GTI iPod adapter install
Unfortunately the 2006 GTI does not come with an integrated iPod adapter (unlike the '07 model, grr). But, VW does make an adapter that connects the iPod to the stereo system and pretends to be an external CD changer. It's not the best solution, but at least it powers the iPod and I can control it and switch tracks from the steering wheel.
I was already pissed that I would have to pay $150 for the dumb little cable, and I refused to pay the dealer another $150 to install it, so I got one off eBay and did it myself. Unfortunately the instructions were in German and assumed that I already knew how to take apart the dashboard to get to the radio, with VW-specific tools that I didn't have.
So if anybody else is trying to do the same thing, here are pictures of how I did it:
First pry off the top dash vent with an "ausdruckwerkzeug" (whatever that is - I used a credit card)
Remove the front vents and the screws holding the radio in
Pull the radio out and disconnect the wires in the back
Move the audio wires from the satellite radio connector to your iPod adapter cable
Splice the ground wire to the iPod adapter cable
Stick the other end of the cable in through the glove box
When it's all done, the iPod shows up as an external CD changer. The first 5 playlists on the iPod show up as CDs 1-5. Unfortunately the track/artist/album names don't show up on the radio or the in-dash LCD, and you can only use 5 playlists, which kind of sucks. Oh well.
Me
Apps
Search
Archives
- July 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
August 6th, 2006 - 00:14
Cool – so which new iPod did you get? Or are you using a ghostPod?
August 6th, 2006 - 00:45
I got a black 60 GB video iPod. I was considering waiting until next week, but I checked all the rumor sites and nobody is expecting any big iPod updates. If Steve Jobs introduces the full screen video iPod at the WWDC keynote I’ll be pissed 🙂
August 8th, 2006 - 00:03
‘Ausdrückwerkzeug’ (note the umlaut over the u) would be translated as ‘ejection tool’. It’s a lovely German compound word. aus = out, drücken = to push and werkzeug = tool (werk = work, zeug = thing).
August 8th, 2006 - 00:21
Ah, that is nice to know what it means. My credit card worked pretty well as an “out-pushing work-thing”.
August 15th, 2006 - 18:55
Hello, where did you find the info on the ’07 GTI?
Thanks in advance,
August 15th, 2006 - 19:14
I haven’t heard anything official from VW, but there are change lists like this floating around on the internet:
http://vwgazette.blogspot.com/2006/06/more-detailed-2007-change-points-for.html
October 16th, 2006 - 20:42
I’ve got a 2007 GTI and it requires the same sort of installation – no “plug and play” at all. I can’t comment on whether the playlists will show up on the stereo or not since I didn’t feel like forking out the $350 for the adapter and the install. Really sucks.
October 17th, 2006 - 12:23
> First pry off the top dash vent with an “ausdrückwerkzeug” (whatever that is – I used a credit card)
Hello Eric,
could you pls. try to explain in detail how you took of the top dash vent diffuser? I have a rattling noise coming from this piece and wanna fix it.
thanks in advance,
Best, Thomas
October 17th, 2006 - 13:20
Sure – in the first picture you can see the vent after it’s taken off. It has about 8 little plastic clips that hold it in. I wedged a credit card in around the vent in order to push those little clips in and unhook them. Once you get all the clips pushed in then it pops off.
December 31st, 2006 - 08:07
Thomas – did you get rid of the rattling noise? I have the exact same problem. When I’m driving, I have this annoying rattling noise coming from the top of center dashboard.
February 12th, 2007 - 14:01
Hey:
Do you know whether the standard radio in the 2006 GTI has the ability to add a subwoofer with a separate control? I just bought the 2006, and there is not enough bass for my liking. Just curious…thanks.
February 13th, 2007 - 10:58
Hi,
did you code the car to recognize the iPod connection with VAG-COM, i.e. indicate a CD wechsler as below?
/jonas
E.g.:
Steuergerät Codierung
STG 56 (Radiosystem) auswählen
STG Codierung -> Funktion 07
xxxx?: Radiokonfiguration
+0 – Radio mit passiver Antenne (Stabantenne)
+1 – Aktive/Ferngespeiste Antenne
+2 – CD-Player/Wechsler
+4 – Zweitdisplay im Schalttafeleinsatz
February 13th, 2007 - 11:33
Jary – I don’t think the standard radio has the ability to power a subwoofer, but I am not totally sure
Jonas – no, I did not have to do anything with VAG-COM to get the iPod connection to work. Since I did not have an external CD changer, I just plugged it into the port for that and it just worked
March 28th, 2007 - 13:13
Hey guys, I have one question, I just bought an 07 GTI with the iPOD connector installed and everything, but everytime that I connect the damn iPOD nothing happens, can some one tell me what the @#$%@# do I have to do in order to make it work ?
Thanks
azigos
March 28th, 2007 - 13:44
I don’t know how the ’07 GTI works, but if it is like the ’06 GTI, you connect the iPod and then have to select “CD Ext” on the radio, because the iPod pretends to be an external CD changer.
March 29th, 2007 - 04:48
Dear Eric,
Thanks, I will try and I will let you know if it works
bye
azigos
April 2nd, 2007 - 07:09
Just to let you know that it worked perfectly. Thanks for your help.
bye
Azigos
April 4th, 2007 - 19:06
Hi, I have a question about your excellent write up. I noticed that you had the option of sat radio, does this modification disable that? Do you know if a non-sat radio equipped GTI can do this? You said that the computer thinks there is an external cd changer, does this mean that the original in dash 6cd changer still works?
April 4th, 2007 - 19:34
Hi – no, the iPod adapter does not disable the Sat radio, I can use both interchangeably. The in-dash 6 CD changer also still works fine – you just have to push “CD” on the radio twice to get to “CD Ext”. It probably would not work if you had the external CD changer that goes under the passenger seat.
I am not sure about what happens if you don’t have the Sat radio option, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work – on the back of the radio the Sat radio wires would just not be plugged in. But, maybe you have a different radio in that case (i.e. not the ‘premium audio’ option), but I am not really sure.
April 4th, 2007 - 19:58
Hey thanks!! You just made me a happy person!
May 13th, 2007 - 20:00
I just installed my ipod kit into my 2007 GTI. I unplugged the blue connector from the back of my radio and installed the blue connector for my ipod kit insdtead (that was the only place that the ipod kit would plug in). ipod works great, but now I don’t have any satellite radio. Was the blue plug that I unplugged from the back of my radio the plug for my satellite? How can I get them both to work?
May 14th, 2007 - 08:51
I don’t know about the 2007 GTI (I have a 2006), but there was a spot for both the blue wires to go, I didn’t have to unplug the satellite radio wire. Do you have the ‘premium sound’ option? If not maybe there are not enough spots to have both the satellite radio and ipod..
May 14th, 2007 - 09:02
From the picture you took, looks like I have the exact same radio you do. In the back the was an open slot to the right of where the satellite radio plug was, but the blue plug from my ipod kit would not fit into that slot. The only place I could get it to fit was when I unplugged the blue plug from the sat radio. Did you plug your ipod blue plug to the right of your sat radio plug?
May 14th, 2007 - 09:22
Hmm.. I do not remember exactly where I plugged it in. I used this site as a guide, this guy has a lot more detailed pictures about what to do:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2480895&page=1
I am reading it again but it is unclear what to do with the satellite radio wire. It looks like you actually move the satellite radio wire to the iPod kit housing. Hopefully the more detailed instructions and pictures will help. Good luck!
May 14th, 2007 - 11:58
Thanks, figuerd i out. That dude has perfect instructions!
May 24th, 2007 - 17:01
Do you remember after taking the stock VW head unit out, if it had RCA pre-out connections on the back? I’d like to self install an amp, but if there are no RCA’s, I’d have to go with a new CD player.
Thanks
May 24th, 2007 - 17:30
There are no RCA’s, so you’ll probably have to get a new CD player in order to install an AMP. More detailed pictures are at the vwvortex link above if you want to check out the back of the radio
June 16th, 2007 - 13:54
> Thomas – did you get rid of the rattling noise? I have > the exact same problem. When I’m driving, I have this > annoying rattling noise coming from the top of center > dashboard.
> Comment by Steve — December 31, 2006 @ 8:07 am
yes i did. i put thin black felt inbeetween all parts of the top dash vent – sensor, top dash vent diffuser, … i bought the felt at Ben Franklins.
But now i have a new rattling noise, coming from the right rear seat – i think it is the mechanism for securing the the seat in up-right position.
Best and good look, Thomas