2013 Ram Radio's Please Read

All,

The new radio units are being phased in beginning with the 2013 Rams. I am posting this TSB in the hopes that people will understand that you will not be able to switch radios on these trucks. I do not have any information about aftermarket and do not know what effects these changes implemented will have on aftermarket availability but I just wanted everyone to be sure to understand how the new units will work and to get what you want upon purchase instead of counting on a change later. NAV can be added to the RA3 units.

NUMBER: 08-056-12
GROUP: Electrical
DATE: October 12, 2012

SUBJECT:
Information On New Radio Systems: Sales Code RA1, RA2, RA3, or RA4
MODELS:
2013 (DS) Ram 1500 Pickup
NOTE: This bulletin pertains to vehicles that are equipped with, UCONNECT 3.0
AM/FM (sales code RA1) or UCONNECT 5.0 AM/FM/BT (sales code RA2) or
UCONNECT 8.4A AM/FM/BT/ACCESS (sales code RA3) or UCONNECT 8.4AN
AM/FM/BT/ACCESS/NAV (sales code RA4).
DISCUSSION:
The new Ram 1500 pickup truck has new radios with unique features.
· The electrical architecture has changed. The communication system/wiring is
modeled after the Powernet architecture. Unlike the other Powernet vehicles the
audio screen is part of the radio.
· The 911 call button will be enabled when the vehicle is put into Customer Mode, or
after the vehicle has been driven approximately 50 miles.
NOTE: To get the vehicle out of ship mode, please refer to TechCONNECT, 04 -
Vehicle Quick Reference/New Vehicle Preparation
Instructions/Standard Procedure.
· If the vehicle has an RA1 radio, it Can Not be upgraded to include Bluetooth/Hands
Free functionality. NO Mopar accessory kits are planned at this time.
NOTE: None of the RA1, RA2, RA3, or RA4 radios are interchangeable with
each other. If the vehicle came with an RA1, radio, you can NOT install
an RA2, RA3 or RA4 radio. If the vehicle came with an RA4 radio, you
can NOT install an RA1, RA2 or RA3 radio and so on.
· Customers are able to purchase different Apps for these radio. If the radio is
replaced the Apps that the customer has purchased will take approximately one hour
of continuous ignition on time, with proper cellular coverage, before the Apps reload.
The vehicle can be returned to the customer before the purchased Apps have
reloaded. Advise the customer of the conditions that have to be met for the Apps to
reload.
· RA1, RA2, RA3 and RA4 radios will be on a parts restriction until 05-06-13.
· CD players will be on a parts restriction until 05-06-13.
· The radio sales code is no longer on the front of the radio. To identify an RA4 from a RA3 radio, the RA4 radio has 3D Navigation, and a “HD” symbol will be displayed on
the screen, see . To identify an RA1 from a RA2 radio, the RA2 radio will
have a phone button on the lower left hand corner of screen, see.
· RA3 radio is the only one that can be upgraded to include a Navigation feature. The
system will have to be activated by the dealer.

Wow...it's a nice system, but it sucks that it is no longer interchangeable and cannot be upgraded.

Interesting. Do these new awesome radios come with RCA Amp outputs for those of us who want to add more kick to the stock radio? More people would retain the factory radios if this were to happen.

Originally Posted by Adidas_kn

Interesting. Do these new awesome radios come with RCA Amp outputs for those of us who want to add more kick to the stock radio? More people would retain the factory radios if this were to happen.

To my knowledge they do not.

The new features can be found here.

http://www.driveuconnect.com/features/uconnect_access/

& I was pissed that my 2012 didn't have a tape player..
( If your wondering what a tape player is... Ask you grandma )

Originally Posted by Adidas_kn

Interesting. Do these new awesome radios come with RCA Amp outputs for those of us who want to add more kick to the stock radio? More people would retain the factory radios if this were to happen.

Even if you had to buy an additional module, this would still make most people happy, including myself. I'm not a fan of line out converters...

Originally Posted by Voodoo

& I was pissed that my 2012 didn't have a tape player..
( If your wondering what a tape player is... Ask you grandma )

I'm a little pissed it's not coming with an 8-track....

(If you wondering what an 8 track is, ask your great grandma!)

Originally Posted by rjmlakota

I'm a little pissed it's not coming with an 8-track....

(If you wondering what an 8 track is, ask your great grandma!)

and if you looking fr a reel to reel Give it up, Even the oldest person on earth doesn't remember ..

man that '10 in the garage looks better and better with each passing day. LOL

I still have a reel to reel that works and sounds fantastic. In home of course.

Originally Posted by lvrr

I still have a reel to reel that works and sounds fantastic. In home of course.

You and the guy in the movie Pulp Fiction probably are the only two people that still have reel to reel. Unless of course you are that guy?

Originally Posted by bob coco

You and the guy in the movie Pulp Fiction probably are the only two people that still have reel to reel. Unless of course you are that guy?

Actually there may be three of us. I have my dads Reel to Reel and its awesome. I also have my grandmothers big stereo with a record player (no 8 track on that one- bummer).

The radio (I have an RA4) or head unit is awesome. It is way ahead of the 2012 setup I had in my Longhorn but an immediate drawback for me is no Lockpick available.

The sound quality is great compared to my previous (same nine speaker Alpine) one. The interface is modern, matched to the interior, works seamless with my iPhone, voice commands work great.

Everything that I see in the touch screen is also available by button, switch, knob, etc. so I believe someone could certainly replace the unit with an aftermarket setup. It will be a few months and I bet the market sees the TV add on, Lockpicks, etc.

I have a reel to reel too!

How long before the aftermarket makes SD cards for the stock head units that change the audio from stock to their audio setups?

"Hey I just bought the Bose SD card for my stereo, and now it sounds awesome!!!"

I give is 6 months.

Originally Posted by wyat72

How long before the aftermarket makes SD cards for the stock head units that change the audio from stock to their audio setups?

"Hey I just bought the Bose SD card for my stereo, and now it sounds awesome!!!"

I give is 6 months.

? SD Cards are standards based, the only difference is speed and capacity. The great news is they are dirt cheap considering their capacity and physical size. Anyone with a digital camera, is likely to have some on had already. The speed of the cheapest model is more than capable of the transfer rates you need for the highest audio quality. Assuming there is an indexing of your songs occurring, the bigger your go, the slower the initial load of the contents would be assuming your using the max space.

I threw a 16GB SD card in the truck yesterday with about 15GBs of music. Loaded within 15 seconds the first time and now it's instant.

Originally Posted by VASteelersGuy

? SD Cards are standards based, the only difference is speed and capacity. The great news is they are dirt cheap considering their capacity and physical size. Anyone with a digital camera, is likely to have some on had already. The speed of the cheapest model is more than capable of the transfer rates you need for the highest audio quality. Assuming there is an indexing of your songs occurring, the bigger your go, the slower the initial load of the contents would be assuming your using the max space.

I threw a 16GB SD card in the truck yesterday with about 15GBs of music. Loaded within 15 seconds the first time and now it's instant.

You missed what I was trying to point out.

I was saying how long do you think it will be, before an aftermarket company uses a storage device like an SD Card or a USB drive to rewrite the existing software and change the "stock" audio system to a "Brand A" audio system? (Similar to what Ford just did with my ford touch, everybody that had V1.0 of the system was sent a USB drive in the mail so they could up grade to the less flawed V2.0)

Example: I did have the stock 8.4 system, but I bought the "Brand A" upgrade and now my audio system is "Brand A"

It could be considered as, changing the stock head unit of a vehicle to an aftermarket head unit, without actually changing the unit its self.

Originally Posted by DodgeCares

RA3 radio is the only one that can be upgraded to include a Navigation feature. The
system will have to be activated by the dealer.

Does anyone know how much this will cost?

$500