Any tips to removing/fitting MDI to armrest?

[big al]

Hi all,
I had my RNS510 fitted by Darren last month, but unfortunately when the MDI kit was delivered it was missing the adaptor cable to the ipod. I have now bought one, but obviously could not fit it all until it was all ready.
I hope to fit the cable through the brake/gearstick area and have it ending either where the bottle opener goes, or in the centre armrest.
Does anyone have a diagram, or a runthrough on how I can get all of this removed to get the wiring running along there please?
I have tried but did hear a lot of creaking and though I may break something.
Thanks

[cameluk]

You can pull the lower trim off the side of the centre console and tuck the cable up the gap after removing this screw





i.e remove the bottom part of the trim that is missing in this photo, push the seat all the way back

[rdfcpete]

Al,

You'll need a shedload of patients, a pair of gloves and a T20 torx screw driver.
I in fact didn't remove the whole of the arm rest or the gear gaitoring and console surround. I found you can just loosen the gear gaitoring and that's *just* enough room for your hand to get in to feed the MDI lead to the arm rest. You'll obviously need the whole of the RCD/RNS/Head unit area exposed as if you were fitting a different CD player or HU.

See here, lots of useful input from Camel and Rob; http://95.172.13.58/forum/index.php/topic,10636.0.html

HTH - Pete.

[big al]

Thanks for the tips. Just had a go and once I had taken the car to bits. I realised the wire was far too short to get to the centre consoles. Also had the problem of where in the centre console i could put the mfi box. So guess I will have to make do with it sat in the glovebox. :(

[rdfcpete]

Which lead have you got? The Kufatec one?

It definitely reaches if you feed it in the right way. Make sure your headunit isn't too far out so to speak either, i.e. leave it as close to its correct sitting position as possible which can give you up to 6 inches extra slack in the wire.

It's not long, but it should reach (if you have the Kufatec one anyway. Not sure about OEM ones).

[big al]

Pretty sure mine is the OEM one, the wire from the RNS to the MDI unit is about 20 cm, then the wire coming out to the ipod is only about 8cm, so not much space to spare, and seems that it would be botched trying to make it fit.
Thanks

[rdfcpete]

Kufatec lead all day long mate imo for the price it is. Gives you piece of mind and you know you've got a lead that a good few of us on here have tried and tested. I've no experience with the OEM one, sounds like it's fairly useless?

http://www.kufatec.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p1113

[big al]

Kufatec lead all day long mate imo for the price it is. Gives you piece of mind and you know you've got a lead that a good few of us on here have tried and tested. I've no experience with the OEM one, sounds like it's fairly useless?

http://www.kufatec.de/shop/product_info.php/info/p1113

Nice one mate,
So does this go in place of the MDI unit? IE just plug it into the Back of the RNS unit? Also, do you get full ipod functions on the screen?

[rdfcpete]

That's simply the harness to connect from the back of the RNS-510 (its like a go between on the OE RNS-510 harness) then goes to the MDI interface 'pod' or drawer or whatever you wanna call it, connecting to it underneath as it sits in the arm rest, as obviously the MDI aux type port faces the chassis/bottom of the car.

No experience with the ipod side of it unfortunately as I only use USB flash sticks and SD cards with mine.

HTHs anyway mate.

[cameluk]

Also, do you get full ipod functions on the screen?

You can browse artists,albums & playlists on the RNS screen, just like browsing through the SD card or hard disk

USB memory sticks, USB HDDs and Ipods/iPhones all act the same, ID3 tags are shown on both the RNS and the highline if fitted