AlouxL

After 8 months of use, I finally decided that it was time to post my install for my backup camera retrofit. Note that finding a good solution was not easy. I do not have the Navigation system with MMI and most backup camera systems that I could find were all for the MMI system.
The details of the car are as follow and a picture of the control is attached as reference.

• 2011 Audi Q5 2.0T (USA model)
• Audi Concert system (no MMI) – should work the same way for the Symphony system
• AMI with tune2air WM3000A Bluetooth system (from ViseeO) in the glove box.
• 6.5" 400x240 screen
• No navigation and no parking sensors

What I wanted to add:

• Camera/video interface
• Rear view camera with moving guide lines based on the steering wheel and automatic selection when Gear is in R.
• Mirrorlink via Wi-Fi for iOS and Android
• Warning text in English
• Front view camera (not a deal breaker if not available)

I was able to add everything I wanted. I skipped on the front view camera. I thought that would be annoying to flip to the front view for a few seconds every time I go front reverse to forward. After 8 months using the system, I never wish I could see the front…
So here is what I got:

• Video interface for Audi non MMI: D02S-AMI-DVD: $128
• Reaview view camera: L22: $36
• MirrorLink: A02: $72
• Shipping: $48 (I asked for expedited with tracking)
• + PayPal commission

If I had to redo it, the install would be straight forward. However, for the first time playing with my Audi, it took me over 6 hours. I am pretty handy and had done other custom installs on my Passat. I got great support and help from Erone Wu from Road Passion as I had missed one instruction and I could not get the screen to work. The manual is only one diagram. The system is plug and play with no cutting wires or tapping into weird electrical circuits. I think with good instruction, it would take between 3 and 4 hours to do. By the way, plan for a day. I had to use my car in between my two evenings and I got very frustrated as I had to put back the car together to go somewhere the next day and then disassemble it again the following evening.
The install summary is as follow:

1. Remove LCD, AC controls, and Radio contracts.
2. Install the T-cables (all plug and play) and route them to the glove box
3. Remove the glove box (I drilled a nice round hole behind it for all my cables). The two interface boxes fit nicely in the compartment near the AMI input.
4. Plug all cables and test the system before routing the wires.
5. Route the rear camera cable under the plastic door sill, I went on the passage side. The cable is thin and can be pushed under the plastic parts.
6. Route the cable in the trunk. I was able to make it go under the matts and all the plastic trim. Completely non visible.
7. Remove the large hatch plastic cover on the inside of the hatch door.
8. Remove the hatch handle and replace it with the new handle with integrated camera.
9. Test everything.
10. Done

The system has been working flawlessly for the last 8 months. The moving guide lines are awesome when you back up and see the path moving based on the steering wheel. The switch to the rear camera is automatic when I move to reverse.

I barely use the mirrorlink. Connecting to the box wifi to mirror your screen is kind of annoying and I find it faster to just look at google map on my iphone directly. However, it does work. I can use google map on my iphone, mirror the screen to the car via airplay (but no touch screen, that would be too good). To enter in the mirrorlink mode, I press on the “voice” button on the steering wheel. It should be a long press but it flips to the mirrorlink right away. This is bad as I can’t use the voice button for the Bluetooth anymore. I never used this button before so it is not bad for me but could be for someone else. I am sure that it is a software issue and that this can be fixed. Work has been crazy lately and I did not follow up with Erone about this.

I am able to use the Audi OEM Bluetooth for the phone, I can still play my music using the tune2air WM3000A, and if I use the mirrorlink feature, I can hear the instruction if I use the media setup on the radio.

Conclusion: for under $300, this system is awesome. It let me use the Audi LCD, have the moving guide lines, and the OEM style backup camera. Once it is install, no one can tell that this is not an Audi system!

Some pictures
Concert system (non MMI):


Tools that I use:


Interface and backup camera:



Connectors behind the LCD (original)


Connectors behind the LCD (with the new T cable)



Connector behind the radio:




Trunk hatch:


Backup camera installed:


Screen with backup view:


Screen with Miracast (for Mirrolink and iOs airplay):

Bpkaudi

Where did you get the parts? I've been wanting this but don't know what aftermarket brand/parts will fit without problems

Bob Petruska

Even though I already have a camera and a LCD display for my $40 rear camera system install.

I liked the idea of using the OEM display and started to look at getting your suggested adapter box until I found this long post about it on the web.

Looks like you got yours when they had high quality. The recent units seem to all be failing and having a hard time with replacements and refunds.

Read the last few pages..........

OEM Rear View Camera Retrofit?

I think that I will just stay with my cheap system for now. I can use the camera and video feed lineup to the dash when they come out with a quality adapter to OEM display at the right price. Then I will change over to the OEM display. The Audi OEM box is $500+ and just not worth it for me.

AlouxL

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the link on the other forum. Very interesting. I can only provide feedback on my system installed by my own hands. So far, no issue. With any DIY install, things may go wrong quickly. By the way, I installed my system late in January 2015, at about the same time the thread started on Audizine.

After reading the thread, I am a little confused. My system did not need any 12V tap in the fuse box. No cutting, no connection to the reverse backup lights,.... all plug and play.
I believe all the connection are taken from the large connector behind the radio and the CAN connector. All harnesses and connectors were provided. The reverse switch is done with the CAN as this connection is needed for the moving guide lines with the steering wheels.

One last note, I bought the system via Eron Wu at RoadPassion. It seems that there are multiple distributors so I can only recommend Eron. He gave me permission to add his contact info here: email:zerone.wu@roadpassion.com.cn and Skype: zer.one-0.01. He has always reply to my emails in less than 24h. He is also on skype and super easy to talk to. During the install, I wanted to take a short cut and I installed one of the cable at the wrong place. Long story short, Eron and I discussed the steps one by one via skype and he helped me fix the issue right away.

AlouxL

Contact Eron Wu at RoadPassion. It seems that there are multiple distributors so I can only recommend Eron. He gave me permission to add his contact info here: email: zerone.wu@roadpassion.com.cn and Skype: zer.one-0.01.

I used skype with him a few times. His English is good.

Bpkaudi

Alouxl,

Thank you for sharing. Glad there's other option

helhadi

Hey,
i want to thank you first for the wonderfull post, you inspired me to do the same work with my car. So i installed the same systems as yours in my audi A4 B8 2010 with front and rear camera, all things is ok except the sound in mirrorlink, i can see the video but there is no sound, i tried to put the AUX in source

Any one have the same problem??
thx

AlouxL

Hi,

I think I had the same issue with the sound but I was able to fix it. I am not exactly sure what I did at the time as I did removed the mirrorlink box a while ago (I was never using it).

If I recall correctly, I needed to be under Media. Then I had to have my tune2air enable. I think the sounds come from the Media option so you need to get than running first. If you don t have a tune2air or a media cable, you may try a blank SD card so the option to use aux can be enabled.

helhadi

Thanx for answering, unfortunately i don't have the tune2air , so as you say it have to work somewhere under Media, i tried to launch a video with sound of course , then i switched between all the media component ( SD, aux, CD...) ==> No result

AlouxL

I will plug back the mirrorlink box this weekend and see if I can get the sound back. Do you have the adapter in the glove box for ipod/iPhone or do you have an audio plug?

The camera has been working well for the last two years. No issue here.