OEM radio upgrade - uconnect question

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CVMA Lonestar

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Hello all. New to the forum. I'll introduce myself elsewhere but for now I'm on a bit of a time crunch to try to figure out this whole uconnect thing. I'm wanting to upgrade my radio, I tried a cheap android radio but the adage is true you get what you pay for. So if I can I want to go OEM, something I know will work.

My question is this: My stock radio had serius xm but no Bluetooth phone connection. I'm looking at a hands free navigation head unit on eBay that I'd love to jump on (thus the time crunch) but I don't know anything about this uconnect stuff. I don't have the stock radio with me so I can't tell you the three letter code, so maybe my question can't even be answered. Suffice to say, if my stock radio didn't have the phone connection, would my truck even have uconnect? And if not, would I even be able to use the hands free Bluetooth and navigation head unit? OEM is my preferred option, but if I have to spend another several hundred dollars to install a uconnect system (if that's even possible?) then it's not worth it, I'll stick with aftermarket.

I apologize if this has been answered elsewhere, I honestly did look but it's hard to find such a specific answer.
 

stimpy433

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*** wrong my info, see below ***
 
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stimpy433

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thats in INCORRECT that is for 13+ he has a 12.

IMO for what you can put into the factory radio you can get many nicer aftermarket that will give you all and more of the factory.

Sorry, missed that.... if you get the nav radio with the uconnect built in all you will need extra is a external mic and the GPS antenna. I did this conversion in my Challenger which was a 2010.

Get a 730N which has the internal hands free, NAV antenna #05064186AA, and External Mic 82211743AB. This what I used in my Challenger.

Make sure you get the correct speed CANBUS, there's (2) different ones, HIGH and LOW.... I think the RAMs use HIGH speed but not 100% sure on that.

Any unit 2012 and newer requires a 4 digit anti-theft pin code to activate (so they say, some have reported different). When purchasing one used, make sure you get it. If not, you will need the VIN from the donor car to retrieve the pin from dealer.

Hope this Helps!!!!
 
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CVMA Lonestar

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Thanks, that should help. Does the OEM unit require a proprietary microphone and nav antenna, or will the generic aftermarket ones I got with the cheap radio work?
 

stimpy433

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Thanks, that should help. Does the OEM unit require a proprietary microphone and nav antenna, or will the generic aftermarket ones I got with the cheap radio work?

Not sure, I know they both have to have those goofy colored plugs on them to work. I think most of the aftermarket ones don't have the correct plug. Those OEM ones that I posted are both pretty cheap to buy if you check on Ebay.
 
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CVMA Lonestar

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After doing some more research it looks like the units I've been looking at do not include navigation. Adding that will put it way out of my price range. Thanks for the info here, I'll search threads for info on aftermarket options before asking any more questions.
 
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CVMA Lonestar

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<$500

I've found some refurb for $350 but they are not nav.

The eBay auction I'm looking at ends in 30 minutes...I might just forego nav and keep using my phone if I can win it at $130, the seller says is does have built in uconnect and it came out of the same year model truck as mine.
 

stimpy433

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I've found some refurb for $350 but they are not nav.

The eBay auction I'm looking at ends in 30 minutes...I might just forego nav and keep using my phone if I can win it at $130, the seller says is does have built in uconnect and it came out of the same year model truck as mine.
What model is it???

I found the radio you were looking at... RZB, not sure if that one has internal hands free or it works with the external hands free module???
 
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CVMA Lonestar

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Well I ended up not winning that auction. So plenty of time now for more research. Thanks for all your help so far!
 

stimpy433

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From the Uconnect website:

"Media Center 430(RBZ)

NOTE: Uconnect™ Phone and Voice Command are vehicle options which must be ordered separately. The buttons on the radio will only be active if the vehicle has been equipped with the option."

So I'm thinking it uses the separate handsfree module....

Keeping looking for the nav radio, it took me awhile but I found one that was a lot cheaper then any on see on Ebay right and it came with the NAV antenna and external mic!!!
 

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Pull down the lower glovebox and see if there is the uconnect module on the right side bolted inside the dash, if not you have a few options.

First - you need what is called a high speed bus radio, (low speed will not work), google the part # to verify, ebay\craigslist sellers are notorious for not getting it right.

There are two models of nav radios, 730n and 430n. The 730n has two flavors, RER or RHR, RER are earlier models, you are better off with an RHR. Both of these have built in uconnect. The RER has separate nav and sat fakra connectors, you would need to add the nav antenna and a microphone kit. The RHR has a combo nav\sat fakra connector, you would need to get the combo antenna (dual SAT/GPS antenna part # 05064908AA) and mic kit.

The 430n uses the external uconnect module, you would need that and the wiring, along with the combo antenna and mic kit, which gets expensive, if you already have the module, its not too bad.

If you don't want\need nav, your only option is to get the whole kit, radio, module, and mic, non-nav units do not come with built in uconnect
 
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CVMA Lonestar

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All this uconnect with different modules and kits and such is friggin complicated!

I think I'm just going to go aftermarket. I love the look of OEM, but I think it looks like aftermarket will just be much simpler and can get more functionality. Looking at Kenwood models with CarPlay now.
 
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