Car Audio, Video & Electronics

Feature my ride Mark forum as read and return

OEM Ipod adapter appears generic and will fit all S60, S80, V70, XC70 models. The kit comes with Ipod Owners Manual and The installation manual (posted) and instructions are pretty good as you can see. I have posted additional picture for those who are interested in attempting this installation themselves.

You can see 4 cables on the installation manual but only 2 is required depending on whether the car has NAV or not would determine which 2 cables. These cables are only necessary for vehicles that do not have an existing CD changer.

The OEM Ipod adapter is basically a rectagular black box with a long white ipod cable coming out of it. It has 2 inputs, a power socket and a DIN type socket which is the same as the ones on the Volvo CD changer. Since there is only one AUX input behind the Volvo stereo, you can only use the ext CD changer or Ipod adapter. Not both.

Link to member's forum garage showing OEM Volvo Ipod adapter unit installed behind boot lining of S80 with wiring labeled.
http://www.volvo-forums.com/index.php?&aut...dapter.jpg'

If your car has an existing CD changer at the back, installation is much easier because that wiring prescribed by the manual already exist. Steps 16 through to 27 on the manual can be eliminated. You can interchange the DIN and power from the CD changer and connect it to the Ipod adapter. Should you sell you vehicle, the new owner will have the option of using the existing Ipod adpater or to reconnect the CD changer. This just leaves
1. removing the centre console steps 3 to 6
2. rear seat cushion sill trim step 7
3. seat belt step 8
4. routing the Ipod cable to center console step 13 to 15

The first pic from my Custom Ipod Center Console Housing shows you how to remove reccessed CD caddy in center console to access 2 screws beneath.
http://www.volvo-forums.com/t7238-custom-i...ter-console.htm

Installation time: about 60mins for vehicles with existing ext Volvo CD Changer.

If you are happy to have your Ipod adapter sitting in the boot, no installation is necessary as you do no have to run wiring into the center console.

If you do not have existing cables and need to access the stereo, additional pictures can be found here (make a small donation if you found the link helpful)

http://www.carstereohelp.com/stereoremovalVolvoS80.htm

Construction of ipod housing in S80 center console.
Instead of drilling a hole in the existing recessed CD holder, I removed it completely (Fig.1) and constructed a new housing. To remove, insert screwdriver, push down and lift.

(Fig.2)
Cut 3 or 4mm particle board into 2 sizes
- 113mm x 132mm for bottom board
- 120mm x 186mm for cover (to be covered by felt later)
Then file the edges back (as much as 4mm) as the console platform is actually a little concaved.
Cut matching felts, fold over edges and glue. (fig.3) I use hot glue gun because it dries quickly.
Cut 4 pieces of 12mm rubber insulation sheets (see your local air-conditioning/industrial refrigeration installer for off-cuts.)
115mm x 125mm - base that is glued to the bottom board. Ipod sits on this.
117mm x 130mm - cover and hides Ipod should false bottom be opened. (visit link to see installed Ipod mods)
45mm x 105mm/93mm (trapezoid shape matching base angle) - glued vertically to edge of base. This is the sidewall (fig.5) that seals the side gap in the center console and the ipod connector comes through here. Tuck in part of the sidewall to seal side gap.
117mm x 130mm - glue the last part on the edge of the bottom unfelted portion of lid. (fig.4) this should sit on the recessed portion of the center console, especially if you have a thinner ipod like the video ipod.

Glue a small offcut felt to create lip for easier access.

According to Ipod manual, Ipods do not like extreme heat. I have heat tested this, parked it in the sun, windows up. Ipod was still cool being sandwiched by these 2 insulation foam.

http://www.volvo-forums.com/index.php?auto...tem&CID=231

A link to my garage that shows more pictures of installed new Ipod housing.

Step by step instructions with pictures are located in the S40 forum.

I have posted directions on how to replace the burned out lights in a model SC 816 radio. These directions are step by step, very very simple (just take your time reading them) and I also included pictures!. Enjoy!

The title in the S40 forum is:

How 2 Replace Radio Light Bulbs
Forum : 1G (1995-2004) S40 Forum

hi.i have a 1994 volvo 460cd, the radio model is vc 802 which i think came with the car,i have the security code but do not know how to enter. can anyone please help.

The GROM-BT3 was developed to integrate with Volvo factory stereos to connect Bluetooth media streaming and hands-free communication. The module is the ultimate fully-integrated mobile communications device for factory car stereos.

The GROM-BT3 is easy to install, and designed to reduce noise, eliminate echo and produce quality sound for crystal clear calls.

“The GROM-BT3 can help provide safety on the road to drivers through the hands-free calling feature. Having a hands free Bluetooth kit offers security and safety to users while on the go.”

The GROM-BT3 Bluetooth Car kit comes with additional features including AUX-in and direct connection to iPods, iPhones, Android phones, PNDs and tablets. The module can be connected, and even controlled, via the steering wheel or radio buttons. Users can then connect any mobile device to the car stereo through the wires or wirelessly, and the GROM-BT3 will automatically set the right channel to play.

The 15th Annual Davis Car Show, Swap Meet & Auto X was a fantastic event! It was a beautiful Sunday at the central park in Davis, CA with great prizes and fun!

GROM Audio had a busy day with many intrigued and excited Volvo drivers who’s been searching for hands-free (Bluetooth) and Android integration to their factory stereos. There were a great number of buyers for GROM’s Car Kit at the show!

The show was full of excitement with many Volvo enthusiasts, custom Volvo cars and one of the highlight was to see the only Volvo V60 in USA.

GROM’s primer partner IPD celebrated their 50th birthday and their reputation and loyal customers in Volvo community was unsurpassed. The show was fun and successful for GROM and we plan on attending next year’s show. We will keep you all posted!

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Hi my 2006 s40 has had intermittent but more frequent issues related to doors, windows and now driver alerts

1) temperature gauge showing exterior temp has been completely off for about 2 years. Wrong by 20-40 degrees 80 percent of the time
2) window and door locks don't work. This is happening 1x a week or so. For the windows if I open and shut the drivers door, this usually fixes the issue for the windows. Haven't figured an easy solution for the doors, and have to open them manually.
3) this has just happened once so far: the driver alerts go crazy. First it said the air bag was malfunctioning, then immediately after, the transmission was bad, then the brakes, etc then it all went back to normal after 45 seconds or so.

I've brought it into the dealer about the thermostat and the door locks, but the say they couldn't recreate the issue so they couldn't fix it.

I appreciate any suggestions!

Thanks.

I will be installing an aftermarket amp and subwoofer into my 2004 Volvo S60. I have previously done the same install in another car. I am using an RCA line converter to feed the audio to the amp. I've been searching for days for the correct wiring diagram for the HU-613 and have found three different diagrams. Does anyone know the correct wiring layout for the HU-613, or at least the constant power wire, ground, and rear speaker wire colors? Thanks for any replies.

Volvo car show is almost here! GROM will be hosting a booth to showcase our Direct Android car kit integration, giving out $100 gift certificate for GROM's product and will be sponsoring this year best technology and sound category!

It is going to be a fantastic day at the Davis Central Park. Gates officially open at 8:00am however there will be staff to assist you as early as 7:00am. When you come to the park you will see the entry point to the show and there a greeter will assist you in finding the proper place to park. You will spend the day from show start at 9:00am to the trophy presentation at 1:00pm, hanging out with friends, fellow Volvo enthusiasts, and talking with each other about the amazing selection of Volvo’s (vintage, stock, brick, modified, etc.)

15th Annual Davis Car Show, Swap Meet & Auto X
Sunday, April 28, with pre-events scheduled Saturday, April 27
Online registration will close Thursday, April 25th at 9:00 PM.
• $25 Car Show Admission (SUNDAY ONLY)
• $30 Swap Meet Vender, 2-parking spaces for selling. (SUNDAY ONLY)

Gate/Parking: Direct drivers to correct parking area or collect entry fees and hand out registration packets.First Shift: 7:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Second Shift, 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Photographers: If you have a good quality, high-resolution digital camera, we need you to take photos of the cars and happenings at the Show. First Shift: 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Second Shift, 8:00 a.m. to end of show (approx. 2:30 p.m.)

Registration/Raffle: Sell raffle tickets and chapter merchandise. Shifts: 1st: 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.; 2nd: 8:30 to 10:15 a.m.; 3rd:10:15 to 11:45 a.m.; 4th: 11:45 to 1:30 p.m.

Judging: Inspect and evaluate cars entered in the Show. 10:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (will end earlier if judging is completed)

Please check out GROM-IPD3 AUX Bluetooth Demo for Volvo S60 V70 S80 XC70 S40 HU-850 stereo! We also support 30 + other car makers

It shows the basic AUX-IN operation, and Bluetooth wireless audio from Pandora, and Hands Free calls:

My Navigation dvd player has stopped working. Does anyone on this forum repair them?

hi all can i fit a ipod- iphone connector lead to the radio in my v50 2.4
2004

I tried posting this to the XC60 thread, but that hasn't provided much information. Maybe this is a more general problem across volvos? Here's the original post ...

I recently purchased a new XC60 R-Design Platinum. I absolutely love the car, it drives incredibly well and overall I am incredibly happy. However, I am a picky person, and have a few complaints about the vehicle. Rather than list them, I'll tackle them one at a time. My first complaint is the intermittent wiper system. I have had several cars in the past with intermittent wipers, and never had a problem with them. However, on my XC60 the wipers are very slow to turn on. It takes quite a bit of water on my windshield before they activate. I complained to the service department, but they say that everything looks normal. I asked if I could increase their sensitivity somehow, but they claim this is not possible. What should I do? Should I demand a replacement system, or is there in fact a way to adjust their sensitivity? I was thinking of making a video of how poor the rain sensors work, but so far I've been a bit lazy in this regard.

Every night this happens
I have a 07 XC90 3.2
My nav system screen is draining my battery the mechanism that rises the screen is getting a signal that it needs to come down all the time
I took it to the local volvo dealer and they said that i need to replace the nav DVD drive and thats $1200 and my am radio doesnt work

Any one else have this happen

My built in sat nav is no longer working. On starting the engine it starts "loading" but as it gets to the homepage it cuts out (taking the cd/radio electronics with it) and then starts the process over again. I have been quoted over £1300 by a dealer who has found fault trace MMM at fault for a new system which is ridiculous for a 2004 car now worth less than £10k, but surely there must be a way to at least turn the system off and for it to stay closed rather than the perpetual annoying loop every time i turn the engine on and drive anywhere? Apparently not says the dealer! Any suggestions?

We just picked up an '06 XC90 that has the single CD Player. My wife desperately wants AUX input for iPhone/Pandora listening. My understanding is that options like the Dension and Parrot require the CD Changer. Can anyone provide an option for my situation? I'm wondering if complete stereo replacement is my best option....uggh

i just got a 2004 c70. the am band does not allow for matching the station number on the display. for instance i want 1030 and it shows 1026 and when i turn the knob the next number is 1044. also on the left side of the display, the letters "MW" show. does anyone know what those mean?

thanks.

Greetings to All!,
I just wanted to post a fix I came across today as I searched the web today with no help to be found but a lot of people having this problem. (Blank DVD players that when you push the power button, it lights up then turns back off). As there may be other issues causing this, before you replace your system, do this simple check. Does the accessory 2nd Row plug (cigarette/cigar outlet) work??? If it does not, check out the fuse box under the steering wheel. You'll need a hex screw driver to remove the panel right above the pedals (has light at center). You are looking for the little style 15 blue fuse, it's gives power to both. Not having a manual today I checked all four ( yes 4 ) places with possible fuse locations when I notice my outlet was dead and tracked down its fuse. System back up and running for less than a buck!!

I got a buddy with some Clifford keyless entry /remote starts kits from clifford. since I have no key fobs I might as well get a better set of remotes if I am going to need to spend the money anyhow.

guy I am getting it from says it didnt appear to need a spare key in a rf transponder box. its for a 99 s70 T5 auto

is that true or not?

I really need to get something done about not having remotes and I am not paying the kind of money they want for the oem junk and then having to pay the rip off dealer.

HEllo,
I just bought THIS !
And when I tryed to connect my parrot to Volvo behind the main panel I found out that conectors are not the same.
My Volvo is 2003 year of made . How can I connect it ? Anyone ever tryed it ?

Thank you for your advices !

Hi all,

I have a recent V60 (6 months old) and I play a lot of music via the USB interface with a USB stick which contains MP3 files.

At first, no problems... all plays well, but after a few weeks some songs suddenly get skipped at a certain point in time.
A song that played well yesterday, suddenly stops at mm:ss and from then on it always stops there and continues to the next song.
However; if I FF just before that point; it continues to play. The error I see is 'unreadable track'.

So I thought maybe the USB stick was damaged or maybe the songs.
I reformatted; copied the clean files again from my computer to the USB stick.
But it remains... and it starts to occur on more songs as time passes by.
When I play these songs from the USB stick on my PC I don't have any problems with any. :-/

Another thing; is that the media system remembers which song was last played; so I thought that mybe it keeps a local copy or data on these songs locally on its internal memory?
Any idea how this can be reset; or what I could try next?

When is it safe to remove the USB stick? I always wait till the door is opened and the system turned off.

Thanks & have a great weekend,
Jeroen

Hi all,
I recently bought a 1989 760 Turbo Wagon. The factory stereo works great, but the speakers aren't so great. The dashboard speakers work fine, but all 4 of the door speakers don't work.
I don't know much, but I'm guessing that if it's all 4 door speakers, maybe there's a connector that is undone or something?
Any ideas? All thoughts would be much appreciated

The speakers in my 2006 Volvo S60 quit working. The radio itself seems OK. It displays radio station presets and CD changer/player info. But, no sound coming out at all. Yesterday, the speakers came on briefly, then stopped working again. What should I look for?

Dear forum members,
We are proud to announce the availability of Android integration to the factory car stereo. If you have the Android phone - you can now connect it directly to your Volvo OEM car stereo. Then you can control the music using your car radio or steering wheel controls.
The Android phone connects directly via USB cable to the USB port of GROM USB http://gromaudio.com/store/usb_adapters/grom-usb2-vol01.html for Volvo or GROM-MST3 for Volvo stereo with optical fiber MOST technology: http://gromaudio.com/store/most_adapters/
You then just download the free AALinQ mobile app from Google Play store. More information is here:
http://gromaudio.com/aalinq/index.html

You were probably thinking that your old Volvo stereo does not have enough features? Think no more as GROM has solution

Hei

I have a problem with my 2007 II gen Volvo V70 D5! Sometimes when I start my car the radio comes on but no sound will come from speakers, only some ticking noise. Sometimes it will start to play music after 10 seconds but sometimes it will not until i turn the engine and ignition off?

Has anyone had similar problem? Can somebody recommend what to check?

Best wishes
Martin

Hi all, new to the forum, looking for some direction.

I have a 2004 Volvo S60, and I'd like to put in a new stereo. I'd like a stereo that I can stream music from my iphone using bluetooth. I also would like to be able to use my phone through the stereo using bluetooth. I think a touch screen would be cool, but it's far from necessary. What options do I have? What retailers can I go through? How much would it cost me? Any other advice/suggestions are appreciated.

For what it's worth, I currently have a stock radio with a CD player and a cassette player and a standard fm/am radio. I also have an additional device (4-5 years old) that allows me to answer calls over bluetooth. The sound quality is OK at best. I'm planning on replacing a popped speaker, so I thought this would be as good a time as any to consider a new radio. I currently use a cassette tape with a headphone wire to listen to my ipod, but I'd like to eliminate as many wires as possible, hence the request for bluetooth music streaming.

I'm pretty tech savy, but I do not know anything about car electronics so I apologize if my jargon is incorrect, or if I'm unfamiliar with certain parts.

Thanks for the help!

Just got a 93 940 sedan with no speakers or factory stereo, just all the factory wiring. Of course the previous owner thought it'd be a good idea to clip and remove the entire wiring harness behind the deck as well so this has been a confusing project since day one. I've certainly located the amp under the steering column and properly spliced the speaker wires to run them to the new deck. I can't find a clear diagram anywhere though. I can't get any power to the deck, let alone figure out how to keep the clock and interior lighting to operate when the ignition is turned off. I did get the headlights working though! Any help would be SO greatly appreciated. Thanks!

We just bought a new V60.
I wonder: is there any possibility in the RTI (Volvo NAV ...) to add camera speed control locations?
This is really a "loss" compared to our "Tom Tom device" before.

Does anyone know something more about it? I am frankly surprised that this topic has not yet been treated, if I'm not mistaken.

I have a Volvo AM,FM,Cassette with a record feature. It says Volvo on the cassette door. The left knob has D,AM,FM on it. There is a five pin female DIN plug on the back as well as the standard hook up wires. I think I've had this radio since the seventies. Does anyone have a clue about this radio??? I thought if anyone knows one of you will. Mark G.

The radio in our 2001 V70xc (an HU-613 model) died. All radio functions quit, except the CD will still accept cds, and eject them.
I replaced it with an ebay used unit that worked for 3 days, but it quit as well. Only difference is that if I repeatedly press the power/volume knob, I occasionally get a normal "CD" with "TRK01" LED display for up to 1 second, and then it disappears.
Notably, if I rotate the MODE knob while furiously hitting the power knob, the unit's display does change, i.e., "Tape", or 'FM", or "AM" briefly are displayed.
I could really use a pinout list for the radio's connectors or, better yet, a wiring diagram for the car's link to the radio.
Best would be a schematic for the HU 613 (not very likely, I'm sure).

People asking for the Software of Autocom CDP Pro for Cars. Version 2011.1.
It's for those Autocom owners who hold an old software and want the upgrade.

Free download here:
Autocom software download

Regards.

My 98 S70 has the single CD stereo. It's worked great until recently when I noticed the high frequency screeches. I first thought one of my tweeters failed but when using the balance it appears it's both sides. That makes me wonder if it's the stereo amplifier rather than the speaker. Any idea how I can troubleshoot this other than replacing parts? Would a failed tweeter be obvious when looking at it? If it's the stereo is it possible to repair, perhaps by replacing some internal components or PCB's.

Thx for any help.

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere - I did search but didn't see anything on system removal and very little on system install that I could reverse-engineer.

The lease is coming due on my '09 XC90. I need to uninstall the complete RSE (purchased the system separately and had it installed by dealer after start of lease) for separate sale. This system is self-contained in the headrests (no dvd unit in center console). Anyone have knowledge on what exactly needs to come out and how to return the car to state I got it in?

Thanks!

I am currently having trouble finding the electrical wiring for the front of my Volvo 740 from 1987. My car's electrical wiring is basically fried, and if I don't replace that soon I might lose my car. If anyone has any information of where I could buy that, I would be most grateful. Thank you!

I just bought a 2000 S40 and have ordered a Sony CDX-GT440U CD receiver for it. I found all the information I need to install it. Now I am thinking about the speakers. Was there a standard and a premium audio package offered in 2000 and how can I tell what I have?

It sounds to me like most of my sound is coming from the dash. I hear nothing from the doors but I've heard others say their speakers are in the door and there are speaker covers there. The rear speakers sound pretty bad to me too. Can you help me decide what speakers might be a good upgrade without spending too much (the Sony is not high end)?

Crutchfield has recommended Sony Xplod 5 1/4" 2ways for front door and rear deck. After I got a tech on the phone I was told the dash has 3 1/2 inch speakers but Crutchfield has nothing to fit. The tech recommended I make a mounting board and use Pioneer 7/8" tweeters. I like bright (but not tinny) highs so tweeters might be OK.

Please add comments about any problems I might run into that I don't know enough to have asked about.

I'm looking to swap out the factory radio with a Sony CDX-GT430IP. Has anyone made this switch and if so what should I watch for? I've read the posts about programming the computer to not look for the factory radio. The shop I'm using claims to have done several and never had a problem. He claims it's a matter of using the correct harness. I'm a little nervous about it because of what I've read here and on other forums. I have an '04 S60. Thanks

I bought a 2001 S40 last week, and upon reading up here and other forums as well, was able to find out that I have an HU-615 radio. I also noticed when I bought the car that it's already pre-wired for a CD changer with an M-bus type cable being attached to the underside of the rear shelf in the trunk. I have an Alpine CHM-S620 that I used to have on another car. It's Alpine's factory radio add-on changer, so the plugs and connection are the same type as my S40's cable in the trunk. The problem is that both the plug in the trunk, and the plug on the CD changer are both male ends... Not sure why that is, but if I can get some sort of double female end connector/cable, will this CD Changer work in my S40?

Hey
has anyone here installed their own stereo system in a 2000 S40? i have been able to put the deck and my ipod hookup in with no problems but i am stuck with where to run the power wire from the battery to the amp and subs in the trunk. Has any one found a simple place to run it through the firewall or any other places? any help is appreciated! thanks

I have a 2007 V70XC with the dealer-installed iPod adaptor and have had no problem to date with my iPod or the first generation iPhone -- although I am not crazy about being limited to the first 10 playlists.

But the new 3G iPhone displays a message indicating that it will not charge in this adaptor. Everything else is the same, but it will not charge when hooked up to the Volvo iPod adaptor.

This is a *major* problem as the new phone's battery life is not great.

Any ideas how I can remedy this? Is a newer adaptor that *will* charge the iPhone?

Thanks.

Hi. Have a new 2012 xc90. was playing around with radio and somehow changed the display colors from white with black letters to black screen with white letters. Anyone know how to change it back? is this an easy fix? Not sure if i did something wrong or not? Any help would be appreciated . Thanks.

Hi all. Newb here.
Wondering if anyone has a list or resource for a list of all 2009-2011 Volvo head units that have iPod integration.
Do any of them have it built in? Or is it an option with an adapter for all of them?
Any info appreciated!

I know the rear doors and the rear deck are wired together. I am putting in a amp and want to keep them all functioning the same.

does anyone know how they are wired up? more to the point, the rear seem like they are not full range speakers as they are 8 inch . so there must be some type of xover or maybe just a filter in the system somewhere.

I want to do this with as little effort as possible. I am running new wire to the front as I am changing all of them out. I am not changing the rear just yet. I have been running all of them off my aftermarket deck until install of the amp.

I posted a full write up in the 240 section, installation of a new sound system for a 1987 four door sedan.

http://www.volvo-forums.com/t37401-1987-se...--subwoofer.htm

Hi Folks,
First off I want say thank you to all the folks that have posted, I've learned a lot and hopefully this is my chance to pay back some. (Also this is my first original post so hopefully I will not screw up with too many pictures.)

I recently purchased a 2009 C70, with a six-CD in-dash, Sirius, and blue tooth. There was only an AUX port in the center console, which worked fine as far as it went, but I wanted to control my music via the factory controls verses picking up the phone and taking my eyes off the road, charging of the phone while in the car, artist and song info on the display, etc.

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Now if you happen to have a 2009 C70, and do not already have the "dealer installed iPod accessory", you might find it easier catching unicorns. I had several local dealers tell me, even after I provided the part numbers to them, that it's not possible to add iPod/iPhone to the car.

Enter the not-so-local hero, John Janes. John.Janes@hendrickauto.com [attachment=9548:John_Janes.JPG]


John is with Superior Volvo out of Kansas City and is the kind of guy who figures out things like "How can you install an iPhone into a '09 C70?" Frankly Volvo doesn't make it easy. There's some sort disconnect between the various dealer manual sets. I don't know the details, but John did find and fax me the installation instructions. I scanned them into the attached PDF with some comments. A couple notes on my notes: There a dollar amount on page 2, I don't recall what it is for, but don't take it as the price for doing this. I must have written that amount on an available piece of paper.

[attachment=9549:iPod_C70...allation.pdf]

Tools:
The instructions call out for some fancy tool. I don't know why, I never saw the need for it. You will need the usual metric, as well as some torx. You will also need the dash kit trim remover tools. I got mine online, pictures included, they work great. I also purchased a small "hook" set that I never ended up using.

I also wanted to change from the aluminum stack and trim to the wood, so you'll see that in here as well.

[attachment=9522:ma_VCC_2...C70_2009.pdf] [attachment=9523:ma_VCC_3..._2009_1_.pdf] [attachment=9524:ma_VCC_3...C70_2009.pdf]


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The whole job probably took me six+ hours, but then I've never done anything like this before, and I was being rather cautious as I hadn't had the car for a month yet. And after two decades of driving minivans, I REALLY didn't want to mess this up!

Some helpful hints:
1) Put the top down. (saves you knocking your head)

2) Pop the rear seat first, before you disconnect the power. Why? Well the C70 cabin isn't huge, so you want to move the electric front seats forward so that you can get to and work on the back seats, then you are going to want to move the electric seats back so you have room to work on the front.

3) Level the seat bottoms. As anyone knows who's been in a C70 you sort of slide into the seats, the standard positional tilt is great for driving, not so much for reaching into the guts of the dash while your bucket is sliding back into the bucket seat.


While not the way I did it, save yourself some time and start with step 9 on page 5 of the instructions - popping the back seat so that you can remove the rear console while you still have power to move the front seats. (The way I did it was the hard way of reassembling the gutted dash / electronics so that I could re-power the car so that I could move the electric front seats.)

Why you may ask, as I did, am I popping the rear seats so that I can install a small hand sized iPod control box in the dash? Well you need to remove the rear console so that you can remove the center console, and to do that you have to pop the rear seat. The rear console is the bottom right corner of the first picture. Once the seat is popped you can unscrew and rotate it (back to front, CW in this picture) out of the car. The seat is held on by the clip in the second picture on the outboard sides, and the clips in the first picture on each side of the console. (Black thumb-sized horizontal things on the grey carpet.) The instructions say that you can pop these second clips by pulling up on the seat front. I was never able to make this work. All it did for me was bend the front of the seat frame forward. What I ended up doing is sliding a board under the outboard edge and prying / lifting up. That worked like a charm. You can see the board in the third photo with the passenger side center clip to the right of it.

(I think I may have exceeded the number of pictures or something for this post, it keeps losing them. And I've never done this before so I don't know what I'm doing here. I will add this section to the third post.)

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This is my main dash dis-assembly tool. I also used this red Neko kit #20598A.
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Remove the rear console. (The insert, screws from the bottom, rotate it out - you can see the fingers that go int the center console, then disconnect the two electrical connectors from the center console.)

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Remember to level the seat bottoms after you move the seats back!


Now go back to the start of the instructions.

First disconnect the battery:
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I taped my battery cable down because the cable wanted to return to it's previous position, and I was worried about frying the half disassembled electronics. You can see the black electrical tape close to the center of the picture.


Start taking the car apart, remove the dash panel, the stereo surround trim (I used the big wide red flat for this) and the display. Take pictures as you go (or label the connectors) so you can remember which go back to where. The panel was easy (2 pics), the surround I sort of fumbled through it (3 pics) and the display was difficult. It took a lot of force to get it to come out. (1 pic)

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Now this is my least favorite part. The #$%!@~ plastic that goes around the emergency brake lever. I ended up breaking off the connecting tab, and even then had to fight with it for some time to get the tab out. (So you may want to use someone else's instructions for this part.) My piece goes back in, but it doesn't "snap" in as securely with the missing mounting tab. I've included pictures so perhaps you can figure out a better way to get this SOB off without breaking it. These are views from the drivers seat.

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Move the center console back a bit so you can unscrew the stack. The first pic is the dash, the second pic is the super-special tab that is supposed to require a $95 tool to remove. Note the use of the dash tool in the third picture. Deep in the black recesses of the fourth pic, about center, is one of two T25 torx screws that are required to remove the stack. I recommend magnetic tools. I also personally recommend a strong magnet from the kitchen refrigerator to retrieve your T25 bit when it drops into the abyss.


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Looking at the under side of the radio you can see the orange fiber optic cable and the two retaining clips on the bottom of the radio. Slide the clips to the center to disconnect them from the radio. To get the radio out, I had to use the big wide red blade as a shoe horn because the top edge of the radio was hitting the edge of the dash. (And I wasn't about to remove the dash!) It takes a lot of force to get the radio out because there is a stud on the back of the radio that is friction fitted into a shock absorbing rubber grommet. BTW the instructions don't call this a radio but a "media player". The third picture has a good shot of the stud in the bottom left and the mounting hole top right.
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This is a view of the underside of the center console, the 12 volt outlet and the top up/down switch. The switch takes some work getting out.

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Ignore these thumbnails, I can't get rid of them, and they are explained below.

It appears my SC-816 radio is locked to Australian AM radio frequencies.
It tunes to the 9's instead of 10's. In the US I would expect to tune to AM 590 or 710.
Instead I can only tune to 702 or 846. Seek, Scan and manual adjustment always stop on these "odd" frequencies and don't know how to adjust it.

Hi All,

I have a HU-803 and am looking to add an Aux port cheaply - is this possible? People talk a lot about what I would deem to be expensive solutions but all I want to do is be able to plug in a mp3 player. I have a volvo sat nav system (that is very intermitant not being able to read the disc and so not used any more - why pay Volvo a fortune when my mobile has as good sat nav for free) so I don't know the nav unit has any useful ports I could use.

I have had a look around the forum but unable to answer my question.

Many thanks, Jed.

Will this work with my 2004 S80 w/ HU801 audio?
How much does it cost?

Wiring an amp in my new volvo. Can someone help me with where to tap into for my remote wire? Also the colors for positive and negative on the deck lid speakers would help me too. Thankyou!

Hello, I am new to this forum.

I just purchased a brand new Volvo S60 R-Design last week and have been driving it for the last few days. Needless to say, it's the best car I've ever personally owned, inside and out.

I am no stranger to Volvo's; my previous car was a 2002 S60-AWD.

Now, my only disappointment is regarding the Premium Audio system with the 2012. The controls and interface of the system itself is great. The actual sound quality is decent, BUT the volume output is simply NOT LOUD ENOUGH. It could be acoustics, but even while sitting in silence in the car it's not loud as I expect.

My 2002-S60 had the most impressive sound system I've ever heard, even though I may be biased, but I can safely say that while sitting in the car with the engine off if I turned the volume as far as I could with the 2002, my ears would not be able to handle it. When I try the similar thing with the 2012 it's loud, but not deafening loud.

I do not remember the wattage of the 2002 system, but the 650 watts/12 speakers in the 2012 should be louder right? Not to mention the $3000 package it entails.

Trust me, I am not taking this great car for granted, but the stereo system is one of the most important things to the experience for me and I'm thinking it's got to be better.

Unless I have gone deaf over the last few days. I'm a musician and pro mix engineer amongst other things so I have a good sense of sound and volume and my ENT says my ears are fine so?

I would really appreciate some insight on this, or your own experiences, thoughts. What can I do? Is there a way to have access to the amplifier? Where is it located?

I wouldn't want to mess with the actual system, but I wouldn't mind swapping in a better amp for more volume or taking any other suggestions..

Hi,

I am looking for some knowledge on what to upgrade in audio system.

I have 2008 volvo S60 with premium package with 8 speaker(2 tweeters, 2 frond door, 2 rear door and 2 rear deck) HU 650 system.

I am not sure what is the output of each speaker. Could some one throw some light on this?

And also, does it have inbuilt amplifier? if so where can I find it?


What should i replace/upgrade if i want to get better sound quality?

Should I just replace speakers or add Amp and sub woofer, etc...?

I am new to this kind of stuff.

Could please someone help me deciding what needs to be done?

Please suggest some good audio upgrades for my car.

I greatly appreciate your thoughts on this.

Thanks
Sri