2012 Passat Bluetooth Iphone Stereo vs Mono

[Saber333]

Hi,

I just picked up a 2012 passat and set up my iphone to play music over bluetooth.
However, it seems like it is only set up to receive a mono connection instead of a stereo conneciton.

Anybody else experiencing this issue or know of a way to update the bluetooth profile to stream music in stereo?

Thanks,

[cfurman]

Hi,

I just picked up a 2012 passat and set up my iphone to play music over bluetooth.
However, it seems like it is only set up to receive a mono connection instead of a stereo conneciton.

Anybody else experiencing this issue or know of a way to update the bluetooth profile to stream music in stereo?

Thanks,

iPhone 4 and 4S here... Stream Bluetooth stereo with no problem at all. Check your iPhone settings or give it a restart. Or disconnect and reconnect your Bluetooth on your radio.

[illusionVW]

Same Problem with my 2012 passat. Called VW customer service to find out that VW is aware of the issue. They dont have a fix for it as of now and are working to get this fixed. Lets just hope that it gets resolved soon. it is just annoying.

PS: The dealership had no clue about this issue. They checked the vehicle to inform me that the bluetooth module was just fine and performs as designed. arghhh

[illusionVW]

iPhone 4 and 4S here... Stream Bluetooth stereo with no problem at all. Check your iPhone settings or give it a restart. Or disconnect and reconnect your Bluetooth on your radio.

You may want to check a audio file with multi channel output. its quite obvious that the Right channel is what u will hear in all the speakers. Dealership folks tried it with a Jetta to replicate the issue.

[McFuzz]

This is a very well known issue pertaining to the 9W7 and RCD-510/RNS-510 stereos in many different VDubs... it's not Passat specific.

[sricca]

I have this problem. Basically the you never here the left channel

[oronymo]

This is a very well known issue pertaining to the 9W7 and RCD-510/RNS-510 stereos in many different VDubs... it's not Passat specific.

I have this problem as well. What is the solution? My car is under warranty (2012) - does it affect only certain vehicles or all new VWs? Can my dealer fix it?

[mmhs19]

Audiophile idiot question: does this affect the MDI connection as well, or is this just for music streamed via Bluetooth? I have a feeling this question makes the forum's inquisitive idiot of the day.

[MiKeE336]

I recall someone on these fourths mentioning that VW is aware of the issue and "working on a fix" but I feel as though it's not a very high priority to them. Adjusting the firmware to fix the issue is really not that difficult so if they were worried about it I'd assume we'd of heard something a bit more concrete by now.. Really frustrates me to no end.

[MiKeE336]

Audiophile idiot question: does this affect the MDI connection as well, or is this just for music streamed via Bluetooth? I have a feeling this question makes the forum's inquisitive idiot of the day.

Bluetooth only.

[oronymo]

Audiophile idiot question: does this affect the MDI connection as well, or is this just for music streamed via Bluetooth? I have a feeling this question makes the forum's inquisitive idiot of the day.

it's a perfectly valid question. for me, the MDI connection works perfectly and has better audio quality anyway. it's just less convenient to control.

for now my workaround is to use bluetooth for phone ONLY and then switch to MDI input for music.

[Andy@Ross-Tech.com]

I just did a test with my iPhone 4S (iOS 5.1) and stock RCD-510 (1K0-035-180-AD with Mute button and firmware 0018 ). I played AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" first from an SD card and next from the phone over BT streaming. In both cases, the distinctive opening guitar riff comes through only the left side speaker first before it's joined by other instrumentation. So, mine definitely plays stereo, not mono. This demonstrates the audio separation for your rockin' pleasure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9iOk8PqkKs

[MasVW11]

I just did a test with my iPhone 4S (iOS 5.1) and stock RCD-510 (1K0-035-180-AD with Mute button and firmware 0018 ). I played AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" first from an SD card and next from the phone over BT streaming. In both cases, the distinctive opening guitar riff comes through only the left side speaker first before it's joined by other instrumentation. So, mine definitely plays stereo, not mono. This demonstrates the audio separation for your rockin' pleasure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9iOk8PqkKs

I wonder if it's an iPhone 4 vs. 4s issue.....I have the RCD-510 and iOS 5.1 in my iPhone 4, and my imaging is defintely different for the same song from BT to SD card....

[MasVW11]

I wonder if it's an iPhone 4 vs. 4s issue.....I have the RCD-510 and iOS 5.1 in my iPhone 4, and my imaging is defintely different for the same song from BT to SD card....

Here's a comparison of my RCD-510 with SD Card and Bluetooth from an iPhone 4 running iOS 5.1

[phat7deuce]

I wonder if it's an iPhone 4 vs. 4s issue.....I have the RCD-510 and iOS 5.1 in my iPhone 4, and my imaging is defintely different for the same song from BT to SD card....

Definitely not just an iPhone 4 issue. I have a 4s with iOS 5.1 and don't have the left channel. I thought the sound from Bluetooth streaming sounded off, but confirmed it using the L/R slider in Accessibility. Using Mono right now, which sounds better, but not perfect.

I'm planning on calling VW Customer Care and Apple...the more people that log the issue the better, because obviously it doesn't affect everybody...

[phat7deuce]

I just did a test with my iPhone 4S (iOS 5.1) and stock RCD-510 (1K0-035-180-AD with Mute button and firmware 0018 ). I played AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)" first from an SD card and next from the phone over BT streaming. In both cases, the distinctive opening guitar riff comes through only the left side speaker first before it's joined by other instrumentation. So, mine definitely plays stereo, not mono. This demonstrates the audio separation for your rockin' pleasure:

How do you find out what firmware you're running? Is it through VCDS?

[Andy@Ross-Tech.com]

How do you find out what firmware you're running? Is it through VCDS?

Yep, last 4 digits of the Component Field when you go into 56-Radio. There may be some way to see it in the hidden menu too?

[illusionVW]

Yep, last 4 digits of the Component Field when you go into 56-Radio. There may be some way to see it in the hidden menu too?

would you please advice on how to see it from the hidden menu. Also, if i find the firmware to be outdated. why would the dealership not know about this when i brought the vehicle in last week? I was told that the car had the latest firmware version installed.

[oronymo]

Everybody should post their firmware # and correspondingly whether they have the mono/stereo problem or not. I will do this over the weekend.

[Andy@Ross-Tech.com]

would you please advice on how to see it from the hidden menu. Also, if i find the firmware to be outdated. why would the dealership not know about this when i brought the vehicle in last week? I was told that the car had the latest firmware version installed.

I think like this:



My Passat was delivered in October and hasn't been back to a dealer so it still has the RCD-510 software that was installed at the factory, AFAIK.

[pbafire]

Hold the setup button down for more than 20 secs.

[oronymo]

iPhone 4 and 4S here... Stream Bluetooth stereo with no problem at all. Check your iPhone settings or give it a restart. Or disconnect and reconnect your Bluetooth on your radio.

Can you post the firmware version of your stereo? It would be helpful to identify if this is a hardware or software problem.

[phat7deuce]

Everybody should post their firmware # and correspondingly whether they have the mono/stereo problem or not. I will do this over the weekend.

Here's my data:
Left channel problem: Yes
Phone: iPhone 4S
Operating System: iOS 5.1

RCD-510 info:
Part Number: 1K0035180AE
HW Index: H02
SW Index: 0016
SW Version: 20110323A
Bootloader Version: 3.00

I seems like Andy possibly had a newer version of the firmware (he had 0018), but hard to tell because the part number is different...I'd be interested to see what others have for data that are having the problem (and those that aren't.)

[MasVW11]

Here's my data:
Left channel problem: Yes
Phone: iPhone 4
Operating System: iOS 5.1

RCD-510 info:
Part Number: 1K0035180AE
HW Index: H02
SW Index: 0016
SW Version: 20110323A
Bootloader Version: 3.00

So I have the left channel issue ( that missing guitar solo is on the left side), and the same exact radio as phat7deuce

Andy....my radio is different ....looks like you have the RNS-510?, I.e. with. Nav? I have fm, am, and sat buttons on the left side, and media, phone, and setup on the right....so am not surprised you don't have this problem....unless that's not your car in the video you posted?

[phat7deuce]

I just did a test...I played AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)"...

...in what will now forever be known as the "AC/DC Test" (technically speaking)...

[MiKeE336]

Here's my data:
Left channel problem: Yes
Phone: iPhone 4
Operating System: iOS 5.1

RCD-510 info:
Part Number: 1K0035180AE
HW Index: H02
SW Index: 0016
SW Version: 20110323A
Bootloader Version: 3.00

[mknieri]

...in what will now forever be known as the "AC/DC Test" (technically speaking)...

Instead of using music, I would suggest that you use a test file that isolates the left and right channels. Like one of these...

http://www.ronelmm.com/tones/

[Andy@Ross-Tech.com]

Andy....my radio is different ....looks like you have the RNS-510?, I.e. with. Nav? I have fm, am, and sat buttons on the left side, and media, phone, and setup on the right....so am not surprised you don't have this problem....unless that's not your car in the video you posted?

That's not my radio in the video, just a vid I found demonstrating the hidden menu. Mine is an RCD-510 but the older version (without the phone button that the newer ones have):



Left channel problem: No
Phone: iPhone 4S
Operating System: iOS 5.1

RCD-510 info:
Part Number: 1K0035180AD
HW Index: H04
SW Index: 0018
SW Version: 20101014A
Bootloader Version: 3.00

The problem sounds like it's radio-dependent. Any other folks with the -AD radio having the problem?

[phat7deuce]

The problem sounds like it's radio-dependent. Any other folks with the -AD radio having the problem?

It seems like that's the case...it would be curious if other AD radios are having the problem. I'm going to try to call VW today, now that we've somewhat narrowed this down.

It looks like firmware 0016 might be more current (at least for the AE). I'm going to guess SW version is the date of release, so those us of with AE are probably with the latest firmware (I was hoping 0018 was some magic firmware that would fix the problem, but it looks like its more radio specific, versus us having old firmware.)

[phat7deuce]

...and by the way, Andy - your post made me totally listen to High Voltage on the way to work today!

[Andy@Ross-Tech.com]

...and by the way, Andy - your post made me totally listen to High Voltage on the way to work today!

Excellent! My 2 year old daughter's favorite band is AC/DC and her favorite song is "Bells". I told her that's the full name of the song to keep Mommy happy. My 8 month old son is partial to "High Voltage" and "TNT". Lock up your daughters ...

[MasVW11]

Excellent! My 2 year old daughter's favorite band is AC/DC and her favorite song is "Bells". I told her that's the full name of the song to keep Mommy happy. My 8 month old son is partial to "High Voltage" and "TNT". Lock up your daughters ...

The sponge bob music is because my 9 year old daughter danced to that song...makes a good demo of the problem, though.

My kids refuse to listen to any retro music....they especially dislike my Rush

[Andy@Ross-Tech.com]

The sponge bob music is because my 9 year old daughter danced to that song...makes a good demo of the problem, though.

My kids refuse to listen to any retro music....they especially dislike my Rush

LOL! 2112 is my next most played album in my car.

[illusionVW]

I think like this:



My Passat was delivered in October and hasn't been back to a dealer so it still has the RCD-510 software that was installed at the factory, AFAIK.

Awesome. Thank you !!

[illusionVW]

Here is my info guys
Left channel problem: Yes
Phone: iPhone 4
Operating System: iOS 5.1

RCD-510 info:
Part Number: 1K0035180AE
HW Index: H02
SW Index: 0016
SW Version: 20110323A
Bootloader Version: 3.00

I'm just curious n miffed because the older version just works fine but the newer one doesn't. I will call VW today as well. Last time I did they told me its a software issue. But this looks like a model issue to me.

Thanks folks