# RNS-510 Firmware Update Issue



## christofambrosch (Jul 5, 2011)

I have a 2012 Passat that I retrofit an RNS-510 into (originally had an RNS-315). The 510 came as:


Untitled by santorum, on Flickr

I then managed to update the firmware to 1140, which was a huge improvement in a lot of ways.


Untitled by santorum, on Flickr

I planned on stepping the firmware up a little at a time until I went as high as I could with this unit. I have tried updating to 2680 but I keep getting an error no matter how many times I reset the unit and try again. I have tried two different firmware downloads with the same result.

I remember my-gti having many more firmware files available to download but now there are not that many. Does anyone know where to find more?

Question number two, I stream my music via bluetooth, but since it's an old firmware, I cannot change the song via the MFSW or unit. What firmware will enable this to work? Thanks!


----------



## christofambrosch (Jul 5, 2011)

Bump


----------



## christofambrosch (Jul 5, 2011)

Bump


----------



## MK6JSW (Nov 13, 2013)

1140 is the newest version for your RNS. You can't change songs using steering controls unless you upgrade to a newer RNS.


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Hi Christof:

I've been investigating the RNS-510 firmware issue for a few days now, and what I have learned (after hours and hours of reading very technical German language forums) is this:

- There are many, many variations of RNS-510 devices. For the most part, the variations are identified by the hardware version that is visible when you do a VAG-COM scan of the unit. You will see a number such as "HW04" or similar identifying the hardware version. See my post about updating the navigation database for an example of a VAG-COM scan of an RNS-510, that post is this one: Car Audio and Electronics How to update the RNS-510 Navigation Database (illustrated how-to and what-to-expect guide).

- North American Region (NAR) market RNS-510 units _do not_ and _cannot_ use firmware updates that are published for Rest of World (ROW) market regions. So, if you look at European forums, or forums where users from Europe are discussing software versions in the two-thousand to six-thousand number range, those versions are only for the ROW units and will not work in the NAR units.

- As near as I can figure out (I'm no expert, but I have spent a lot of time doing research this week) the most current version of the RNS-510 firmware for vehicles up to and including model year (MY) 2011 is version 1140, and the most current version for MY 2012 is 3690. There are no 'current' (meaning, most up to date) firmware versions for the NAR units that have version numbers between 1140 and 3690. The 3690 update was released to update MY 2012 cars that were originally shipped with firmware version 3680 (see the TB below).

- I have no knowledge at all about firmware versions for MY 2013 and newer vehicles.

There is a pretty comprehensive discussion about firmware for the NAR version of the RNS-510 at this thread in the Passat B7 forum: RNS-510 Firmware Upgrade (3/1/12) - Anyone?. It's worth a read, but be warned you have to read the whole 6 page discussion right from the beginning to make any sense of it.

Michael


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Ooops, forgot to attach the TB that I mentioned directly above, here it is.

This TB is only worth reading if you have a MY 2012 car.

Michael


----------



## MK6JSW (Nov 13, 2013)

PanEuropean said:


> Hi Christof:
> 
> I've been investigating the RNS-510 firmware issue for a few days now, and what I have learned (after hours and hours of reading very technical German language forums) is this:
> 
> ...


The hardware version changes and restarts with every revision. The 2012 and up models that are revision E or higher can use firmware 4366 and version J and above with SSD's can use the newest version.


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Uh, OK, can you provide a more detailed explanation (perhaps a table of sorts) that explains all this to the uninitiated, in case someone comes along and looks up this discussion in a few months time, trying to figure out what applies to their RNS-510 unit?

For example, I'm thinking of something like this (the actual information below may not be correct, this is just an example)

-------------------------

VAG-COM Scan shows the following (2010 Tiguan)
*Part No SW: 3C0 035 684 C HW: 3C0 035 684 C
Component: RNS-MID H04 1000*

The above unit has hardware version 04 and firmware version 1000. Units with part numbers ending in 'C' can be upgraded to SW 1140. The letter at the end of the part number ('C' in this case) will/might increment up to a 'D' after updating the unit to firmware version 1140

-------------------------

The reason I suggest we try and make a list like this is because there are a heck of a lot of different manufacturing variations of the RNS-510 (even within the North American Region market), and it's really tough for someone with no prior knowledge of hardware differences, part number differences, and firmware versions to know what "the lay of the land is" without spending hours and hours trolling through various VW and GPS forums.

Michael


----------



## MK6JSW (Nov 13, 2013)

PanEuropean said:


> Uh, OK, can you provide a more detailed explanation (perhaps a table of sorts) that explains all this to the uninitiated, in case someone comes along and looks up this discussion in a few months time, trying to figure out what applies to their RNS-510 unit?
> 
> For example, I'm thinking of something like this (the actual information below may not be correct, this is just an example)
> 
> ...


The info is available on here already with a simple search. Versions D and below are compatible with 1140. E/F/G/H are compatible with 4366. J may or may not have an SSD. If it does you can load the version K/L software on it.


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

MK6JSW said:


> Versions... E/F/G/H are compatible with 4366.


Is firmware version 4366 the current version of firmware for these North American specification units (the E/F/G/H part number suffixes) that VW of America is currently distributing?

Does it follow from that that the 4366 firmware has replaced/superceded the 3690 firmware that is discussed in the TB I attached a few posts above?

Michael


----------



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Just found the answer to my own question, thanks to forum member LokiWolf, who has posted a very comprehensive explanation of RNS-510 firmware history in the Passat B7 forum.

Here's the link to his post. The discussion runs to many pages long, but the key information - which applies to all VW models that use the RNS-510 - is contained in the very first post at the top of page 1 of the discussion:

RNS510 Firmware & Maps Info Thread

Michael


----------



## JackOntario (Aug 27, 2014)

*SW 1140 MY2011 ver c*

There's a lot of great information in here Michael, thanks for writing it down.
I have done a lot of research lately, and I came to the same conclusions, however I was unsure whether I could upgrade the firmware beyond 1140 on MY2011 Ver C. 
Thanks for that confirmation.

My Idea: I have a bit of a programming background, so I bet there could be a way where you could modify 39XX to contain 1140 identifier data, where you could upgrade the MY2011 unit.

The only unfortunate thing is, i'd have to have my HU taken apart, and to use it as testing for the newer software upgrade. -- I'm battling with the decision to do this, or just install a Nexus 7 running Android into the dash, and have so many more options to play with, including information from OBD2 bluetooth, and wifi functionality.

-Jack



PanEuropean said:


> Hi Christof:
> 
> I've been investigating the RNS-510 firmware issue for a few days now, and what I have learned (after hours and hours of reading very technical German language forums) is this:
> 
> ...


----------



## mjmorrill (Jul 6, 2016)

PanEuropean said:


> Ooops, forgot to attach the TB that I mentioned directly above, here it is.
> 
> This TB is only worth reading if you have a MY 2012 car.
> 
> Michael


I tried reading it, says I do not have permission? I have a 2012 Passat and would like to read it! Thanks!


----------

