RT6 Replacement

[dstraz]

Hi Marc,

I have just developed a problem with my own RT6 unit, and since I saw your name against a bunch of threads related to this, I thought I would ask for a little advice.

Being in Australia, we tend not to have particularly useful dealers, and Citroens are something of an acquired taste, so we lack the experts over in Europe! So, while I would be willing to try to replace the SD card, I think I will run into problems getting a dealer to help me with a firmware disc, and then to spend some hours bringing settings/functions back. With that in mind, do you have any tips on a replacement unit?

I've seen reference to a few different CANBUS adaptors to make use of the steering wheel controls, but are there any particular ones to look for (or avoid)? It seems that by using one of these with the right harness will allow me to connect any aftermarket android/CarPlay compatible unit, which can then give me satnav. At this point I will have lost any interface to the instrument cluster, which I can live without I think, but I would really like to preserve the parking sensors and reversing camera. Is there any way you are aware of to keep these without an RT6 unit? I suppose I could replace the camera and sensors with aftermarket items in the same locations, but that seems like it might be overkill!

Anyway, I'd be grateful for any pointers on where to go, or even which of the many threads out there to read next!

Kind regards,

Dave

2014 C5 Exclusive Tourer, VIN VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

[GiveMeABreak]

Hi Dave

If you already have a problem with the RT6, then it may be related to the MicroSD card, for which there is a guide here on replacing it on the RT6 Forum which you may have seen.

• Firstly, there will be no issue ordering a firmware CD - these are just like any other part and cost very little.
• Second, the success of replacing the MicroSD card and retaining existing user data depends on the version of firmware you currently have (please post the version you have here). This can help work out whether you are likely to counter loss of settings or not when going to the latest version.
• Third, this is why as per the guide, that it is recommended that you first use the Mirascripts programme specifically for the RT6 to backup your user data files from the existing card if possible and where the damage has not yet become too severe. The second part of the programme can then restore the user settings after you have replaced the card and updated it.

Once you have provided your current firmware version, I can advise on likelihood of outcome.

As for replacing the entire system, I can't really comment on aftermarket systems. You should expect to loose some functionality and possibly access to some vehicle settings. Each of these aftermarket systems offer different levels of functionality for which it is impossible to comment on here realistically.

Let me know what your current firmware version is in any case and I can have a check on likely outcome on replacement of the internal card.

[dstraz]

I'm afraid that the unit is not responsive (almost - it will reset with a long hold of the eject button, but returns to a blank screen - no sound, no image, nothing), so unless I can get data from the SD card I don't know how to tell what firmware I am on. I guess I could take a punt on a new SD card and a fresh firmware install (2.77? 2.85?), and hope that it fixes the unit. I'll be at the mercy of any dealer I can find willing to hook me up for some updated settings at a later point. If this was to work, are people finding that this fix remains working for ~10 years (like the original SD card clearly has), or does this just defer the inevitable!

Dave

[GiveMeABreak]

Flash Memory like the MicroSD card has a finite life as the memory cells can only be written to so many times, so a new card can often solve issues, but of course there can be other reasons. There is no reason not to suppose that a decent quality new MicroSD card will last as long. The latest and last firmware available is V2.86, which is a major firmware update.

Without the original firmware, I can't advise you of whether you are in for a seamless update, or whether you will need a dealer visit to reconfigure the system back to your original vehicle options afterwards.

At this point though, I would suggest that you have little to lose considering the unit seems pretty much inoperable.

If you were to replace the RT6 with a second hand one, it will still need VIN coding and configuring to your specific vehicle and its options. Then of course there is no telling how old it is or when the replacement is likely to fail too.

Decisions, decisions...

[dstraz]

Sage advice Marc, and thanks for your tireless efforts to assist us poor RT6 sufferers! I'll get moving with SD cards and CDs. Is there any point in attempting a firmware update with the current SD card in place (I guess if the SD card is wrecked, it certainly can't hurt, right)?

[GiveMeABreak]

Well on that note, I am wondering whether it may be worth removing the SD card first of all and attempting to copy the partition off onto your PC. Although the unit is not displaying anything on the screen, this may be down to corrupted operating system files.

It is possible that the user data in the user partition may be intact. This holds vehicle configuration settings amongst other things and is what the Mirascripts programme extracts and restores, as per the guide, although you really need the display working to be able to input the responses.

Bear in mind that the operating system is a specialist automotive variation of Unix. So a clone of the MicroSD card may be better, if you want to attempt a restore of the specifically mentioned files from the user partition after recreating the partitions with the new firmware on a new MicroSD card.

[dstraz]

Again, I have nothing to lose by copying anything I can from the user partition of the original SD card to a PC. Is it relatively straightforward to use mirascripts to write just those half dozen or so files back to the RT6 though, without using mirascripts to extract any files first?

I expect that it is the RT6 that executes the script, which then overwrites from the USB to the RT6, so (provided there are no hidden files etc) I should just be able to (if possible) pull the user files from the old SD card (with a PC), create a blank FAT32 USB, add all the mirascript unzipped files to the USB (removing all but RT6_USERCOM.CMD), dump the user files from the old SD card (in the root directory of the USB, or elsewhere?), and be done. Then boot the RT6 with the new blank SD card and the firmware CD, get it running, and then run the script from the USB to overwrite the files. Is that about right?

Dave

[GiveMeABreak]

It's all detailed on page 1 of the guide Dave. I haven't looked at the specifics of the Mirascripts programme as I haven't had an RT* system since the RT3 Navidrive. I have Connected NAV now and prior to that the NG4 Navidrive 3D on my X7, by Harman Becker.

I'm sure you'll sort it though - best of luck.

[dstraz]

Hi Marc,

I can report back with a little success story. I couldn't use the mirascript with the RT6 in its frozen state, as it simply wouldn't recognise the USB drive. But I pulled the headunit out, changed out the SD card, and ran the 2.86 CD I burned (I did find a dealer that would order one in, but it would come from Europe at 6+ weeks). The firmware installation process was certainly lengthy, but eventually it booted up, and seems fine so far. There was a regular beeping with the radio on, independent of radio volume, which reappeared after turning the unit off then on again, but disappeared after restarting the car. I've lost the maps (if anyone knows where/how to get Australian mapping, please let me know!), but importantly the reverse camera and parking sensors are back!

I haven't bothered pulling the data from the old SD card, although I did have a browse on my PC. I was keen to try the write part of mirascript if the reverse camera and sensors didn't come back, but as they have I think I will leave it alone.

One tip for those with an automatic C5: leaving the shifter in park makes withdrawing the headunit impossible! If you've already disconnected the battery (like I had), you have to stuff around with an extra step of manually releasing the shifter lock. If I was doing this again I would have moved the shifter before disconnecting the battery! Another note for those with a powered tailgate: sadly, the radio and tailgate are on the same fuse. I pulled this quite early, as the headunit was activating the CD mechanism every 10-15 seconds or so, even with the car off and locked, and I was worried that this may wear itself out. Eventually, this pulled fuse will throw a fault code due to failed communications with the tailgate ECU, and this results in a check engine light/warning. Bit of a pain, but easier to live with than a broken CD drive!

Thanks to all the helpful people in this forum.

Dave

[Paul-R]

...if anyone knows where/how to get Australian mapping, please let me know!

The most recent genuine download for Magneti Marelli head units that I can find is from last year.

http://psa.download.navigation.com/auto ... 0-7111.ZIP

As I say, this is the genuine PSA download and so completely legal to download. What you will need is a code to apply this update to your RT6 unit.

OR

You can use Mirascripts to remove the need for the code at all. I have done this to my RT6 in the C5 X7 and it makes updating almost a pleasure as inputting the code using the navigation arrows was always a pain.

[dstraz]

Thanks Paul!

I have the file, and have just extracted it onto an empty USB drive. I also generated an activation code using my VIN and a nifty little java tool I found elsewhere. Is it now just a matter of whacking the USB drive into the car? Does it matter when I do that (i.e. should I let the radio startup, or should I have the USB installed before I start the car)?

Kind regards,

Dave

[Paul-R]

Yes, the Java tool is the key (literally) to getting the maps updated. However I would strongly suggest you run the Mirascripts option to remove the need for DRM (digital rights management) as I did. You've used Mirascripts before so it shouldn't hold any terrors for you. I will PM you the details.

For map updating I usually start the process when I'm out driving on a longish run over roads I know (and won't need the maps - Ha ha). I don't know how long the Aussie maps will take but the longest for us in Europe is for the North East Eastern Europe as it now includes Russia. This takes about an hour and a half and it's important to run the update until it's finished. If I do find that an update hasn't finished when I reach the end of a journey I cancel the update and then have to start it again. Just switching off the engine will cancel the update but also runs the risk of corrupting the part already transferred over. It's best not to do that!

I just put the USB drive in and start the engine. I have the satnav running as sometimes you need to go into the menu to prompt the update. I think that after running the DRM delete that isn't even necessary but can't remember.

[dstraz]

Success! I didn't heed your advice, and went without removing the DRM, but I wasn't asked for an activation key at any point (not sure why). So far, so good, and navigating nicely.

Thanks kindly!

[Paul-R]

Sounds like when you loaded the firmware that the DRM requirement wasn't set. I don't know how many map areas are included in the Australia set but it becomes a bit more onerous to have to keep putting the key code in for Europe when you restart the the engine and there are 11 country regions.

Good job there.