Retrofit of RVC to MK6 Golf

[rs73]

The part # I got is 5K0 827 469 AM , not R - that was the get4less ebay user (aka t-era.co.uk)

ok so the brown goes to the original badge's ground (which I assume also grounded in one of the switch lock assembly?)
and grey is literally the positive/charge wire to the switch lock assembly?

[rs73]

Sorry - when I actually checked on the RVC, at the back of it says 5K0 827 469 AQ

even though on ebay it was advertised as 5K0 827 469 AM

so that means mine's the same as yours?

[Idle]

Sorry - when I actually checked on the RVC, at the back of it says 5K0 827 469 AQ

even though on ebay it was advertised as 5K0 827 469 AM

Apparently there are several variants of this device being sold.

Mine is 5K0 827 469 AM -- mfg date 09/06/2010 and has three wires from the camera ( Red, Yellow, Brown) which I assume to be Red = +12 (constant 12V from the as yet uninstalled fuse -- not 12V from the reverse light?), Yellow = reverse signal and Brown = ground.

As on the older "R" unit, there is no grey wire.

One thing that rather puzzles me at the moment is the polarised 4-pin connector at the top of the new unit, 2 of which will obviously connect to the 2 wires from the existing badge mechanism, but where do the other two connect? There's no immediately apparent place for them (and no indication as to which pin is which....)

Plus, as has been remarked earlier, VW have seen fit to wire the whole box and dice with white cable ( the trusty old multimeter will work this out, of course, as it does for the same kind of problems on computer stuff.)

I can see this is going to be fun...

[Pepe]

Apparently there are several variants of this device being sold.

Mine is 5K0 827 469 AM -- mfg date 09/06/2010 and has three wires from the camera ( Red, Yellow, Brown) which I assume to be Red = +12 (constant 12V from the as yet uninstalled installed fuse -- not 12V from the reverse light?), Yellow = reverse signal and Brown = ground.

As on the older "R" unit, there is no grey wire.

One thing that rather puzzles me at the moment is the polarised 4-pin connector at the top of the new unit, 2 of which will obviously connect to the 2 wires from the existing badge mechanism, but where do the other two connect? There's no immediately apparent place for them (and no indication as to which pin is which....)

Plus, as has been remarked earlier, VW have seen fit to wire the whole box and dice with white cable ( the trusty old multimeter will work this out, of course, as it does for the same kind of problems on computer stuff.)

I can see this is going to be fun...

Can you post a picture? Or email it to me (much easier to access) and I might be able to help... my motivation to put my own guide up here is pretty low of late.

[Idle]

Can you post a picture? Or email it to me (much easier to access) and I might be able to help... my motivation to put my own guide up here is pretty low of late.

Can't say as I blame you — I know from experience that useful guides usually add up to lots of work and probably it would be simpler all round if excellent pix like the one you posted and other handy info wound up in Maverick's already well established and very good guide.

I'll send a pic if you like, however the connection I'm talking about is the one at the top of the diecast section — installed it's parallel with the hatch, has 4 pins and mine has a blue dot on the side by the raised bit for the clip. I'm wondering if, besides the existing two wires for the regular hatch release, it also needs the red wire from the fuse block and an earth connected to it, and if so which way round they connect?

It'll be a few days before I can do much about the install, as I went off half-cocked (I do this too all often lately...) and ordered the unit and video cable without realising ECS Tuning also carry the bits & bobs. Ordered them from the local dealer on Monday, only to find there's no Australian stock of one of the repair wires. Hopefully I'll be able to make them up once I know what they look like.

[Maverick]

Can't say as I blame you — I know from experience that useful guides usually add up to lots of work and probably it would be simpler all round if excellent pix like the one you posted and other handy info wound up in Maverick's already well established and very good guide.

If anyone wants to send me any info for the mark VI guide I've started I'm happy to put it up on the website. The page will be similar to the Mark V page with links off to pages like removing the rear trim and so on. Might even have a page for the different RVC combinations and their wiring, I'll take a look at these in more details soon to see why there is a difference.

[Idle]

Today I had a (rare) burst of energy and started pulling the trim to install the video cable etc.

Looks like I have to pull half the trim from the boot area, even to the plastic on the boot lip for, contrary to what the Mk 6 owner's manual says, the so-called "carpet" on the side wall is anchored beneath it.

Grasped it and pulled as suggested on page 97 of the manual and found it would have broken before it came loose. Investigation revealed that it's securely pinned underneath the end of the lip trim — possibly elsewhere as well.

Even such a simple task as changing a tail light bulb looks like it will entail removing and replacing the lot, including the boot curtain, its mounting (with the three Torx screws, including the one that's likely to fall out of sight) and the boot lip trim on the offending side.

I know VW needed to lower the cost of manufacture, but this is ridiculous — what happens if you need to do it by the roadside?

I can't see the roadside assist outfits carrying trim tools and Torx drivers, let alone the average motorist.

When I get it off I'll look into fitting an access hole — a bit of flexible vinyl for a hinge, some adhesive and a strip of velcro should do the trick.

VW need to put more thought into such details — I've seldom worked on a less co-operative device.

[Maverick]

Today I had a (rare) burst of energy and started pulling the trim to install the video cable etc.

Looks like I have to pull half the trim from the boot area, even to the plastic on the boot lip for, contrary to what the Mk 6 owner's manual says, the so-called "carpet" on the side wall is anchored beneath it.

I must have missed the part in the manual where it says you can run cable by pulling back the carpet?

Grasped it and pulled as suggested on page 97 of the manual and found it would have broken before it came loose. Investigation revealed that it's securely pinned underneath the end of the lip trim — possibly elsewhere as well.

Even such a simple task as changing a tail light bulb looks like it will entail removing and replacing the lot, including the boot curtain, its mounting (with the three Torx screws, including the one that's likely to fall out of sight) and the boot lip trim on the offending side.

The manual talks about changing a bulb which requires unscrewing the tail light which you _CAN_ do without removing all the trim.

If you want to run a cable on the other hand you need to remove the trim however with the use of yellow tongue (or similar) enables you to do part of it without removing as much trim (especially the part to the side of the rear seat).

I know VW needed to lower the cost of manufacture, but this is ridiculous — what happens if you need to do it by the roadside?

I can't see the roadside assist outfits carrying trim tools and Torx drivers, let alone the average motorist.

Roadside assistance isn't there to change a light bulb and there is no reason why you would have to change one on the side of the road when there are much safer places you can change them.

VW need to put more thought into such details — I've seldom worked on a less co-operative device.

VW put plenty of thought into it! It's designed to allow you to remove the tail light not to run cable.

[Idle]

I must have missed the part in the manual where it says you can run cable by pulling back the carpet?



The manual talks about changing a bulb which requires unscrewing the tail light which you _CAN_ do without removing all the trim.

If you want to run a cable on the other hand you need to remove the trim however with the use of yellow tongue (or similar) enables you to do part of it without removing as much trim (especially the part to the side of the rear seat).



Roadside assistance isn't there to change a light bulb and there is no reason why you would have to change one on the side of the road when there are much safer places you can change them.



VW put plenty of thought into it! It's designed to allow you to remove the tail light not to run cable.

Maverick, I don't wish to upset anyone, but I think we're talking about different cars.

On mine, it's a physical impossibility to move the 'carpet' on either side of the boot without removing substantial amounts of plastic trim.

Further, it doesn't match the picture in the manual, which (I think — the picture does the printers little credit) — shows the carpet peeled down from the top corner below the black plastic luggage hook after grasping it via the slot provided.

On my car this just can't be done, for it has no such slot or indeed any method of gripping the carpet behind the tail lights on either side (there is a small rectangular cutout about two fingers wide in the lower edge at floor level, but it's of no use for moving anything.)

Further, about half way down the tail light assembly there's a section of carpet that wraps under the upright section of the boot lip.

This section is secured to the body metal with a round headed plastic pin, which can't be seen without first pulling the lip moulding away from the body — there are two regular VW spring clips on this, and the carpet is pinned a bit less than halfway between them.

Secondly, the shape of the carpet moulding is such that if one bent it back enough to get a hand through it would at least be badly bent and would most likely crack.

I wish you were closer — I'd happily bring the car over and show you, for I certainly don't want to remove bits unnecessarily.

As to it's not being designed to run cable, I quite agree with you — but access is just that and can be used for any convenient purpose, such as probing with bits of yellow tongue and dragging wires through. This one, however, seems to have been designed to prevent access, not to permit it.

I'll admit I was a bit over the top in suggesting replacing light globes on the roadside (although I do remember a motorcycle cop insisting I do just that (or be booked) on a country road in the days when many cars had but one tail light — and that often no more than a glimmer.)

In passing, I might mention that I've been working with cars & trucks — and lots of other machinery, some of it pretty complex, heavy and even dangerous — for well over 70 years and can find my way through most things.

Maybe I'm slipping a bit in my old age (in fact I know I am — can't manage a full day's work any more), and if I've missed anything here I'll blush prettily and apologise, but as of now dismantling the trim is the only way I can see — even just to change a light bulb.

[AdamD]

Further, it doesn't match the picture in the manual, which (I think — the picture does the printers little credit) — shows the carpet peeled down from the top corner below the black plastic luggage hook after grasping it via the slot provided.

On my car this just can't be done, for it has no such slot or indeed any method of gripping the carpet behind the tail lights on either side (there is a small rectangular cutout about two fingers wide in the lower edge at floor level, but it's of no use for moving anything.)

Hi Idle.

Take a look at this DIY video Golfitup posted of his LED taillight install. It clearly shows how the carpet can be peeled away on his Golf, and mine worked in exactly the same way. It's fair to say there's a lot of resistance in the trim, and it does feel like you're going to tear the carpet at times, but I found it just required some persistence.

In all seriousness, if you can't get the carpet away from the plastic, I'd take the car to your dealer and have them demonstrate it while you watch. That way, if there's been a change to the way the carpet's attached and they do break it, they'll be responsible for repairing/replacing the necessary part(s).