The truth about changing HU on Xsara II

fred · Post by **fred** » 01 May 2003, 01:33

Hello all,
I have a 2003 Xsara with OEM Radio, with steering wheel controls and separate display.
I want to replace the Head Unit by for example Sony, using an adaptor to keep steering wheel remote controls.
My question is : what about ECU reprogramming ?
1. Some people tell me : when you don't do a reprogramming, your radio and the remote controls will work, but the normal display operation will be disturbed (not telling that your doors are open or not telling you forget your seatbelt, etc...)
2. Other people tell me : when you do tell the ECU that the OEM radio has gone. Everything will work : radio and display but the steering wheel controls won't work because the ECU thinks there's no radio.
Can someone tell me if all this is true ?

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 01 May 2003, 02:13

I had both an '01 and '02 Xsara 1.4 and 1.6 respectively and fitted my own HU. It was a Sony model with an Autoleads adaptor for the wheel controls (stalk on the later car). I didn't let them touch the ECU when the radio was fitted and the display worked fine - it behaved as if the radio was switched off. On the later car I had the radio turned off in the ECU and it behaved exactly the same.
Its not something you need to worry about.

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 01 May 2003, 07:03

it would be best to have the radio de programmed from the car otherwise it could lead to display (and posibly other) faults because the B.S.I. & display are still looking for it.your display for volume,stations etc. will be on the new head unit,it wont display on the screen.the wheel controlls may be the newer set up (buttons on a stalk under the wiper switch,not on the wheel itself) so it could be different.which type of controlls did you have blueboy ?

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 01 May 2003, 07:06

My March 2001 car had buttons on the wheel.
In summer 2001 they changed them - the Xsara was fitted with a C5 steering wheel and control stalks and revised central locking, and different shaped door mirrors from then on.
So my 2002 car had the control stalk as fitted to the C5. I much prefered the wheel buttons myself.

bencowell · Post by **bencowell** » 02 May 2003, 04:57

Having changed my Xsara for a C5, I don't really have a preference, but find the C5 radio a little slower cycling between radio staions using the wheel thing.
Ben

fred · Post by **fred** » 06 May 2003, 00:52

One last question blueboy.
Indeed I have the stalk-controls. (not on the steering wheel)
You say that they deprogrammed the radio in your 2002 model (which should be the same as mine, since they introduced the digital multiplexed wiring in oct 2001).
And still the stalk-controls work. It would be logical to me if you tell the BSI there's no radio, that the stalk controls are de-activated ? NO ? Well, I hope you're right, because that's what I want.

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 06 May 2003, 02:37

Fred - All Mk II Xsara's from October 2000 had multiplex wiring.
I can see where you're coming from, but I think you're overestimating the BSI computer's role in the operation of the stereo. As far as I'm aware the only job linking the radio to the BSI serves is to provide the station output on the multifunction display. The contol stalk or wheel buttons are just straight wired from the control to the back of the radio as far as I remember, as they are in older Citroen's like the Xantia.

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 07 May 2003, 05:20

all the info from the stalk controls have to go through the BSI,they are not wired direct.the remote stalk is plugged into the COM2000 unit (the lights/wiper switch module)which is connected to the BSI with a two wire BUS connection,this is where the digital signals are sent down,then from the BSI to the radio/multifunction screen.there is only about 8 wires plugging into the COM2000 unit (excluding airbag connections) and they have to controll sidelights,dipped beam,main beam,horn,3 different wiper speeds,rear wiper,transponder aerial as well as the radio controls.the BSI also passes on vehicle speed info to the radio so it can operate the auto volume control as your speed increases.i would advise getting the radio de proggramed then contact somwhere like halfords regarding the controls adaptor and make sure you tell them its a multiplexed car.

fred · Post by **fred** » 10 May 2003, 04:48

what I don't understand is that for instance Alpine has a stalk adapter, called KCE-862B for these multiplex systems (citroen C3, C5, C8 and Xsara >2001, peugeot 307, 807 and 206 >2001) which seems reasonable to me and on the other hand Sony has its adapter (stalk + display?) DCTS001 which suits Xsara, Picasso, C5 while I thought the Picasso had another system than Xsara (>2001) and C5. I even contacted someone from connects2 (http://www.connects2.co.uk) and he ensured me that this adapter would work and even keep my display working.
Does anybody believe that keeping the display is possible ?

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 10 May 2003, 05:50

only the latest model picassos have a COM2000 set up (controlls on a stalk,not the wheel).does he mean it will display radio station & volume info ? i highly doubt it. when it gets de programmed the time etc still get displayed just not radio info.

fred · Post by **fred** » 12 May 2003, 02:12

Concerning the display : indeed, the guy from connects2 told me the display would still work, displaying radio rds and cd text information, mp id3 tags are not supported though, I don't know about volume.
I think I will give it a go and buy the sony 'DCTS001'

rctonka · Post by **rctonka** » 13 Mar 2005, 01:49

i have replaced my factory headunit on the xsara 2 51 plate, for a pioneer headunit without de-programming, and have not come across any problems so far, obviously you lose the radio information on the multifunction display but it still displays various alerts like ice warnings and doors open+the time/date/temp, you can get various mini iso plugs for various headunits to allow the use of the steering stalk controls, only if your replacement headunit is hard wired for a remote, my h/u has only got function for a infared remote control so thats what i have attached to my steering wheel