Styling New head unit on 2013

[euroben]

I have read quite a bit on this forum that you can’t change the head unit on 2013-2015 to the Apple car play version in later models. Lots of info that it can’t be done because the unit is coded to the car and you can’t put another fiat one in. Well I thought people might be interested to know that I have tried it and it was 100% possible. Completely plug and play- took less than 5 mins and I paid €160 direct from Italy. It may have fallen out the back of a truck somewhere in Naples but I’m not going to ask any questions. To say I’m happy with it is an understatement! I was at least expecting the flashing mileage to pop up but nope, not even that.

 

[Eltezz]

Interesting. Three questions:

1. Does this mean it will probably be plug and play into a 2018 model?
2. Any clue as to where exactly you sourced the head unit from?
3. Presumably fitting this renders the top air vents unusable?

Well done for trying this, by the way

 

[euroben]

Interesting. Three questions:

1. Does this mean it will probably be plug and play into a 2018 model?
2. Any clue as to where exactly you sourced the head unit from?
3. Presumably fitting this renders the top air vents unusable?

Well done for trying this, by the way

It will be plug and play on all models except the ones that have the smaller screen (non car play) version as that has different connectors. The only bit that is not plug and play is the mic because I want to use the integrated one so I need to move the wires from the old blue and me system - haven’t done that yet. Depending on where you buy from you can get them with a new mic.

I found mine off facebook. I joined the group Fiat Panda 3° serie club Italia and you will see loads of people selling them. I think they all come from the same source and all come from Naples. I was a bit worried that it was a scam but it was actually genuine. If you don’t speak Italian then use google translate.

The stereo does cover the front vents but I am 6ft so angled up they still blow straight in my face. If you were shorter they might not be so great. They still work perfectly for me.

 

[Eltezz]

Ok, thanks for the info, very helpful.

 

[Marcus Daly]

I found mine off facebook. I joined the group Fiat Panda 3° serie club Italia and you will see loads of people selling them. I think they all come from the same source and all come from Naples.

Fallen off the back of the factory?

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

I guess that means they are ‘factory fresh’ and haven’t been coded to a particular car yet. Interesting…

 

[euroben]

Fallen off the back of the factory?

Quite possibly but in the numbers they seem to sell them, I think someone would notice if the factory was missing that many.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Fallen off the back of the factory?

If so they deserve it.

 

[123chr]

After installing it (on existing blue&me system in Panda), the steering wheels controls still work?

 

[euroben]

After installing it (on existing blue&me system in Panda), the steering wheels controls still work?

Yes, my steering wheel controls all work perfectly.

 

[123chr]

And you somehow managed to transfer original microphone from blue&me to this new unit (sorry for asking, but, I will say, I am interested in changing my radio to this unit)?

 

[wietje91]

Last weekend we bought a nice 2012 Fiat Panda Lounge for my wife. After some searching on the internet I found this specific thread and the Italian Facebook group. Now I'm interested in buying the Uconnect 7 inch screen radio mainly for it's Android Auto functionality. Since you have experience installing this device in an existing Blue & Me system I have two questions:
1. How did you manage connecting it two the existing microphone? I see different stories going on in the Facebook group. From wiring a new cable from the microphone to the radio or just changing two pins on the connector.
2. Our car has speakers in all 4 doors. Apparently the newer models with Uconnect only have speakers in the front doors. It should be possible to add some small wires to the connector to duplicate the speaker signal to the rear speakers as well. Did you try this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[euroben]

And you somehow managed to transfer original microphone from blue&me to this new unit (sorry for asking, but, I will say, I am interested in changing my radio to this unit)?

Yes, you can buy the microphone cable from the same person on Facebook- Fred Napel. It’s a pretty easy job, you just feed through the dash and it drops out in the footwell and then just pop it under the door rubber seal and up to your microphone and plug it in. It took me less than 5 minutes.

 

[euroben]

Last weekend we bought a nice 2012 Fiat Panda Lounge for my wife. After some searching on the internet I found this specific thread and the Italian Facebook group. Now I'm interested in buying the Uconnect 7 inch screen radio mainly for it's Android Auto functionality. Since you have experience installing this device in an existing Blue & Me system I have two questions:
1. How did you manage connecting it two the existing microphone? I see different stories going on in the Facebook group. From wiring a new cable from the microphone to the radio or just changing two pins on the connector.
2. Our car has speakers in all 4 doors. Apparently the newer models with Uconnect only have speakers in the front doors. It should be possible to add some small wires to the connector to duplicate the speaker signal to the rear speakers as well. Did you try this?

Thanks in advance.

I have the microphone integrated into the light cluster. I bought the new cable and just fed it up the rubber door seal and along the roof lining to the light cluster and plugged it in. So essentially my old blue and me system is still there. This job took me only a few minutes to do and required no skills whatsoever. If you try this and it doesn’t work then you have to just switch the wires over in the connector.

It is possible to connect the four speakers and someone on the Facebook group did share a diagram of which pins to connect. It looked pretty simple but I haven’t bothered as it sounds really good quality with just the front speakers.

 

[wietje91]

I have the microphone integrated into the light cluster. I bought the new cable and just fed it up the rubber door seal and along the roof lining to the light cluster and plugged it in. So essentially my old blue and me system is still there. This job took me only a few minutes to do and required no skills whatsoever. If you try this and it doesn’t work then you have to just switch the wires over in the connector.

It is possible to connect the four speakers and someone on the Facebook group did share a diagram of which pins to connect. It looked pretty simple but I haven’t bothered as it sounds really good quality with just the front speakers.

Thanks for your quick reply! Totally clear now. I just contacted Fred Napel to ship a radio + microphone over to my place (the Netherlands).

 

[euroben]

Thanks for your quick reply! Totally clear now. I just contacted Fred Napel to ship a radio + microphone over to my place (the Netherlands).

You may need to use google translate to put it in Italian for him. If you have any questions when fitting he will help- he knows everything about them. You won’t be disappointed

 

[123chr]

One last question. Did you have to buy antenna amplifier, when changing the unit (because new unit doesn't have connection for antenna amplifier)? Or did you change the antenna? Or is it just working the same, as before?

 

[euroben]

One last question. Did you have to buy antenna amplifier, when changing the unit (because new unit doesn't have connection for antenna amplifier)? Or did you change the antenna? Or is it just working the same, as before?

I bought a DAB antenna because my car only had the standard FM Ariel. It was self adhesive and I stuck it inside the dash. They say they need to be attached to the windscreen but I didn’t and it works perfectly.

 

[123chr]

I meant the FM antenna. The FM radio worka fine?

I bought a DAB antenna because my car only had the standard FM Ariel. It was self adhesive and I stuck it inside the dash. They say they need to be attached to the windscreen but I didn’t and it works perfectly.

 

[euroben]

I meant the FM antenna. The FM radio worka fine?

Yes the FM Ariel works fine. You should have a connector for an FM on the back of your old blue and me radio. It’s the same connector on the new one.