Flat battery problem after installing 9000-1 - any suggestions ?

[sa-r32]

Contact Rob at auspacks who is an AVC9000-1 reseller
http://members.optusnet.com.au/auspacks/
He has a modified harness for the AVC9000-1 that integrates a relay that disconnects the CANbus when the ignition is off. Solves the battery drain problem

Thanks for the prompt response, I have already emailed him, hopefully it will be sorted soon.

Paul

[Maverick]

Contact Rob at auspacks who is an AVC9000-1 reseller
http://members.optusnet.com.au/auspacks/
He has a modified harness for the AVC9000-1 that integrates a relay that disconnects the CANbus when the ignition is off. Solves the battery drain problem

But be warned that screwing with the CAN bus can be VERY costly. There was an RNS 510 fried a while back from an installer who hooked part of a bluetooth kit to the CAN bus and it was fine for around 3 months until the head unit ended up shutting off with a loud crack every now and again, Volkswagen refused warranty because of the alterations to the CAN bus network.

Adding in relays to the CAN bus network because a product has a serious design flaw and needs to be disconnected from the CAN bus network to power off is indicative of poor design with no regards to the CAN bus specifications so you have to ask yourself is the product safe to use or could it create thousands of dollars in damage to the car down the track? CAN bus is integral to the operation of the car and obscure faults could be very costly to track down and Volkswagen won't pay if the fault was caused by an external device.

The manufacturers of the CAN bus interfaces commonly used with head units like Alpine, Kenwood and so forth don't have these problems because they developed their CAN bus interfaces correctly and didn't just read some values using a CAN bus sniffer.

If you wanted to keep the head unit and integrate it properly you should use something like these.

Connects 2 Adapters for Golf

[ctle]

If you wanted to keep the head unit and integrate it properly you should use something like these.

Connects 2 Adapters for Golf

Hi Maverick,

Thanks for the information.
Do you think using these adapters would fix the battery drain problem?

[Maverick]

Hi Maverick,

Thanks for the information.
Do you think using these adapters would fix the battery drain problem?

I haven't looked into their use for this application too much but if the head unit has standard ACC, Power and so forth leads that are not used (like some of the W6050's derivatives do - waywell recommended to many customers that they don't use the CAN bus but instead used ACC to control power on and off by taking a power feed fed by the ignition) this should work fine. There are many different models from PAC? and Connect so one should do the trick.

And price wise they're pretty reasonable and available on ebay.

The relay disconnect above is IMO the same as unplugging the head unit with the car's battery connected. You can do it and get away with it now and again (VW recommend the battery be disconnected every time you do it) but to disconnect part of the wiring (especially the CAN bus which is a communications network) every time you turn the car off is asking for trouble. I can't imagine that many people would be willing to risk disconnecting and reconnecting their head unit with the battery connected five or more times a day so why risk it with the relay approach.

[clip]

The relay disconnect above is IMO the same as unplugging the head unit with the car's battery connected.

I don't actually think that is correct. I checked that exact scenario with the Aust supplier and was advised that was not the case. I have since disconnected my battery and after reconnecting I had to reset much of the unit systems. This does not happen every time I turn the car on and off.

It fixed my problem and have not had any issues so far.

[Maverick]

I don't actually think that is correct. I checked that exact scenario with the Aust supplier and was advised that was not the case. I have since disconnected my battery and after reconnecting I had to reset much of the unit systems. This does not happen every time I turn the car on and off.

It fixed my problem and have not had any issues so far.

You're misreading what I'm talking about. I realise that the head unit is staying connected to power but I'm not talking about damage to the head unit but damage to the cars system.

When you plug and unplug from the CAN bus network you should disconnect the battery to prevent problems with the CAN bus network (and other parts of the car but the CAN bus network is particularly suspectable to spikes and shorts).

By disconnecting the head unit from the CAN bus network everytime you turn the car off and reconnecting when you turn it back on this is the same as unplugging or plugging in the head unit except you're doing it five or more times every day and you're doing it when the car is starting up which is when everything is being powered up or down and when failures are more likely to occur.

Worse is that the relay will be operating off the accessory power so the relay will operate twice. Once when the switch is turned on and once again after the car is started as the power drops to the accessories when the engine cranks so it will be the equivalent of unplugging and replugging the head unit twice each time you start and stop the car.

The CAN bus network is not designed for the hot removal and addition of device and whilst it will tolerate this I would not be doing this on a long term basis. Volkswagen service instructions are explicit on disconnecting the battery for a reason before doing this type of work.

If it's working for you that's fine but I wouldn't put any faith in the Australian supplier of a cheap head unit that doesn't operate as intended because they have no idea what they're doing telling me that it's ok to put in this dodgy relay fix.

The CAN bus specifications are available online and Volkswagen have in all their service instructions what you are supposed to do so I know who's advice I'd be following.

[sa-r32]

Hi Maverick,

I appreciate the time you have taken to post clear and helpful information in this thread, there are other little glitches with the AVC9000-1 (sometimes takes ages to get satalites, time never seems to be able to be correct for Adelaide, Bluetooth has dropped out a few times) that are starting to make me think I should pull the unit out and put the OEM unit back in.

I suppose you get what you pay for, and if it were just these issues without the power problem I might retain it but I'm becoming more nervous.

Thanks
Paul

[suparockin]

Hi Maverick,

I appreciate the time you have taken to post clear and helpful information in this thread, there are other little glitches with the AVC9000-1 (sometimes takes ages to get satalites, time never seems to be able to be correct for Adelaide, Bluetooth has dropped out a few times) that are starting to make me think I should pull the unit out and put the OEM unit back in.

I suppose you get what you pay for, and if it were just these issues without the power problem I might retain it but I'm becoming more nervous.

Thanks
Paul

A friend of mine binned his AVC9000-1 (well sold it on the net) and got the RNS-510 instead because it continually sucked power even when the Tig was turned off.

[POLARBEAR666]

My 9000 has worked almost perfectly since day 1. My car goes like a week without going flat and I have a tiny 8kg race battery.Reverse camera is great, the SD card holds all my music and the menu's have been redone using sunpower software so they look awesome and even have custom GT golf logo's on them.

If you do the maths there is no way you will add more value to the car by having the factory satnav for $2-3k versus an aftermarket for $<900.When I sell my car I will be advertising MORE features than the factory unit. Mp3, Mp4, Satnav, Reverse Camera, DVD's while moving, Custom screens, USB connection, IPOD connection, Additional Iphone music connection which can be run in tandem, CHASE CAMERA (FTW). This will easily add $1000 to the price of the car to a lay person who does not know its not "factory".

For $1500 I have all that plus a 600W subwoofer setup which is still cheaper than factory unit.

AVC > Factory Sat nav for resale return.

[G-rig]

Maybe that one works for you..

In general though i'd want a HU that work as it should and a lot of people obviously having constant problems.

Can you listen to music at the same time you're using the nav or camera, dont think you can with the waywells?

Everyones milage may vary but it's not just $900 vs $1800 (for the RNS510 from europe) considering all the trouble shooting, bugs and time..

Sometime not worth being a tight ar$e and anyone who has done their research will know it's not a genuine unit (can't see the screens properly during the day for a start) and you can also sell the RNS-510 for a lot more if you took it out.