91quattro

I've read up on this retrofit and have amassed the modules (MMI gateway - the A version with video circuitry, CAN gateway - the B version, and the Camera module) as well as the video cable that runs from the trunk to the glove box area and the wiring from the trunk lid to the Camera module. Now I am down to the camera itself. The OEM Audi camera seems expensive and I'd like to avoid drilling holes etc. if I can. Has anyone tried those ~$40 retrofits that are like 15" x 2" and replace the whole black plastic trim piece under the trunk lid? That seems like a clean way to go, but I don't know if the camera is decent quality.



This would replace the existing piece on the trunk lid

target39

I have installed and currently use one of these $40 knock off camera trim pieces and they work well. The angle and FOV is perfect and the image quality is as good as it gets on an MMI 2G screen. Low light quality is good and it may help to get LED license plate lights and reverse lights. There's some faint noise when the engine runs; however, the image still looks acceptable, so I have not bothered to install a ground loop noise isolator or anything.

Installation seemed more complicated because my old trim piece had corroded pretty badly. Make sure you remove all of the bolts and lock linkages and study how the trunk key lock mounts onto the trim piece. Once you remove the bolt and all the linkages from the trunk key lock, you should have the ability to insert the key into the lock cylinder and rotate it counter clockwise roughly 60-90° past normal operation to loosen it. You will have to rotate the key back to normal position in order to remove the key, which will put the lock cylinder back in its original mounted position, but it should have loosened enough for you to remove by hand from inside the trunk.

The only other issue I faced involved the trunk release button. I received the correct A8 version according to their diagrams, yet the button would not fit. I simply improvised by enlarging one of the intended mounts to fit the button and then plastic welded it in with a soldering iron and excess plastic from a zip tie. You can add JB weld or other adhesives as well, or figure out another way. For the license plate light wiring, I did not bother to transfer the original terminals to the new trim piece and simply cut the wires off and hard-wired the LED license plate lights into them. I believe I used M3 or M4 x 10mm allen (so they do not strip as easily) bolts to mount the new LED license plate lights onto the new trim. I hard-wired the camera to the same circuit and the central electronics circuit works fine (no codes, no load resistor needed). For the camera signal wire, I just spliced it into the passenger side reverse light's positive wire. Lastly, secure all the loose wiring inside and test.