DAB radio install

[colinmonkhouse]

Hi guys,

i am the proud owner of a XC60, and i absolutely love it. I previously had a 440 quite a few years ago and know how amazingly brilliant the cars are built. right anyway, my question is my radio does not have dab and i really would like it. i have contacted volvo and they said that the car never had the wiring harness installed at factory and i dont believe it has been added at a later date. how would i go about installing it in the car, where i would get it and rough cost for parts if i was to install myself?

thanks

colin

[NigelDay]

If the wiring is not there - and I suspect the key missing element is the aerial feed - you are going to be much better off looking at a separate aftermarket unit from (for example) PURE. A trip Halfords might be the first port of call, then decide if you want them to fit it or go to specialist in-car audio dealer.

[AP90]

Some useful info here Colin, I have the same issue

Ash

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=272490

[844PHW]

Another issue with the factory DAB seems to be that it is the origtinal basic DAB standard, not the enhanced version. That is not necessarily a problem for the UK market at present, but may become so.

[wimorrison]

I had a long, rather protracted argument several years ago with Volvo about this problem with my last XC60 and regrettably after many exchanges of email and phone calls I concluded that without ripping a large part of the car to bit to install the undefined wiring it wasn't going to happen.

There was a recent post here suggesting it is possible, together with instructions from the Volvo online portal - I still conclude that buying a PURE (or similar) adapter is the easiest route. I would even consider simply streaming digital radio from my phone to the car is I was that desperate for the stations on DAB - especially given the somewhat patchy DAB coverage around UK

[Grimble]

Just had a hire car for a week with a DAB. Reinforced my opinion that the coverage in the UK is so poor it would be a constant frustration.
Had a DAB in a Vauxhall from 2004 to 2008 and never had one since. Was very disappointed that the coverage hadn't improved in that time, especially when you consider the difference in car electronics over the past 10 years.

Give me reliability over features/gadgets any day.

[NigelDay]

Originally Posted by 844PHW

Another issue with the factory DAB seems to be that it is the origtinal basic DAB standard, not the enhanced version. That is not necessarily a problem for the UK market at present, but may become so.

I can confirm DAB+ is available through my system when on the Continent. Not sure if that is what you mean by the enhanced system.

[844PHW]

OK, looks like that has changed. Volvo used to be emphatic that DAB+ would not be available.