4th Gen 5" radio upgrade to an Android Radio

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

ChuzUThisDay

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Posts
4
Reaction score
0
Location
East Tennessee
Ram Year
2018
Engine
6.4 Hemi
Watching and waiting as well as I also have a 2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman 4x4 6.4L with the 5" factory radio.
 
OP
OP
DarbyOhara

DarbyOhara

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Posts
54
Reaction score
15
Location
Raleigh, NC
Ram Year
2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman Crew Cab 4x4
Engine
6.4L V8 OHV 16V FI Engine w/VVT
Watching and waiting as well as I also have a 2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman 4x4 6.4L with the 5" factory radio.

Yeah, I pretty much am giving up on the android aftermarket in this truck. According to crutchfield, the only harness that they know that works properly is an aftermarket with the idatalink. And the choices are very slim. In fact, right now, crutchfield does not even have any in stock for this truck. It is absolutely ridiculous that Chrysler had to screw up this for just the 2018 (at least from my research). In my searching online, I can not find anyone successful installing a non - idatalink aftermarket in a 2018 RAM. I guess it is also why no one is responding here. I love my truck, but that 5" radio is the pits. The upgrade to the 8" is just ridiculous too. I had all the parts ready to do it, but I just could not find a decent deal on the radio. After spending nearly $400 on the parts, I couldn't see dropping another $600 plus on just the radio. I quickly sold the parts on ebay to recover some of my money. :( Also, if I do find a idatalink compatible radio, they are just too costly for a decent size, with all the feature I would like. So I am stuck with the 5". If you or anyone finds a harness and a way to install an aftermaket android in a 2018 RAM, please let me know.
 
OP
OP
DarbyOhara

DarbyOhara

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Posts
54
Reaction score
15
Location
Raleigh, NC
Ram Year
2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman Crew Cab 4x4
Engine
6.4L V8 OHV 16V FI Engine w/VVT
Oh, I forgot to mention, somewhere in my researching someone suggested to use the RDBS Car Stereo Wire Harness. It does not have SWC or Backup camera. I don't have any audio controls on my steering wheel. And if it works for the A6, I'll just install a new backup camera. I found it on amazon, had it the next day. Hooked up the wires. Plugged it in... nothing came on. Hmmm. Feeling so disappointed, I re-installed the 5" back into the truck. Turned on ignition. Nothing. Went back to amazon and read the feedback from people on this harness, and about a dozen people wrote, this DUMB company reversed the yellow and black on their harness. I matched it up and yep. The yellow should have connected to the black, and same with the black to yellow. And this SORRY company is still selling a faulty product.

Now the next dilemma was trying to find that "hidden" radio fuse. I followed many posts about it. I just could not find it for the life of me. A few said that for a 2018, it should be on the passenger side, near the dash under the hood. Nope. So I am banging my head trying to find this fuse, riding around with no radio... grrrrr! So I went to the dealer service to see if one of the techs could just tell me where the heck that thing is located. I first thought they might blow me off and make me return with an appointment. Out came a tech. He looked and looked. He went back inside to look it up. Came back and he said it shows the 2018 should be on the passenger side, near the dash. As I said. Nope! He went back inside... then came back with another tech. The other tech actually crawled up and INTO the engine compartment... lol. Here it is! It was directly behind the data center box (the box with all the fuses) and positioned down enough to where you had to get up into the engine compartment to see it. The other tech popped a new 30 amp fuse in... and said, "that was fun"! lol. Both walked away and said have a nice day... No charge and now I know where it is if I ever need to find it.
 
OP
OP
DarbyOhara

DarbyOhara

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Posts
54
Reaction score
15
Location
Raleigh, NC
Ram Year
2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman Crew Cab 4x4
Engine
6.4L V8 OHV 16V FI Engine w/VVT
I went back to my 5" original Uconnect radio since I can not find a decent upgrade that doesn't costs hundreds. And with brand new 3" kickers in the dash, the sound on some of my FLAC 24 bit music is outstanding. However, I have a question that hopefully someone can help me with. I am playing the 24 bit files from a USB thumb drive and as I said, it sounds so good! The problem I can't seem to find is that when I play my music from the USB drive, I have to turn it up to close to 30. But if I switch over to the radio, I have to turn the volume down to almost zero otherwise if I don't, the radio will be so loud. I looked in the Uconnect settings and can't seem to find any settings for this. I looked at the FLAC files in an editor and the volume of the music is at its max, so it isn't the music files. Does anyone know how to get the media sound to match the radio sound levels in the 5" Uconnect?
 

ChuzUThisDay

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Posts
4
Reaction score
0
Location
East Tennessee
Ram Year
2018
Engine
6.4 Hemi
Does anyone know how to get the media sound to match the radio sound levels in the 5" Uconnect?
We experience the same issue when our iPhones are connected. While we aren't quite up to 30, there is definitely a large difference in the radio volume. While we've only owned the truck for a few months now, we have not been able to find any compensating adjustments for media.
 
OP
OP
DarbyOhara

DarbyOhara

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Posts
54
Reaction score
15
Location
Raleigh, NC
Ram Year
2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman Crew Cab 4x4
Engine
6.4L V8 OHV 16V FI Engine w/VVT
We experience the same issue when our iPhones are connected. While we aren't quite up to 30, there is definitely a large difference in the radio volume. While we've only owned the truck for a few months now, we have not been able to find any compensating adjustments for media.
Darn... thanks for the reply. I am not much for Apple products and I hate the way iTunes ruins perfectly great 24 bit music when converting, so I guess it must be the Uconnect crap that is controlling the volumes. I would be perfectly fine staying with the 5" Uconnect radio if it wasn't for this. Guess I need to research more on alternatives because this volume issue is serious! I can't always remember to turn down the volume just with a one push to move to the radio and getting blasted OUt of the truck!
 

Kelyn

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2021
Posts
19
Reaction score
2
Location
Midwest City, Oklahoma, Oklahoma, USA
Ram Year
2018
Engine
3.6L V6
Darn... thanks for the reply. I am not much for Apple products and I hate the way iTunes ruins perfectly great 24 bit music when converting, so I guess it must be the Uconnect crap that is controlling the volumes. I would be perfectly fine staying with the 5" Uconnect radio if it wasn't for this. Guess I need to research more on alternatives because this volume issue is serious! I can't always remember to turn down the volume just with a one push to move to the radio and getting blasted OUt of the truck!
I'm currently looking for an Android stereo as well. Have you tried your hand in Android development yet? You may find that with your programming experience you could do some of the stuff yourself. However have you considered this radio? https://youtu.be/rGsiFI8Klj0 also their update. But know it's expensive https://youtu.be/IJfbHeOFpbE
 
Top