VW scirocco - MDI bluetooth with iPhone 4s

Xire

Xire

Xire

Soldato
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Hi guys,

I have recently got a VW scirocco. But the Bluetooth on the MDI is not compatible with my Iphone 4s…out of date I guess? This is somewhat annoying. Anyone had this before and got a way round it without paying £300+ on the MDI upgrade? I want to be able to use the built in hands free so some universal kit won’t really suffice.

Is my only option to go to the dealer and pay an arm and a leg?
 
Sounds odd.

I have an iPhone 4S and the Bluetooth on my skoda fabia (2011) is surely the same module.

Has the scirocco been out that long that its incompatible ?
 
I think the earlier VW Bluetooth units use SAP which the iPhone (along with lots of other modern phones) doesn't support.
 
This is 100% the case. A lot of the VW systems use the rSAP (remote SIM Access Profile) bluetooth profile, which most smartphones don't actually have (and haven't done really since the death of Windows Mobile 6.5 and/or Nokia's Symbian S60).

The reason for this is simply that modern smartphones don't use the SIM as storage for contacts, messages, etc, so accessing the SIM remotely gives you no additional benefit over connecting via the headset profile, other than the battery saving aspects of being able to turn the phone's internal radio off (and possibly greater reception due to using the car's antenna instead).

I've played with rSAP in my A6, and whilst some of the features are quite nice (text messages, better reception, etc) it's pretty much a gimmick AND a downside in most scenarios (as I've either had to strip my contacts back to bare details to get them back on the SIM, or I've had to use a phone which is easily outclassed by my newer devices - I used my old Nokia E90 communicator for the tests).

I've since stripped the rSAP handset out of the car and replaced it with the standard "bluetooth prep low" cradle.
 
Sounds odd, I fitted the bluetooth module (p/n 7p6035730g) to my 2006 GTI and it works perfectly with my 4S. I would ask on some VW specific forums.
 
Last edited:
Conanius said:
Sounds odd.

I have an iPhone 4S and the Bluetooth on my skoda fabia (2011) is surely the same module.

Has the scirocco been out that long that its incompatible ?
Click to expand...
It's probably falling back to phone book access protocol instead of using rSAP which is what my Leon uses at least (2010).
 
paradigm said:
This is 100% the case. A lot of the VW systems use the rSAP (remote SIM Access Profile) bluetooth profile, which most smartphones don't actually have (and haven't done really since the death of Windows Mobile 6.5 and/or Nokia's Symbian S60).

The reason for this is simply that modern smartphones don't use the SIM as storage for contacts, messages, etc, so accessing the SIM remotely gives you no additional benefit over connecting via the headset profile, other than the battery saving aspects of being able to turn the phone's internal radio off (and possibly greater reception due to using the car's antenna instead).

I've played with rSAP in my A6, and whilst some of the features are quite nice (text messages, better reception, etc) it's pretty much a gimmick AND a downside in most scenarios (as I've either had to strip my contacts back to bare details to get them back on the SIM, or I've had to use a phone which is easily outclassed by my newer devices - I used my old Nokia E90 communicator for the tests).

I've since stripped the rSAP handset out of the car and replaced it with the standard "bluetooth prep low" cradle.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, well thats a massive shame. Looks like Im going to have to invest in something then.

So annoying having a function in my car that I cant use.
 
is there no update for the MDI / radio? Both certainly have firmware revisions but I believe need to be installed via Vagcom (i.e. ask your local dealer and take lube).
 
Android have an app that makes most Android phone rSAP compatible..it works on my Nexus...maybe the iPhone has a similar app...I think I read somewhere that you can configure the iPhone to connect to rSAP.
 
You will need to swap the bluetooth module, the newer one supports both rSAP and standard bluetooth.

As the car is already coded for Bluetooth you should be able just to do a straight swap, the modules do come up on eBay frequently so you should be able to swap it for less than £300. The module, if like a Golf, will be under the drivers seat so easy to swap out.

I have the part number for it somewhere, assuming you have the instrument cluster with white coloured displays rather than red. (I don't they ever came with the red displays not 100% sure)
 
Castiel said:
Android have an app that makes most Android phone rSAP compatible..it works on my Nexus...maybe the iPhone has a similar app...I think I read somewhere that you can configure the iPhone to connect to rSAP.
Click to expand...

It's worth noting that the android one (android-rsap) does NOT work on most HTC sense ROMd devices, although should work if you install an AOSP rom (such as Cyanogen or MIUI)
 
Dangerous Dave said:
You will need to swap the bluetooth module, the newer one supports both rSAP and standard bluetooth.

As the car is already coded for Bluetooth you should be able just to do a straight swap, the modules do come up on eBay frequently so you should be able to swap it for less than £300. The module, if like a Golf, will be under the drivers seat so easy to swap out.

I have the part number for it somewhere, assuming you have the instrument cluster with white coloured displays rather than red. (I don't they ever came with the red displays not 100% sure)
Click to expand...

I have got the red display, what exactly should I be looking for then? and would it be easy for me to swap it over?
 
The link gives the correct model numbers for both red and white dot MFD's. Reading the link it suggests you literally unplug the old module and plug the new one in :)
 
cokecan72 said:
The link gives the correct model numbers for both red and white dot MFD's. Reading the link it suggests you literally unplug the old module and plug the new one in :)
Click to expand...

Yeah i noticed that once read through again, gonna have a look and prob call at VW tomorrow and see what they charge...
 
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