Installing a VW Beta into a Mk4 Polo

[pns_soc]

Hello,

Forum newbie here, hope that someone can help...

I have been after a stereo for my 1996 Polo - nothing too astounding, just something that plays music! So, I bought a Beta head unit off Ebay (picture of one similar to mine - http://dipattista.at/mario/bilder/beta2.JPG )

It's simple to install, as my Polo has two chunky plugs, 1 black 1 brown, coming out from a big stereo power cable (along with the thinner radio aerial cable). This made installation a doddle - just plug into the back of the Beta.

However, the Beta has a third socket. I am assuming that this is main power.

When I connect the two plugs from the Polo up to the Beta, the red security LED flashes, but the Beta refuses to switch on.

So, if anyone can help me, my question is really whether it's possible to fit the Beta to the Polo, and if so, where I get the power from? Have I just lost the main power lead down the front of the Polo, or are the units just incompatible?

If not, anyone want it for a good price?

Thanks in advance

[SamY]

Hello,

Forum newbie here, hope that someone can help...

I have been after a stereo for my 1996 Polo - nothing too astounding, just something that plays music! So, I bought a Beta head unit off Ebay (picture of one similar to mine - http://dipattista.at/mario/bilder/beta2.JPG )

It's simple to install, as my Polo has two chunky plugs, 1 black 1 brown, coming out from a big stereo power cable (along with the thinner radio aerial cable). This made installation a doddle - just plug into the back of the Beta.

However, the Beta has a third socket. I am assuming that this is main power.

When I connect the two plugs from the Polo up to the Beta, the red security LED flashes, but the Beta refuses to switch on.

So, if anyone can help me, my question is really whether it's possible to fit the Beta to the Polo, and if so, where I get the power from? Have I just lost the main power lead down the front of the Polo, or are the units just incompatible?

If not, anyone want it for a good price?

Thanks in advance

The third socket ( above the other two that make up the ISO socket ) wasnt used on my beta.

You may find you need the security code to unlock the radio - since I think the beta radio needs unlocking if you move it to a different car.

[GroovyCarrot]

Shouldn't happen with a VW radio, logically, but volkswagen do strange things with their ISO connectors (the chunky plugs for the radio) - for some unknown reason they reverse the constant power feed (which trickles power through the radio to stop it losing all it's settings etc) and the ignition power lead (which tells the radio that the car is running and that it should come out of standby mode and play some music at you). It might be that someone's fitted a non-VW stereo in yours at some point and has reversed these leads to make it work, in which case it's just a case of switching them back again.

http://www.installdr.com/Harnesses/VW-Wiring.pdf
^ should help with finding the cables you need to swap - it'll be cables L and O on that diagram.
Good luck, hope this solves the problem

[AKs_SlickPolo]

Im having a similar problem accept with a Sony Cd Headunit. power stays on constant, but i cant seem to locate the ignition ACC wire?? the installdr guide as posted by groovycarrot shows that it may be a brown/black wire. I have one connected to the speakers which is just as thick as the red power wire. I also have another one which is also brown/black and is twisted with a brown/blue wire and is a very slim wire.

its a 98 model so it should have it definetly, and its a CL which is not completely basic.

I have no speakers connected to the back, however when listening to the radio i do get interference in speakers when the car is started.


Any ideas on how I can sort this out????

[bluebaron]

Hello,

Forum newbie here, hope that someone can help...

I have been after a stereo for my 1996 Polo - nothing too astounding, just something that plays music! So, I bought a Beta head unit off Ebay (picture of one similar to mine - http://dipattista.at/mario/bilder/beta2.JPG )

It's simple to install, as my Polo has two chunky plugs, 1 black 1 brown, coming out from a big stereo power cable (along with the thinner radio aerial cable). This made installation a doddle - just plug into the back of the Beta.

However, the Beta has a third socket. I am assuming that this is main power.

When I connect the two plugs from the Polo up to the Beta, the red security LED flashes, but the Beta refuses to switch on.

So, if anyone can help me, my question is really whether it's possible to fit the Beta to the Polo, and if so, where I get the power from? Have I just lost the main power lead down the front of the Polo, or are the units just incompatible?

If not, anyone want it for a good price?

Thanks in advance

When the stereo gets power does the word "safe" come up on the display?

The radio needs a code for it to work, I suggest you contact the person you bought it from and ask them to look in the owners handbook for the code. It shouldn't be more than 4 digits.

[howett]

Shouldn't happen with a VW radio, logically, but volkswagen do strange things with their ISO connectors (the chunky plugs for the radio) - for some unknown reason they reverse the constant power feed (which trickles power through the radio to stop it losing all it's settings etc) and the ignition power lead (which tells the radio that the car is running and that it should come out of standby mode and play some music at you). It might be that someone's fitted a non-VW stereo in yours at some point and has reversed these leads to make it work, in which case it's just a case of switching them back again.

http://www.installdr.com/Harnesses/VW-Wiring.pdf
^ should help with finding the cables you need to swap - it'll be cables L and O on that diagram.
Good luck, hope this solves the problem

Hi, this is exactly what I need to do, however having great difficulty removing the pins from the block that is attached to the car. Is there a special tool I need or can this be done with a screwdriver or something?

Many thanks.

[inder]

The third connection is for the VW CD player connection

Should be just the black for power and the brown for the speakers. Sometimes there is a coloured dot to show you which goes in which connector on the back of the headunit, also they are a slightly different shape, so that they cannot be put in the wrong place - but you might have one connected in the cd player socket?

Are the wires coming out from the car the factory loom, or have been cut or have an adaptor on as GroovyCarrot suggests? If so, remove the adaptor and connect directly to the factory loom only

There is like a little clip on the connectors, that needs to be pushed in/moved to the side, as you pull it out

Hope helps

[howett]

Thanks for trying 'inder'. It is connected directly to the factory loom - I haven't cut any wires. Having same trouble as original post - in that when it is connected the led flashes red, but when you turn the ignition on it does not operate at all.

[howett]

After a week I have finally got this working. HOWEVER now when I take the key out of the ignition the BETA red led does not flash, nor operate and so have to re-enter the security code each time i put the key in the ignition. Have switched over the thick red wire and the thin brown and red stripe which I believe are the constant power and ignition wires respectively but makes no difference! please help!! Thanks.

[ron20]

I know that it's a long time ago, but did you resolve your problem?
I have a 1997 Polo 1.4 CL and a Beta radio that I am fitting will not work, the display showing nothing at all, although the red light does blink on and off..
When the lights are on and the radio is turned on, the display lights up momentarily before going out.
The voltages at the black chunky connector seem OK and agree with the diagram on the radio, so I have no idea what's happening.