RD4 => RD45 in my T7 307 worked when first installed but not now

[ozfrog]

I've done some searching, looking for similar threads, but I haven't come across anything that gets me out of trouble. The first thing I'll say here, though, is that everyone I spoke to locally told me that what I was about to do wouldn't work. But I'm a bit stubborn. I couldn't understand why it shouldn't work, so I went ahead and tried it.

The background is that I wanted Bluetooth music and podcast streaming, and especially hands-free phone calls. And the Type C display in the 307 was very badly faded. If nothing else, it had to be replaced!

I replaced the original 3-column faded display with the newer 4-column one. I also bought a used RD45, from which he had removed the coding. He had a compatible microphone for making phone calls (out of a VW) as well as having a few kilometres of appropriate cabling, but I decided against purchasing more than a couple of metres.

The basic installation was easy. It was a bit of fiddling around trying to get the microphone behind the grille in the overhead console, but other than that, all was pretty good. Pairing my phone was different to other car units I'd done previously, but it eventually paired and allowed me to stream music. Then came the moment of truth - making a phone call. And that worked, too. I didn't know what people were carrying on about.

Everything was fine for some five years, but then the car battery went flat. Since the battery was replaced, I haven't been able to access the menu system. The radio works - both AM and FM. I haven't tried to play a CD. But because I can't access the menu system, I can't pair my phone to the audio unit.

Now I think I'm discovering what everyone had said wouldn't work. But how do I fix it?

I'm sure I've left out some crucial information. Please let me know what you need from me to help.

[xantia_v6]

Is the display still working normally?
Have all menus disappeared or just Bluetooth?
Have you tried disconnecting the battery to reset it again?

[ozfrog]

Is the display still working normally?
Have all menus disappeared or just Bluetooth?
Have you tried disconnecting the battery to reset it again?

The display is there, but I can’t set anything, such as the time or even change the language, because nothing happens when I press the menu button.

The battery has been disconnected a couple of times in the hope that it will prompt the system to reconfigure itself. Unfortunately, that has made no difference.

I have also disconnected the head unit from the rest of the car. No difference occurred.

Have I answered your questions sufficiently?

[shtu]

You need to get diagnostics onto it, for at least a couple of things initially,

- To check for fault codes from the head unit or display.
- To check that the buttons on the head unit actually work.

[ozfrog]

You need to get diagnostics onto it, for at least a couple of things initially,

I did that on the weekend, but I hadn't got to posting what I discovered.

I can't remember the exact words, but it was something like ECU not recognised.

Then, when I went to "Repair Autoradio?" Configuration, it says, "No communication"

It lets me look at, and adjust if I want to, the Lighting Table. (But I don't want to play with that!)

And "configuration" of the VIN Code is a "Function not available on this ECU version".

I don't like the look of all of this! I hope that it isn't as bad as it looks.

[Paul-R]

What diagnostic reader did you use? Was it a reasonably high end unit?

[shtu]

I suppose I should have been more prescriptive and said "Diagbox".

[ozfrog]

Firstly …

Thanks for your interest in assisting me with this headache of mine.

DiagBox 7.02

I do have a later version on a different laptop, but I was told by someone on Aussiefrogs that my supplier of that later version is not 100% reliable! I was surprised by that ‘news’ as my supplier had previously been a senior tech at a Peugeot dealership in Australia.

Nevertheless, I followed the advice I was given. I haven’t used the later DiagBox version since being given said advice.

Whilst I’m quite comfortable with computers in general, I’m not a Windows person at all. And my knowledge of installing Windows software leaves a lot to be desired. Windows could learn a lot from the Mac way of installing software, but I whispered that comment so as not to get myself into more trouble than I probably am already.

(I hope I use the correct emojis in the correct places. I don’t see them very clearly on my phone.)

[xantia_v6]

I don't think that your problem is related to diagbox version. It looks like your primary problem is a corrupted configuration in the RD45, and the secondary problem is that the BSI does not recognise the RD45 because it only knows to look for an RD4 (or perhaps not even that?).

If possible, I would try temporarily connecting the RD45 to a later model car (2012 or later) to see how it behaves and see if diagbox recognises it.

[ozfrog]

I don't think that your problem is related to diagbox version.

I think that’s good to know.

It looks like your primary problem is a corrupted configuration in the RD45,

Because these things just happen sometimes? Or, do you think that there was a specific cause?

and the secondary problem is that the BSI does not recognise the RD45 because it only knows to look for an RD4 (or perhaps not even that?).

I think I feared this. I also think that this is what people were talking about when they told me from the beginning that it wouldn’t work.

But my brain doesn’t allow me to go down that path. It worked once, therefore it has to work a second time, and every subsequent time.

So why would it work once and not work after a flat battery and battery replacement? (My knowledge of electronics is nonexistent. The question is rhetorical, but if you want to answer it in words of one syllable or less(!), I’m always willing to listen and try to learn.)

If possible, I would try temporarily connecting the RD45 to a later model car (2012 or later) to see how it behaves and see if diagbox recognises it.

This is the biggest problem. The 307 is the newest car I own.

My wife owns a 2011 model 3008, but I can’t imagine her letting me play with it for the purpose of testing the audio on my car. But that’s beside the point, because it’s not a new enough car anyway.

I thought I had kept the original RD4 unit and I would have liked to put it back into the 307 just so I could know that things would work if they were ‘standard’. I’m not a person who throws out equipment that works, so I’m a bit annoyed that I can’t find it to put it in just so that I can verify that the system will work.

I have changed the audio systems in each of my current cars, but I’m not sure if the originals would be of any use in the 307. And we have moved house at least once since I changed the audio in some of the other cars. Locating those ancient pieces of technology would also be an interesting exercise!

Again, I’m very grateful for your assistance. Please let me know what I’m to do next, given the lack of availability of more modern cars!

[shtu]

I'm using 7.57 or 7.58, can't remember which, and it's been trouble free here.

Had a look through all the Diagbox release notes, there's nothing there that makes me think the version is hugely significant to this problem.

I wouldn't worry about the BSI -too- much, my rd45 swap worked fine without doing anything in that area. If you have removed the radio from the equipment list, add an RD4.

The fact that the buttons on the fascia aren't allowing you to access the radio menus does hint at this being a a problem entirely contained within the radio.

[ozfrog]

If you have removed the radio from the equipment list, add an RD4.

What do you mean?

The fact that the buttons on the fascia aren't allowing you to access the radio menus does hint at this being a a problem entirely contained within the radio.

So, the messages about no communication with the ECU are irrelevant?

[shtu]

What do you mean?

If you have been dicking about with the configuration of the BSI and removed the radio from the installed equipment list, put it back. An RD4 will do - it's the only option mine has too.

FWIW, I don't think this is the fundamental problem.

So, the messages about no communication with the ECU are irrelevant?

Not necessarily, but the radio is a largely self-contained unit. The fact that buttons aren't working suggests a fault with the radio itself.

If you do a scan of all modules in the vehicle, does the "autoradio" one appear? Can you pull fault codes from it, or get it to confirm there are no faults?

Also - there's a huge element of guesswork involved here.