I am not happy with the rather basic audio system on my my 2012 FL2. I enclose a photo for your reference.
I would like to have a modern head unit with mirror link, bluetooth, dab and so on.

Regretfully, as far as I understand, if I swap the original hu with a 2 din new one, I will loose the parking sensors, unless I add some misterious and expensive box .
Now I am reasoning about a way to solve this problem. Let say that I leave the original hu as it is and I connect it to two small speakers to be located under the speaker grill on the dashboard.
Then I install a 2 din of a reliable brand, say Sony or Pioneer or whatever and I connect I directly to the door speakers.
In this way the original hu will be shut off forever and will be just useful for the parking sensors and the clock.
Obviously this a quite hard work, involving reroute of a lot of cables and need to modify the facia where the small square glove box is. The good side is that I don't have to buy a Chinese hu of doubtful quality.
Would like to know the opinion of some technically experienced members, if they think that this mod is feasible.
Thanks in advance for your help.

If you keep the original head unit where are you going to fit the new 2din until? Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

read this thread.

https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic30709.ht...;start=209



Last edited by 3landertwo on 11th Sep 2023 1:05 pm. Edited 2 times in total

Bobupndown wrote:

If you keep the original head unit where are you going to fit the new 2din until?

I thought about locating a head unit there as well, but there isn't a lot of room behind that fascia. It is also the pathway for the two aircon vents.

I'm sure it could be done, anything is possible given time and money.

However an updated head unit will also have provision for a rear camera which works much better than the parking sensors.

The optic cable is a problem, but it can be done. So as the original head unit location is built for 2DIN, make the most of it. MY11 SD4 SE Auto

Not only will you lose parking sensors but you will also lose the sub in the boot. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

I have a look at the thread suggested above, but my suspicions are partly confirmed: many users are complaning about the poor quality of the chinese stuff.
I don't know. Will rethink the whole matter and see if there Is a simpler solution.

The simple solution is a micro BT unit which plugs into the AUX port and a USB power adapter adjacent to the AUX port.
No messing about with the factory unit, no loss of power amp or sub, no loss of parking sensors or clock on the dash. I don't believe there's a need for a reverse camera on this or any other vehicle.

I find this BT unit more than acceptable for every day use.

Click image to enlarge

Thanks for your message. At the end of the day, it's just a matter of personal taste. I can live without Bluetooth phone, but I'd like to have a large screen for gps navigation.

So you just mount a tablet and run carplay, waze or whatever your mapping choice is! You can even add your music and play that out through Bluetooth to the media system.

My solution for 7" GPS: https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic36057.html
Actually this is a better position for the GPS, the central screen is too low.


Another option for improving car sound: https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic33026.html


While at it do TPMS:


& if you are not getting any satisfaction in other areas around the home so to speak (plenty of work to keep one distracted!):
https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic36713.html
(Dashcam around the car)

None of these improvements involves any difficult electrical challenges. Just tap into the fuse box.

I worked around the passenger fuse box after narrowing down the issue: https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic34833.html Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

BossBob wrote:

So you just mount a tablet and run carplay, waze or whatever your mapping choice is! You can even add your music and play that out through Bluetooth to the media system.

Lightwater wrote:

My solution for 7" GPS: https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic36057.html
Actually this is a better position for the GPS, the central screen is too low.


Another option for improving car sound: https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic33026.html


While at it do TPMS:


& if you are not getting any satisfaction in other areas around the home so to speak (plenty of work to keep one distracted!):
https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic36713.html
(Dashcam around the car)

None of these improvements involves any difficult electrical challenges. Just tap into the fuse box.

I worked around the passenger fuse box after narrowing down the issue: https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic34833.html

The GPS was originally on the windscreen with suction mount. Low down so it would not block the view. It would have got hotter there, & it was very hot when I put it away on hot summer days. Never had an issue with it from heat. They only have a very low resolution screen & slow frame rate, so won't generate heat like a phone.

Phones were never ment to be under the windscreen. Their CPU & display have difficulties dissipating heat at the best of times. Better to mount them in front of the air conditioning. Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

Nodge68 wrote:

The simple solution is a micro BT unit which plugs into the AUX port and a USB power adapter adjacent to the AUX port.
No messing about with the factory unit, no loss of power amp or sub, no loss of parking sensors or clock on the dash. I don't believe there's a need for a reverse camera on this or any other vehicle.

I find this BT unit more than acceptable for every day use.

Click image to enlarge

For high quality, I use CDs recorded with high bit rate MP3s are more than adequate.