Advice on Multipla audio upgrade

[gw0udm]

Hi

I've just bought my first Multipla (1.6 petrol Eleganza, 55 plate) and
I am now thinking about the audio system. Although I've only had a
brief listen to it, it doesn't sound great (a bit boomy and lacking in
higher frequencies) and I'm thinking about replacing the speakers,
along with the head unit because I'd like an Ipod connection,
Bluetooth etc.

I'd be grateful if anyone has any suggestions about which speakers I
could use, and any tips on fitting. I've seen a fitting kit on ebay
with some plastic frames for the speakers - are these needed at all,
or just for front or back? Also, what is the best way to get at the speakers to replace them?

Finally, I've seen some mention of interfacing the steering wheel controls with aftermarket HUs - is this possible?

I'd be very grateful for any advice!

Thanks

James

 

[volxstu]

I havnt seen anything for the multipla that will keep your steering controlls
But for ipod into the standard unit
https://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/product_m--afaipod001_p-21319.htm
If you do buy the above product i would have a look around for it else where as Car Audio Centre are well know for having crap service.

Sorry i found a kenwood one if you really want to upgrade the HU so second product on this page and it has the compatible models
http://www.justkenwood.co.uk/install/show_model.asp?id=73

Ah and Autoleads do one so you buy the following for the Car
http://www.dynamicsounds.co.uk/fiat-multipla-steering-wheel-interface-autoleads-pc99x29-p-2619.html

Im not sure what size the original speakers are TBH but these adaptors will make 13cm and also have the adaptors so you dont have to cut the cars original wiring.

http://www.dynamicsounds.co.uk/fiat-multipla-speaker-adaptor-autoleads-sak1004-p-2347.html

Also you will need a facia plate if you are replacing the HU.

I do not think that you will get that much better sound out of replacing just the speakers what is you budget and how far are you prepared to go Time wise to improve the sound.

Stuart

 

[gw0udm]

Thanks very much for the advice.

I'm planning to replace both the head unit and the speakers, although not with a huge budget (around £200 including speakers).

The adaptors for the the steering wheel controls look good, it seems you can get them for most models of radio.

I'd also be glad to hear any practical advice for getting the old speakers out and fitting the new ones. Will it be necessary to remove the whole door panel or can you just prise off the speaker cowling?

Thanks

James

 

[volxstu]

Nope i would imagine door card removal is imminent and i am also sure it will be very similar to the stilo as below.
Pry off screw cover behind internal door handle
- Pry off control panell on arm rest and disconnect plug
- Remove 3 cap (Allen) screws, 1 behind internal door handle, 1 below arm
rest and 1 in gap left after removal of control panel
- Remove 4 Philips screws along bottom of trim
- Pry off tweeker speaker, clipped on, and disconnect plug
- Pry off door trim, held on by clips on either side
- Lift trim panel up and away from door, be careful of alarm LED cable at top
of door (non-hinge side)
- Disconnect alarm LED cable
-Disconnect cable attached to internal door handle, small plastic locking clip
- Lift trim panel off

 

[gw0udm]

Great, thanks for that.

Will start shopping and let you know how I get on.

James

 

[volxstu]

Ok nice one

 

[gw0udm]

Hi

All done and dusted now, thought I'd post to update and also give some advice for anyone looking to do similar in the future.

Basically, it was all much easier than I expected!

The front speakers are 165mm diameter, which apparently is a relatively unusual size. Having said that, there seem to be several replacements available and I bought a set of Alpine ones from the local shop. The guy told me that they needed to be low profile, and they fitted fine.

Getting at the speakers was also easy - I had the door card half off before I actually popped the speaker grille, only to find that this gave good access to the screws and you could replace the speaker very easily.

I got a Sony MEX-BT2600 which was fairly cheap (£90) and has Bluetooth and relatively easy facilities for adding ipod etc (front aux-in, and cheap Sony harness available).

I've not yet bought the steering stalk adaptors, but they are available - Connects2 provide a universal adaptor (PC99-X29) suitable for the Multipla plus appropriate radio lead. It can be had for about £35 quid all in from a number of traders which doesn't seem too bad. I'd be interested if anyone has experience of these.

Finally the facia adapter (several available) is a very good match and looks nice.

Overall I'm pleased with the effect, and it sounds much better! Thanks for the advice.

James

 

[volxstu]

Glad to hear of your good experiences

 

[gw0udm]

Thought I'd post the final instalment in this modest project, because it did cause me a few problems.

I bought the Autoleads steering wheel controls adapter from ebay as above - model number PC99-X29. It apparently also works in a Punto, and the one I got had that written on the package.

The problems arose with the wiring harness supplied. The unit itself is a small black box with power socket, and two further sockets for the input from the car controls and for output to the radio. It's obviously a universal unit, and you buy a different output lead depending on what radio you have.

The power is derived from an elaborate ISO harness, which is designed to plug into speakers and power blocks. I was unkeen on this, because it seemed excessive and also there is a lack of space in the dash. An entirely separate harness is there to connect to the car controls, so the result is quite a big bundle of wires. Also, to my surprise the ISO harness actually is wired to bridge the constant 12v across to the switched 12v. I couldn't see a reason for this - the black box was powered simply from the constant 12v line. I ended up with the stereo permanently on, which I didn't want, and the box didn't work either as you couldn't follow the programming instructions (as the radio wouldn't power down).

In the end I cut off the supplied harness and wired the power cable into the harness to the new radio, with just the constant 12v and the earth connected (using some of those cable-joiners that you snap together with pliers). This done, everything worked perfectly! There's no appreciable delay between pressing the steering wheel button and a response, and it's loads more convenient (especially as the stereo is a long way from the driver in the Multipla).

There is clearly no good reason for wiring the harness like that - I can't really see why it was done, as few people would want to lose the ignition switching - not to mention the fact that the unit will not work!

Anyway, now very happy with the set up!

James

 

[volxstu]

The multipla has ignition fed switching
I think that if you had in bridget the power wires it would have worked but if it all works the happy days

 

[gw0udm]

The switched wire comes on when the ignition is on, and is off otherwise (ie there is no accessory position). If you bridge the power wires over then the radio is on all the time, irrespective of the ignition. This is ok, and some people like it, but personally I'm too lazy to take the face off so don't really want bright blue lights on all the time!

The other issue was that it seems you need to power the radio completely off for the switch box to initialise properly. When I tried it with the supplied harness it didn't work (or rather gave really erratic results). When I was able to actually power off the radio properly it was fine.

Who knows! I was a bit sceptical about the controller box, so actually pretty surprised that it worked at all...

James

 

[volxstu]

The switched wire comes on when the ignition is on, and is off otherwise (ie there is no accessory position). If you bridge the power wires over then the radio is on all the time, irrespective of the ignition. This is ok, and some people like it, but personally I'm too lazy to take the face off so don't really want bright blue lights on all the time!

The other issue was that it seems you need to power the radio completely off for the switch box to initialise properly. When I tried it with the supplied harness it didn't work (or rather gave really erratic results). When I was able to actually power off the radio properly it was fine.

Who knows! I was a bit sceptical about the controller box, so actually pretty surprised that it worked at all...

James

Well if you want to help others in the future write down the problems that you have had and the solution you used to get round it and send it to customer services at connects 2. Just note that the ICE moderator form FF told you.

http://www.connects2.com/c2contact.aspx

 

[gw0udm]

Ok, will do.

James

 

[larkim]

The switched wire comes on when the ignition is on, and is off otherwise (ie there is no accessory position). If you bridge the power wires over then the radio is on all the time, irrespective of the ignition. This is ok, and some people like it, but personally I'm too lazy to take the face off so don't really want bright blue lights on all the time!

Interesting. I've just posted about putting a BT2500 in a multipla, and my issue is that I want the stereo to be able to be on without the ignition.

But when I tried wiring red and yellow together on the Sony supplied harness (as per instructions), it blew one of the fuses in the Multipla.

So you are saying that the multi doesn't have ACC position, is that right? In theory, should wiring red and yellow together in the Sony harness solve my problem and allow the BT2500 to be on all of the time?

btw, the BT2500 has an "auto-off" feature, which means that in my Barchetta (where I also have one) when I turn the engine off, I press the "off" switch on the BT2500 quickly, lights stay on, but then it turns off itself after 30s, so no permanent blue lights.

Matt

 

[volxstu]

Im a little confused so you are saying that you want to manually switch off the the HU yourself but at the present it comes on/off with the ignition.

 

[larkim]

Yes, I guess that summarises it.

Doesn't everyone do it that way round? I hate it when turning off the car automatically switches off the stereo (usually when my wife does it as I'm listening to something specific when she does it!)

To be honest I'm less concerned about what happens at the moment of switching the engine off, I'm more concerned to be able to use the HU when I'm sat in the car park waiting for SWMBO to return without needing to have the key switched on. With the factory fitted VDO model I could do this, so I presumed (how naive) that simply slotting a new ISO connected HU in would work the same. Don't you just love Fiat!

Matt

 

[volxstu]

Yes, I guess that summarises it.

Doesn't everyone do it that way round? I hate it when turning off the car automatically switches off the stereo (usually when my wife does it as I'm listening to something specific when she does it!)

To be honest I'm less concerned about what happens at the moment of switching the engine off, I'm more concerned to be able to use the HU when I'm sat in the car park waiting for SWMBO to return without needing to have the key switched on. With the factory fitted VDO model I could do this, so I presumed (how naive) that simply slotting a new ISO connected HU in would work the same. Don't you just love Fiat!

Matt

Well there arent actually many fiats that are Ignition Fed lol. Most people come on here trying to do the exact opposite to you.
TBH you can leave the car running on idle and it will use next to no petrol whatsoever and also that would stop your battery going flat.
It probably costs more petrol to keep stop starting the engine rather than just leave it on.

 

[larkim]

Interesting.

Next trouble is the permanent fitting of the HU. The existing oem unit sits in a bracket that allows the HU to protrude forwards up to the fascia. The Sony wants to sit flush, which in the Multi would put it back about 2cm from the fascia. Its going to be one of those jobs that I'll need to get mm perfect so SWMBO isn't unhappy! She's grumpy enough that I should want to buy a new HU!

Matt

 

[gw0udm]

Hi

Sorry I missed the earlier question.

I think as you say wiring the red and yellow wire together in the Sony harness should do what you want. I'm pretty sure I tried that with mine, and it was fine. It's hard to see why it should blow a fuse, as you are simply bridging a permanent 12v and switched 12v together. Perhaps it was a dodgy fuse? Have you tried it again?

This will give you the desired result, with the radio on all the time irrespective of the position of the key. Interesting about the auto-off - I'd not thought of that, perhaps mine will do it too.

Regarding fitting, this is a bit easier. You can get a moulded fascia that fits in the hole and should give a perfect result. The only problem you may have it that the dash is yours is probably black (newer), and most of the available fascias are grey (old style dash). I think there is a black one you could buy, or else I guess you could spray the grey one black.

ALso, looking at the VDO stereo it looks like an ISO sized unit with a big plastic facia around it -will it prise off, or is it fixed?

James

 

[gw0udm]

Sorry, just realised who you are... we've had this conversation in the Multipla forum!

So does it still not fit properly, even with the fascia in place?

James