Jeff in MN

I have a 2018 S5 Prestige Cabriolet. I bought the Ali Express retrofit kit, and have read through the long thread on this topic to prepare myself for the installation. However, when I went to install it, the construction of my trunk is different from the fixed-roof models. I'm curious if anyone has done this in a convertible and, if so, could you send/post any pictures or a description of how you completed the installation? I do have the surround cameras, so I don't need to run anything to the back seat. I have sensors already installed in both my summer and winter wheels. I just need to get the actual receiving unit installed and wired up. I'd really appreciate any guidance. I can also post my own pictures or info if that might help anyone guide me through what to do.

Thanks,
Jeff

bruce_miranda

If you have identified and located the All Round View camera module in your car, then everything is exactly the same. The cab just has different placements but electrically everything is identical.

Jeff in MN

I should have been more clear. It's less about that part of it, and more about the physical running of the wires. For example, I can't find an easy path from the passenger-side cubby to get the wires across the trunk without having them be exposed at least partially (or without significant disassembly of the trunk trim). I can't fish the wires from the cubby under the panel to the battery, etc, because the structure of the trunk is more fixed/solid to accommodate the roof mechanics. The physical configuration of the side cubby is also a bit different, so I'm trying to figure out how to mount the receiving unit, etc. It's all "generally" the same, but just different enough to where I was hoping to see how someone else with the same model may have done the work. I rely heavily on step-by-step guides that people have posted (e.g., front grill swap, the pictures you provided to swap my speakers, etc), so the closer I can get to seeing this, the more confident I'll feel about the job.

Thanks,
Jeff

bruce_miranda

Putting the TPMS receiver in the boot is a short cut hack in any case and is not the way Audi do it. People like me discovered it works fine with it wrongly (roughly) positioned over the rear right wheel arch. But that isn't to say that other locations won't work. So don't over think it.

In terms of running the wires from right to left, you can just tuck the wires under the boot rear trim panel.

SMac770

If you put it on the left side instead of the right side, the module will simply have the left and right readings reversed. It uses signal strength and delay and to determine which signal is from which wheel. Closest is RR, next RL, next FR, furthest is FL. The L and R will just be swapped if you put it on the left side of the car. So if it's saying FL is low, then the FR would actually be low.

This shows where the module goes from the factory: https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...1#post14832543

Jeff in MN

That's helpful. I wonder if I could also just find space to put it in the battery/spare area (the cab has 2 subs on the sides of the rear seat instead of a single sub in the spare area, so I think there may be space near the battery). My biggest issue is figuring out how to hide the wires because of the way the trunk is constructed. There just isn't as much flexibility to run wires, because the trim is much more secure to the body of the car (than in a coupe/SB). For example, the passenger side cubby cover doesn't come out; it just folds down (and won't stay down on its own), which makes it really difficult to work in there because it blocks access to the area when it's folded down. The "hinge" is at the bottom of the cover, and wires can't pass behind it to go under the trunk floor cover.

It's been a while since I went exploring back there, but I seem to remember that there wasn't any way to get wires from one side to the other without having them be exposed for part of the run (i.e., there's no place to guide wires from either of the side cubbies without having them exposed unless I remove the trunk trim. It's all locked up back there so that you don't mess with the roof motors, etc). Putting the receiver in the driver's side section might be a good compromise. It's already pretty crammed in that area because I had a Kicker amp installed for my add-on subwoofer. As long as I remember that my L/R readings are reversed, it could work. I'll just have to pick a day when I can really get at it to see if I can figure it out. I gave up pretty quickly the first time I tried to install it and found that my trunk didn't match what I saw in the "master" thread on this topic.

--Jeff

bruce_miranda

The Sportback too has a lot of exposed wiring that drops down from either side into the spare wheel well to the battery. I just followed that wires down and back up because it gets back into the Right side fuse box area. I used some hollow trunking and fabric tape before securing it to the factory harnesses.

BMWdud-e

" biggest issue is figuring out how to hide the wires because of the way the trunk is constructed. "

Who are you hiding them from? Afraid the FCC is going to search your trunk? ;-)
Definitely do run them through some kind of cover. Spiral wrap, finger torture, split loom, etc. If covered, they'll look like they belong.

Tesla1856

Then I think I would just install it on the proper side. Even if I opened my trunk and saw it mounted externally in there on the side of the trunk space ... like who cares?

I always wanted direct TPMS (like my old Acura had) but I eventually found out that the stock solution (passive TPMS ) actually works pretty good (I posted about it a while back).

I think a hack might be ... over-inflate each tire by 2-psi. Set the TPMS at the MMI. Then reduce PSI by 2 (back down to desired amount). That should make the stock system a little more sensitive.

Jeff in MN

It's purely aesthetic. Other than the flip-up spare cover, the rest of the trunk lining is molded and fixed because of the cabrio roof mechanism. I can't just hide it behind molding or under carpet easily because there's no easy access to get wires from one side to the other. I have worked out a solution that mostly hides the wires. I have not wrapped the wires, but that's a good idea so they're more protected.

Here's my next question for anyone who cares to answer: Can anyone help me understand exactly how to tap into my car's harness?. I have the surround cameras, and I ran the TPMS wires over to the correct side. I just need to make the actual connections to make the system work. I don't want to mess up my surround cameras (or anything else, of course), so I want to get it right when I make those connections to tap the TPMS into my factory wiring. I'm going to go back and reread this thread again before doing any work (I've been through it a couple times in the past), but I still feel like I don't understand how to execute this specific step of the process safely (i.e., to lower/eliminate the risk of messing up the car's wiring). My other concern is tapping into power. I'm really hoping to avoid disassembling much back in the cubby. Do I have to pull out the fuse panel, or is there an easier way? Is a fuse tap a proper solution for this application? Thanks in advance for any help anyone is willing to provide.

Thanks,
Jeff