cabin wiring harness is apparently a 4 day job as it requires the whole dash to come out).

Also, apparently even if all this is done it's still not compatible with that fancy new app (with a subscription service) that allows things like remote vehicle starting, locking, tracking etc. from mobile because the hardware for that system is locked into each VIN to prevent spoofing (and thereby theft).
 
Maybe I'm being over-simplistic here, but why should the wiring to the steering wheel be different? The switches are the same, and they are only 'push on, release off' buttons. The wires from the wheel to the system surely don't alter... What may well be different is the interface unit that controls everything, which I believe is fitted somewhere under the dash, separate to the radio itself. Part 2 in the diagram here... https://www.fiatdalys.lt/diagrams/56/566C841C8D15C0458C767D68393EE41C.png (no part number listed for that item)
 
Also, apparently even if all this is done it's still not compatible with that fancy new app (with a subscription service) that allows things like remote vehicle starting, locking, tracking etc. from mobile because the hardware for that system is locked into each VIN to prevent spoofing (and thereby theft).
Uconnect on the Panda (and the dedicated Panda version of the phone app) is a very cut-down version of what is offered on other Fiat models. You still only get the basic radio display, and a limited amount of 'duplication' of that shows on the connected phone. It might look a bit prettier there, but shows the same info really. There is no built in sat nav -- all it does is play sound from Google Maps, Waze etc installed on your phone through the bluetooth speakers. No additional functions over the standard radio, or 'media player' from the phone compared to the earlier Blue and Me... And so far as I can tell so far, there are no additional voice commands for uconnect compared to BlueAnd Me... and no, it will not connect to Siri either. No support for uconnect Live, and no chance of controlling anything on the car, remote starting etc... It really is just a visual extension of the previous radio, adding touch control from the phone screen (which is too far away to be useful - the controls of the radio are nearer!)

If you want a fancy system, you'll need to get a 500!
 
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Uconnect on the Panda (and the dedicated Panda version of the phone app) is a very cut-down version of what is offered on other Fiat models. You still only get the basic radio display, and a limited amount of 'duplication' of that shows on the connected phone. It might look a bit prettier there, but shows the same info really. There is no built in sat nav -- all it does is play sound from Google Maps, Waze etc installed on your phone through the bluetooth speakers. No additional functions over the standard radio, or 'media player' from the phone compared to the earlier Blue and Me... And so far as I can tell so far, there are no additional voice commands for uconnect compared to BlueAnd Me... and no, it will not connect to Siri either. No support for uconnect Live, and no chance of controlling anything on the car, remote starting etc... It really is just a visual extension of the previous radio, adding touch control from the phone screen (which is too far away to be useful - the controls of the radio are nearer!)

If you want a fancy system, you'll need to get a 500!

I was actually referring to this (https://yolarkadasim.fiat.com.tr/) (which is in Turkish, but gives the gist of it), not UConnect. It's available for all 2017 onwards (including 2016 vehicles sold as 2017 model year vehicles) Fiat models (even the box vans like Ducato and Doblo and other builders equipment that ends in -o). Basically it's a SIM+GPS tracker module that integrates with the ECU and body computer to accept commands from subscribers (around 600 lira a year for the subscription) that allows you to control certain functions (lights, locks, engine on/off, climate control for equipped vehicles etc.) and keep certain statistics (travel history, speed and location tracking, fuel consumption etc.).
 
oyumurtaci - ok, a piece of info I didn’t add as the original thread was more to do with DAB...
The Panda Uconnect app also supports Fiat’s eco:drive system. Subscribers use their smartphone, connected via Bluetooth and which provides the GPS data. This links to collect info from the car ECU to provide fuel, throttle position and gear selection data and saves it to a USB stick (or the cloud) for later analysis. However, pretty sure that with the Panda version of this, it does not allow for any 'remote control' of the car at all. I’ve not subscribed, so can’t try it out to be sure.

It also includes 'Find my car', which sometimes does manage to record where the car stopped and shows it in Apple Maps (because my phone's an iPhone). But often it is wrong by some distance.
 
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