Freelander radio replacement - but not how you suspect...

Hi all,

So I did something that I thought was clever - and ended up being a bit dumb and I'd like some help please.

I have a 2005 Facelifted HSE 1.8 that came with the Becker Sat nav, the steering wheel controls and CD autochanger. All very nice until the CD player died. Knowing that the audio looms on the Freelander were a bit weird and with the Sat Nav about as useful as something that isn't, I thought I'd swap out the dead unit for the factory fitted double din model.


One Freelander taken to pieces, old radio out......and that's when I found out the wiring loom for the Becker unit doesn't fit the double din unit.

I've hunted around and seem to be able to find lots of adaptors that would take me from the BMW version of the loom to a standard after market one, but I've no idea what I need to take me from the Becker loom to the double din one above. Having spent a fair bit on getting a decent one of the above I really don't want to have junk it and start again.

Can anyone help and point me in the direction of what leads/adaptors I need?

Ta

Are you sure the Becker connectors are not, themselves, adaptors plugged into the loom?

If so then disconnect and fit new adaptor to loom directly.

The becker unit has standard iso wiring.
This unit has not. If you really want to downgrade the becker, then you need some sort of adapter iso to whatever is on that unit, is manufacturer specific. Usually the adapters are the other way around.
Also, you will hit another issue which is the amp under the seat. The becker provides low volume since the amp is doing the rest.
I would throw in a more modern unit such as alpine ute-200bt or pioneer, something that can do networked audio. If you want to retain steering wheel controls then you need a stalk, but usually they are available the other way around (that unit to iso)
Also the beckers are not that expensive to replace if yours is shot. And the sound on that double din unit is garbage.

There was a thread on here somewhere showing the wiring to the Amp under the seat. The Becker end does look like ISO plugs, but as PRO says it's Line level audio & balanced.

I made the adapter in this picture for my son's FL1 Facelift to bypass the amplifier. Then we simply plugged in a Pioneer Bluetooth head unit to the ISO connectors, and the bypass plug route the speaker out from the Pioneer to the doors directly. Finally we had to fix the 3 duff speakers !!

This way we can always refit the Becker & Amp which actually has good audio, but old Sat-Nav & no Bluetooth.

Found the connector diagram. FYI, The correct wiring diagram for the Becker, Amp & Doors is in the later Rave with US models !!

You can add bluetooth will call to becker unit at expense of losing cd changer. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000512577957.html

Hi, InCarTech do wiring connectors for head units. I fitted a Kenwood DMX7017DABS to replace my Becker sat nav & just bought the appropriate interfaces for the HK amp & steering wheel controls, see pics. Not sure if this helps.

Andy Warren said:

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PRO said:

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pwood999 said:

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Gents,

Many thanks for the above. I fell ill not long after posting my own message and, with one thing and another, replacing the stereo fell way down my list of life and it's only now that my thoughts have turned back to it, I suddenly remembered I asked a question here. So a very belated note of appreciation.

It looks like my best option is to replace it with something ISO friendly and get a kit for the stereo controls. I'll look around the forum to see what others have done.

Once again, thanks for trying to help.

Geepers, hope you're back fighting fit.

Andy Warren said:

Hi, InCarTech do wiring connectors for head units. I fitted a Kenwood DMX7017DABS to replace my Becker sat nav & just bought the appropriate interfaces for the HK amp & steering wheel controls, see pics. Not sure if this helps.View attachment 235003 View attachment 235004 View attachment 235005

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I've got that exact model of head unit on my watch list on eBay, hope you don't mind me asking, but how much was it new? And what was your experience of it, with things like sound quality, user interface, navigation quality etc?

Jayridium said:

I've got that exact model of head unit on my watch list on eBay, hope you don't mind me asking, but how much was it new? And what was your experience of it, with things like sound quality, user interface, navigation quality etc?

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Hi, here's the copy of my invoices for the job. It was a straight forward swap with no cutting or trimming involved so it can go straight back to std. Sound wise great (even better after replacing the speakers a couple of weeks back).
I used Android auto for about a year without a problem then, after my then phone did an update it didn't want to connect so to this day I just use the phone. I suppose I should try it again with my 'new' Samsung S10 because it did work fine on my old S9 before that update. I haven't done a firmware update on the h/U for a couple of years . Hope this helps,all the best. Would help if I uploaded the pics.

I'm swithering on the one on eBay, I'm a kenwood fan, I did a dashboard facelift to give me a double din aperture for such a headunit, but I can't help but feel that ~£250 for a 5 year old <£500 head unit is asking a bit much... If I'm going to spend £250 for a stereo, I'd be tempted to put a bit to it and get a brand new high-end albeit off brand android job.

Jayridium said:

I'm swithering on the one on eBay, I'm a kenwood fan, I did a dashboard facelift to give me a double din aperture for such a headunit, but I can't help but feel that ~£250 for a 5 year old <£500 head unit is asking a bit much... If I'm going to spend £250 for a stereo, I'd be tempted to put a bit to it and get a brand new high-end albeit off brand android job.

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Yeah does sound a bit steep. I wish I'd gone for the cd version now I think back. I did buy a new JVC d/ din h/U for Mt little Mazda 2 a couple of months back for about £100 with cd which is a good little DAB/BT unit.

Andy Warren said:

Yeah does sound a bit steep. I wish I'd gone for the cd version now I think back. I did buy a new JVC d/ din h/U for Mt little Mazda 2 a couple of months back for about £100 with cd which is a good little DAB/BT unit.

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Optical discs, yyeeeek!

Jayridium said:

Optical discs, yyeeeek!

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Yeah me old school bought 3 lp's week

What really killed optical discs for me was having kids. I remember our youngest used to chew the discs for nintendo wii games if they weren't well out of reach

I emailed the boy on eBay about the kenwood asking what was his lowest price for it, he sent me a snottery email back saying they change hands for that kind of money and the software is updateable to latest spec making it the same as latest models, but I cannae help but feel that for £245 + £20 postage, I'd be better throwing a little bit bit more to it and buying a brand new unit.

Jayridium said:

What really killed optical discs for me was having kids. I remember our youngest used to chew the discs for nintendo wii games if they weren't well out of reach

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Ha ha, I hope you keep reminding them of what they did I know I would if mine had done that.

Google photos has a wonderful hbbit of sending me reminders "this day X years ago" - "oh yeah! - must tease kids with that"

Jayridium said:

I emailed the boy on eBay about the kenwood asking what was his lowest price for it, he sent me a snottery email back saying they change hands for that kind of money and the software is updateable to latest spec making it the same as latest models, but I cannae help but feel that for £245 + £20 postage, I'd be better throwing a little bit bit more to it and buying a brand new unit.

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As you probably know when you watch things on ebay after a few days you get an email with 'the seller has made you offer'.
Although mines been fine for peace of mind at least a new one would come with a warranty.
I've noticed my two local Halfords have signs up stating that all the d/din units & most of the other h/u's are unavailable due to the chip shortage not sure if anybody else has noticed this.