T6.1 HBA retrofit . . . ?

[JamesWebb]

Hi there,
Can you help with this?

I purchased a HBA retrofit kit, not realising it was for a T6, whereas I have a 2021 T6.1 - my bad!
I've had a quick look on the forums for help but can't find any specific 6.1 instructions re wiring and coding.

So, would you happen to know . . .
a) if there are wiring diagrams and coding directions for this retrofit on the 6.1?
b) is there someone in the community who may know the answer and be able to help?
c) whether it is even possible?

Any help would be much appreciated - by me and probably others!

Thanks
JW

 

[Deaky]

T6.1 is a completely different electrical system. I doubt it would work.

 

[JamesWebb]

T6.1 is a completely different electrical system. I doubt it would work.

Thanks for the reply, Deaky, but is is naive to assume that if HBA is a factory installed option on the 6.1, retrofitting ‘should’ be possible? One member here, briefly said the it took him a while but did get it working. So far he hasn’t responded to my enquiry as to how he did it . . .

 

[Deaky]

Thanks for the reply, Deaky, but is is naive to assume that if HBA is a factory installed option on the 6.1, retrofitting ‘should’ be possible? One member here, briefly said the it took him a while but did get it working. So far he hasn’t responded to my enquiry as to how he did it . . .

Yes it’s totally possible with the correct bits

 

[Robert]

If you have HBA compatible A5 camera already onboard(LANE ASSIST) then you can activate HBA manually or use this coding dongle.

Coding dongle MQB, MLB - High-beam assistant (HBA)

After coding, the function "Light Assist" or "High-beam assistant" can be activated via the CAR menu

www.kufatec.com

 

[JamesWebb]

Robert,
Thanks for the 'heads up' re the dongle.

My problem is that the kit, which has very clear instructions, instructed me to connect the two wires from the retrofitted camera/mirror to connections going in to the BCM. Apparently, the T6.1 wiring is a 'completely different electrical system' from the T6 so I'm reluctant to start chopping wires just yet!
So, before spending £83 on a dongle, I need to connect the two wires . . .somewhere!

I can't believe I'm the first person to have attempted this!!

Thanks,
JW

 

[Robert]

Do you have windscreen mounted/front facing camera supplied from factory?
Can you post your most recent VCDS Autoscan?

 

[Pauly]

For clarity he has a T6 kit for a 6.1 so we need to check parts compatibility then wiring differences and see if it will work, I have hba on my 6.1 so coding shouldn’t be a problem

I will do some digging over the weekend and see what I can find out

 

[Pauly]

ok so had a look at this, part numbers for the mirrors look to be the same
Have checked T6 and T6.1 mirrors/camera and they seem to share the same 3G0 857 511 range of mirrors so thats good news

Also had a look at the wiring and it looks to be the same, i notice we dont have T6 HBA wiring in the downloads section (will add it) but the 6.1 is there

T6.1 - Front Camera (HBA) Wiring Diagram

Wiring diagram for front camera built into interior (rear view) mirror, this is for high beam assist/main beam assist camera only For front camera for other assist systems check this document instead - T6.1 - Front Camera For Assist Systems...

www.t6forum.com

They are essentially the same
Pin 1 - 12v supply from fusebox
Pin 2 - ground/negative
Pin 3 - Can high
Pin 6 - Interior light
Pin 8 - Can low

The main difference on the wiring is that on a T6 the CAN gateway is part of the BCM so all CAN cables originate there, on a 6.1 the gateway is separate and located behind the instrument cluster in the dash so wiring will need to be run back there

Other than that i dont see any reason why it wont work, obviously cant be 100% but im optimistic

 

[JamesWebb]

Gents, Thanks for taking the time to reply . . .

Robert . . . I do have a genuine VW windscreen mounted/ front facing camera - supplied with the retrofit kit.
I'm still trying to find someone locally (ish!) who has VCDS - and then I can get an Autoscan.
. . . although I may be able to do so myself if it's just a scan. I have an old interface cable and the software from Ross-Tech (22.9.0) - but I've never tried using it in the van. I'll see how I get on over the weekend.

Pauly . . . just seen your last posting . . . thank you so much for doing the research.
I'm obviously on a steep learning curve here but am certainly willing!
It's good news that the wiring interface is similar to the T6 but getting behind the dash will be 'fun'
If it's still a case of connecting the CAN High to pin 54 of the BCM and the CAN Low to pin 57, then maybe it's possible to find the other ends of those two (from the wiring diagrams?) and join to them there???

I guess I need to to some self teaching re CAN bus and the VW Way of The Wiring. I'm pretty 'old school' when it comes to 12v auto stuff, you know, positive and negative wires and switches!!

Thank you both again, any more help gratefully received.
JW

 

[Pauly]

Link to the wiring diagram is above, you will need to remove the cluster to access the gateway, will see if i can find some photos for you

 

[Pauly]

This is everything i could find

 

[Robert]

. . although I may be able to do so myself if it's just a scan. I have an old interface cable and the software from Ross-Tech (22.9.0) - but I've never tried using it in the van.

Try it then.

 

[JamesWebb]

Try it then.

Thank you Robert.
I will! . . . when I have time . . . I have a crazy busy weekend ahead.

 

[JamesWebb]

This is everything i could find

View attachment 178911View attachment 178912View attachment 178913View attachment 178914View attachment 178915

Pauly,
Again, thank you for pursuing this for me.
In the images you've supplied above (thx) it shows the instrument cluster having been removed and is that the BCM behind?

On my van, I did locate the BCM from underneath (next to the accelerator pedal) and found it quite inaccessible. I'm hoping that the wire loom from it then comes up behind the instrument cluster so I can attack it from the top once the cluster comes out . . . ? Just a guess.

The pics above seem to show the BCM (if that's what it is) in a horizontal position - so is that the T6?
Mine is vertically mounted right behind the fuse box.

Cheers,
JW

 

[Robert]

If you have HBA compatible A5 camera already onboard(LANE ASSIST) then you can activate HBA manually or use this coding dongle.

Coding dongle MQB, MLB - High-beam assistant (HBA)

After coding, the function "Light Assist" or "High-beam assistant" can be activated via the CAR menu

www.kufatec.com

@JamesWebb this is the camera I was referring to.
I guess you would notice its presence on your van, so you don't have one, correct?

 

[JamesWebb]

Robert,
That is correct. The one that came with the kit is a standard rear view mirror (rimless, in my case) but with a camera at the front.
JW

 

[JamesWebb]

Robert, Pauly,
After spending days installing Windows onto a mac laptop and running VCDS and VCDS Lite, it turns out that the cable I bought a few years ago in order to look at my Passat, doesn't work with the new Can Bus system in the T6.1! I'm not really surprised but thought I'd give it a go.
So I'm still looking for someone in SW London/Surrey to assist with coding . . .

 

[Robert]

You need to have correct hardware for your HBA retrofit.
7E0857511G is definitely not compatible with MQB CAN-BUS.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Robert, Pauly,
After spending days installing Windows onto a mac laptop and running VCDS and VCDS Lite, it turns out that the cable I bought a few years ago in order to look at my Passat, doesn't work with the new Can Bus system in the T6.1! I'm not really surprised but thought I'd give it a go.
So I'm still looking for someone in SW London/Surrey to assist with coding . . .

I hope it’s worth the effort eventually. FWIW I have factory HBA & hate it. I find it clunky & inconsistent. It’s one of of things like keyless entry, someone had a bright idea in a marketing meeting, it got passed on to the engineers & they thought “meh!”
Just my opinion of course.