Concert Radio Install
-Submitted by: Bob McComiskie (2007-10-20)
This is my story of how I installed a Concert I Radio in a 97 A6 Sedan with Bose. I replaced the Delta CC radio with a Concert because I need to control a Phatnoise to be installed in the trunk. Here's how I did it.
Remove the Delta - This is the easy part. Insert radio removal tools (from eBay) and slide the radio out. Remove all connectors from the back of the radio. To make it easier to work under the dash, I removed the driver's knee panel. Remove the black vent guide at the bottom (2 10mm bolts), pop out the 2 plastic plugs in the knee panel and remove (4 10mm bolts) and wiggle the panel off.
Route the K-Line - I cut a piece of 18 gauge wire about 4 feet long and crimped a ring connector to one end. I attached the ring connector to the post with a stack of other connectors inside the relay box under the hood. Route the wire down through the bottom of the relay box. I taped a piece of weedwhacker line to the end of the wire to make it easier to push through to the driver's footwell. Route the wire across and out through the radio housing. Set it aside for later.
Install the Bose amplifier relay - I found that the Concert would not trigger the Bose amplifier in my car. I bought an ordinary 12V/30 amp relay at AutoZone for $4. The relay feeds a full 12V to the amplifier when turned on by the radio. I crimped spade connectors to 4 pieces of wire (1 ea - 48", 3 ea - 18"). I mounted the relay behind the outside mirror switch. There's just enough space so the radio clears the relay.
Wiring
Now the scary part...cutting harness wires. There's only 2 wires that need to be cut:
(1) red/blue, black connector pin 3. The K-Line attaches to the connector end, the harness end feeds 12V to the amplifier relay 12V input.
(2) white/black, yellow connector pin 6. The relay coil attaches to the connector end, the relay 12V output attaches to the harness end.
NOTE: The Concert install procedure on S-Cars.org recommends using pin 15 on the blue connector for the amplifier trigger. However, Pin 15 on the Concert is the CD changer clock line. That won't work as an amplifier trigger. Use pin 6 on the yellow connector. It is switched 12V intended to trigger the Bose amplifier.
I used inline crimp connectors for the harness connections. Soldered connections are not recommended. They tend to become brittle with age and vibration.
1. I cut the red/blue wire (black connector, pin 3) making sure to leave it long enough behind the connector to work with. I stripped both ends about 1/4", crimped the K-Line to the connector end of the wire and crimped the relay 12V input line to the harness end of the same wire.
2. Next, I cut and stripped the white/black wire (yellow connector, pin 6), crimped the relay coil input wire to the connector end, and crimped the relay 12V output wire to the harness end.
3. Finally, I routed the long wire from the relay coil ground through the back of the radio enclosure across to the relay bank in the driver's footwell. There's an easy to reach nut on the right end of the relay bank. It's a good chassis ground. Put another washer under the nut and attach the relay ground on top of that washer.
Install the Concert
Now the smoke test. I inserted all connectors in the back of the Concert, slid it part way into the dash enclosure, turned on the ignition, and turned the radio on...nothing! Puzzled, I started pushing connectors on the back of the radio. When I got to the FM antenna connector, the radio came alive??? I guess it must be grounded through the antenna cable.
I bought the Concert on eBay and it didn't come with a code but it wasn't necessary. I think it came from a 1999 A4. It started up right up in Bose mode. Judging by the harness that came with the radio, it must have come from a Bose equipped car.
Anyway, I pushed the radio into place, reinstalled the driver's knee panel and sat back to admire a perfectly functioning Concert in a C4. I'm thrilled.
Oh! Almost forgot. I hooked up VAG-COM and there was the radio controller. Sweet!