DIY: Virtual Cockpit Retrofit MK7 (aliexpress version)

[scslite]

Thanks for sharing! Couple of questions...

-does the dash auto dim when turning the headlights on?
-can you adjust from km/h to miles/hr?
-is there a way to display either the GTI or R logo?

 

[FixIt]

Thanks for sharing! Couple of questions...

-does the dash auto dim when turning the headlights on?
-can you adjust from km/h to miles/hr?
-is there a way to display either the GTI or R logo?

Yes, it auto dims based on the light switch position and you can set the light intensity based on a scale from 0 to 12 (or 16) for day and night separately. If you have an auto light switch, the dash will follow that.

Yes you can select US or metric system for speed, distance, temperature and pressure. I selected US system but there is one parameter on one of the dashes that shows liter/100km while the rest is gallon. Perhaps this will be fixed in a software update, but it doesn't bother me.

When my unit boots up, it doesn't show any logo, only a golf car (GTI, I reckon) that drives over the middle of the screen. Perhaps other vendors of these digital dashes have a GTI/R logo but not the one I have, unless it is a hidden feature somewhere that I still need to discover!

I'll snap a picture later on when I head on out.

 

[FixIt]

In the first image below you can see the "Digital Screen" view. To the right is a 'fuel consumption' meter and when you start driving it shows liter per 100km instead of miles per gallon. It is a little bug. I'll try to switch everything over to metric and back again to see if this bug remains consistent.

The second image appears at the end of a ride, when you switch off the engine. You can actually select the car model and color.

I tried to capture the startup screen but it didn't show. Perhaps in the morning, after more time has elapsed it will show up again. I'd thought it should always show up after you get out of the car, lock it and get back in but that has not been the case. As a first screen I was greeted by a little GTI that drove in the screen, followed by "needle celebration" and the little GTI driving off in the sunset, followed by the regular screen (picture 4).

Picture 5 shows how the GTI drives off into the sunset and then picture 4 comes up. There are probably still settings that I have not seen since I'm not yet familiar with all bells and whistles, but I hope this helps clarify the boot sequence of this cluster a bit.

 

[scslite]

So is the liter per 100km only shows up in the Digital Screen view? I'll likely not use that view so I may be able to live with that.

 

[FixIt]

So is the liter per 100km only shows up in the Digital Screen view? I'll likely not use that view so I may be able to live with that.

So far that is the only screen where I see this. I can change from imperial to metric but that l/100km stays the same.

 

[FixIt]

I noticed twice that the wireless screen mirroring from the phone to dash had lost connection and I use a Samsung phone. So I'm guessing there is no guarantee that this is a bug-free feature. The dash does have an option for wireless updates so there may be bug fixes coming in the future.

I read reviews from others who bought AliExpress dashes for MK7/MK7.5 and some reported km for range, where I see miles, so it does appear that some bugs are fixed over time.... so there is hope.

 

[19birel]

I noticed twice that the wireless screen mirroring from the phone to dash had lost connection and I use a Samsung phone. So I'm guessing there is no guarantee that this is a bug-free feature. The dash does have an option for wireless updates so there may be bug fixes coming in the future.

I read reviews from others who bought AliExpress dashes for MK7/MK7.5 and some reported km for range, where I see miles, so it does appear that some bugs are fixed over time.... so there is hope.

Do your turn signals sound odd after the install? (I have heard some units have an annoying indicator tone lol) And does the unit boot quickly relative to you getting in and starting the car or do you have to wait a second before you start driving?

 

[Cuzoe]

I find myself looking at these things since I'm going to have to reinstall my analog dash for a little bit.

 

[FixIt]

Do your turn signals sound odd after the install? (I have heard some units have an annoying indicator tone lol) And does the unit boot quickly relative to you getting in and starting the car or do you have to wait a second before you start driving?

The turn signals do sound a bit different indeed. Previously a dry 'tic-tac' and now more slightly hollow 'tik-tok' sound, but it sounds okay to me, not too different that it bugs me.

The unit boots pretty quick. Within 5sec or so. If I start the engine and go in reverse right away to back out of my garage, the needle sweep is done just after I start moving. Generally the boot sequence is enjoyable to watch, to see that little GTI drive over the dash
Usually I pick my music and set the destination in waze (to check for speed traps) and by then all is long done.

 

[FixIt]

I find myself looking at these things since I'm going to have to reinstall my analog dash for a little bit.

For some reason I keep looking at that screen too much while driving! Lol I do not regret making the change to digital.

I just added another goody, the door puddle lights with GTI logo projection!

 

[bobloblawGTI]

I find myself looking at these things since I'm going to have to reinstall my analog dash for a little bit.

Finally flew too close to the firmware update sun?

 

[Cuzoe]

Finally flew too close to the firmware update sun?

Haha, no(t yet). KESSY retrofit will require modifying the IMMO area of the cluster eeprom. I have the tool on the way to read/write from the analog dash... will eventually get the tool to write to the AID, but... $,$$$

 

[19birel]

I think I'm sold on this- Looks sweet and I could use the screen mirroring to display simostools and monitor my car's vitals at the track

 

[FixIt]

I think I'm sold on this- Looks sweet and I could use the screen mirroring to display simostools and monitor my car's vitals at the track

FYI, the mirroring does work but keeps disconnecting from my samsung phone every 20min or so. I have not been able to resolve this yet. It could be just my phone, or it could be the dash but just an FYI.

 

[19birel]

FYI, the mirroring does work but keeps disconnecting from my samsung phone every 20min or so. I have not been able to resolve this yet. It could be just my phone, or it could be the dash but just an FYI.

Thanks for the heads up! Not the end of the world if that feature doesn't work the best, but it would be cool