RNS 510C Problems

[Nickkk18]

Hello bought a rns 510c europe. I knew it had a boot problem but i could get it cheap. It keeps booting up and shutting down. I wanted to downgrade but i just cant insert a cd. I have rns manager but it doesnt connect because of the shutting down all the time. Should i get a new dvd drive. Or doesnt it work because of the firmware and do i need to remove the hdd and format this one in the hope i can insert a cd afterwards and install firmware.

Hillbilly thanks for the reaction already, i thought i place it in the right section now.

[Idle]

This seems to have been a known problem — you've probably bought one of the affected units. Some were replaced by VW, but perhaps not all.

Try this first:

press the < > and * (star) buttons at the top of the 510 system to do a hard reboot.

If no result, here's a post that might help from some-one who apparently fixed it:

"Well I bit the bullet last night and managed to fix it myself. The steps I followed were:

1. I removed the unit from the dashboard to get the exact model number and hardware version (in my case 1T0 035 680 B and hardware version 11)
2. Went to this forum: Firmware updates for European RNS510 units and found links to the appropriate firmware for my version (402X)
3. Downloaded and burned the ISO using ImgBurn to a blank DVD-R
4. Followed the firmware update instructions (simply open car, do not put keys in ignition, turn on head unit, hold 'eject', 'i' and 'setup' buttons until system reboots into 'Load SWL disc' mode and insert the DVD and say okay when asked if you want to install the later firmware)
5. Let the install run, which in my case was almost an hour and eject the disk to restart the unit

All I have left to do is insert the maps DVD which should re-populate the sat nav and I'm away again! The radio etc all works fine for now anyway so I'm happy.

Things to note:
1. I'm pretty sure I was on stock firmware (v1xxx).
2. My symptom was specifically that the unit was rebooting after the splash screen. From my research, there are other similar symptoms that could require a power supply or main board swap. From what I've read, this is normally when the unit doesn't start after the splash screen but stays black. I was quoted £265 from a car audio repair guy to change both as that was his recommendation. Glad I didn't need that!!!"

[Nickkk18]

Thank you Idle for helping. I am going to try your way and gonna let you know. The problem is that i cant insert a cd. But dont know if the reader is broken or because someone tried to update the firmware too high

[Nickkk18]

i have tried your way idle thanks but no result sadly it keeps rebooting?
2 options
1 remove the hdd and format it in the hope the cd player works again and can install firmware or
2 buy new cd drive in the hope that i can insert a cd

Anyone ???

[Nickkk18]

just ordered extended case to connect the hdd pata to my computer. let you know when i have it, then i am going to format the hdd in the hope that solves the problem

[kamold]

Formatting the HDD will not do anything for you, the firmware load will do that for you if needed.
If you can't put a CD into the drive, try removing the drive and checking if there is a disk stuck in there. You can dismantle the drive and remove it. Then put firmware update CD 5238 in and try and boot from that.

[Nickkk18]

thanks kamold fir the reaction.
I already removed the cd drive directly after buying the unit and there was indeed a cd stuck in it. I removed it but just cant insert a cd anymore. So i have to buy a new cd drive but i dont think that is the problem. i thought maybe the firmware is flashed to high and blocked the cd drive. Thats why i wanted to format the hdd

[kamold]

If you have a new CD drive and it won't start a firmware load (do you see the red bars at top and bottom of the screen?) then its likely that the mainboard has faulty or corrupt flash module(s) on it.

[Hillbilly]

Have you replaced the CD drive and it still wont load one. Or are you trying to load it into the old drive.

If so you have possibly damaged the transport getting the stuck Cd out. The HDD and the CD are totally different and one shouldnt affect the other Same as in a computer.

As Kamold says it sounds like a mainboard fault if it wont load a CD in the new drive.

As I understand it the firmware is flashed onto a chip on the board and is NOT resident on the HDD so formatting that will do nothing.

[Nickkk18]

thanks for the support guys. I dint think buying a new cd drive wil work then. Does someone know how to reflash your motherboard. Is carprog a option for it?
Already have rns manager but cant do anything with it because of the system failure.