Centre console / heating controls and buttons upgrade

[frizzuti]

Reaching out to the very knowledgeable people in the forum. I have a T6.1 panel van with the centre console with just A/C and recirculate buttons, as pictured.

I’ve bought a new centre console (eBay) with all buttons with the following plan…

I will be fitting heated tailgate glass and want to use the switch to operate it. At a later date if I upgrade to heated seats I will use the switches in the console for those too.

Back to the heated tailgate glass. Is it a case of finding the connection block that fits into the rear of the console which would be a signal wire/loom? I imagine this then needs to connect to fuse and carryon to a relay of some kind which also takes a power cable off the van battery and connects to the terminal on the tailgate glass. The other terminal would then be the negative which just needs to run to the chassis/earth point? Am I missing anything? Any help is much appreciated.

 

[stan-the-man]

Thats wrong control panel, wont work in Transporter. Its a MQB part number totally different to what you need wiring wise unfortunately

 

[frizzuti]

Thats wrong control panel, wont work in Transporter. Its a MQB part number totally different to what you need wiring wise unfortunately

Oh right. They look identical. So the pins in the back of this control panel won’t accept the connectors - is that what you’re saying?

 

[frizzuti]

Thats wrong control panel, wont work in Transporter. Its a MQB part number totally different to what you need wiring wise unfortunately

This is the back side showing connection blocks of a Transporter version - it looks identical to the one I have. Clearly less the wires from the connector but I’ll have that already connected to the current control unit. I’m confused!

 

[stan-the-man]

Yes they are identical but that’s all. Plugs are same, wiring pinout and configuration is totally different between transporter and mqb type thats why it won’t work.

 

[frizzuti]

Yes they are identical but that’s all. Plugs are same, wiring pinout and configuration is totally different between transporter and mqb type thats why it won’t work.

What’s MQB stand for / mean? I am assuming I can’t just get MQB connectors then?

 

[stan-the-man]

It’s “modularer querbaukasten” which stands for modular transverse toolkit or matrix.
It’s a system they introduced first in mk7 golf and becuase Transporter is not based on it the technology used between the two is not compatible in many electronic components used in those cars hence cannot be shared. Hope that makes sense.
Older climatronic panels in mk7 golf,Tiguan etc look same too but still are different internally with hardware and software and cannot be used across pq25 pq35 etc. Just google these terms and you will perhaps understand better. Because it looks the same it doesn’t mean it will work in all the cars.
Wiring in the plugs in this panel and yours is totally different too.
If you want plug in the panel at your own risk and you’ll see but I wouldn’t. I had quick look at the wiring diagrams for both and straight away I saw pins that don’t match.

 

[frizzuti]

It’s “modularer querbaukasten” which stands for modular transverse toolkit or matrix.
It’s a system they introduced first in mk7 golf and becuase Transporter is not based on it the technology used between the two is not compatible in many electronic components used in those cars hence cannot be shared. Hope that makes sense.
Older climatronic panels in mk7 golf,Tiguan etc look same too but still are different internally with hardware and software and cannot be used across pq25 pq35 etc. Just google these terms and you will perhaps understand better. Because it looks the same it doesn’t mean it will work in all the cars.
Wiring in the plugs in this panel and yours is totally different too.
If you want plug in the panel at your own risk and you’ll see but I wouldn’t. I had quick look at the wiring diagrams for both and straight away I saw pins that don’t match.

Understood and thanks for the detail. I have since found the correct type on eBay so guess I’ll be buying another one. Thankfully there is a transporter variant that has the tailgate heater button, which is the main thing I needed, but having the heated seat buttons also would be a bonus - just can’t seem to find any.

 

[stan-the-man]

The panel you need would be 7LA907426A I believe with the functions you need?

 

[frizzuti]

The panel you need would be 7LA907426A I believe with the functions you need?

Thanks but at £390 for the extra heated seat buttons I’ll stick to the one with just the heated tailgate button - found one for £56.

 

[HoopDub]

The button will be pre wired via can bus, so that will work as soon as you plug it in, although it wont do anything until you complete the following. You will have to run a wire from the Body Control Module (BCM) to the tailgate for power, 2.5mm wire. And a ground wire 2.5mm from the D pillar ground point. Bith will need to go through to the tailgate via the 17 pin connector located nearside D pillar roof area.
Once that is done you will then need to code the BCM to let it know it now has heated rear screen.

 

[frizzuti]

The button will be pre wired via can bus, so that will work as soon as you plug it in, although it wont do anything until you complete the following. You will have to run a wire from the Body Control Module (BCM) to the tailgate for power, 2.5mm wire. And a ground wire 2.5mm from the D pillar ground point. Bith will need to go through to the tailgate via the 17 pin connector located nearside D pillar roof area.
Once that is done you will then need to code the BCM to let it know it now has heated rear screen.

Thanks for the input. I’ll post up here once it’s all done and how I got on.

 

[tommy_t6.1]

It’s “modularer querbaukasten” which stands for modular transverse toolkit or matrix.
It’s a system they introduced first in mk7 golf and becuase Transporter is not based on it the technology used between the two is not compatible in many electronic components used in those cars hence cannot be shared. Hope that makes sense.
Older climatronic panels in mk7 golf,Tiguan etc look same too but still are different internally with hardware and software and cannot be used across pq25 pq35 etc. Just google these terms and you will perhaps understand better. Because it looks the same it doesn’t mean it will work in all the cars.
Wiring in the plugs in this panel and yours is totally different too.
If you want plug in the panel at your own risk and you’ll see but I wouldn’t. I had quick look at the wiring diagrams for both and straight away I saw pins that don’t match.

I thought I read somewhere that the 6.1 is mqb based? Is this not true? Or is it that there are specific transporter mqb parts? It's so confusing/annoying when you see 2 parts which look identical but aren't! Bloody VW! Haha

 

[frizzuti]

I thought I read somewhere that the 6.1 is mqb based? Is this not true? Or is it that there are specific transporter mqb parts? It's so confusing/annoying when you see 2 parts which look identical but aren't! Bloody VW! Haha

To be fair, the eBay seller did say it’s not comparable for a transporter and I thought I knew better. I’ve now ordered a pukka transporter one so when I come to installing it I’ll find out for sure.

 

[frizzuti]

The button will be pre wired via can bus, so that will work as soon as you plug it in, although it wont do anything until you complete the following. You will have to run a wire from the Body Control Module (BCM) to the tailgate for power, 2.5mm wire. And a ground wire 2.5mm from the D pillar ground point. Bith will need to go through to the tailgate via the 17 pin connector located nearside D pillar roof area.
Once that is done you will then need to code the BCM to let it know it now has heated rear screen.

Ref T17o 17-pin connector. So I can’t access it as it’s trapped behind the pop-top frame. Looking at the wiring diagram it looks as tho it’s just a straight through connector block so in theory that 2.5mm2 wire could go from the + side of the tailgate glass straight to the BCM right? There is another connector it’s meant to go through, T17m (red) left A pillar coupling station, and should be accessible but again, I could skip this out right?

Finally, I think I also need to connect a 2.5mm2 wire from the BCM to fuse 6 on the SC fuse holder and add in a fuse. Now looking at the fuse location it looks like there’s a 25A fuse already there but I’m sure I’ve seen in another post to use a 30A fuse. Thoughts?

 

[HoopDub]

Sorry for the late reply mate. i couldnt remember what i did so i went out and checked. Yes i did need to run a eire from fuse SC6 to the BCM pin 67. 2.5mm. My fuse box was empty in that location. 25A i have used. no issues as yet.

P.S yes i bypassed the A pillar plug and went straight to the BCM with the rear feed.

 

[frizzuti]

Sorry for the late reply mate. i couldnt remember what i did so i went out and checked. Yes i did need to run a eire from fuse SC6 to the BCM pin 67. 2.5mm. My fuse box was empty in that location. 25A i have used. no issues as yet.

P.S yes i bypassed the A pillar plug and went straight to the BCM with the rear feed.

Ah this is perfect! Thanks for taking the time to check - really appreciated! I really didn’t want to have to pull apart my pop-top frame just to get to a wiring loom connector.