2012 Ram 1500 Linkswell IQ Head Unit CanBus Follow Up.

Hello All
In this video we follow up on the CanBus setup for or Linkswell IQ android head unit into our 2012 Ram 1500.
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[@Unfinished-Business24]

Great info!!

[@myselfmeandi]

Thanks for this video. I installed a Phoenix Automotive T-Style unit and have been through endless rounds of contention with their technical support "engineers" (they aren't engineers, engineers would want to find answers). On the unit that I installed, the Android 12 or 10 that is listed as 12, I haven't been able to get any of the items in the vehicle information to set either and there are many tantalizing settings that my truck is equipped with that should work. Because there were so many items that were not working and only a few that were, I was questioning whether the can bus system worked at all. The type of head unit that I bought can be easily found sold by many different vendors, all with similar launchers, all with similar apps, all with the same settings menus (same as you had with the one in this video, I installed two of the style in your video and neither worked correctly), and they are all basically a generic android some-custom-number operating system, and they all have can bus integration issues. I would have returned mine but all of the other ones would have the same or worse problems. The one I purchased replaces the air conditioning controls. This part wasn't working at first. Many tech support calls, a new AC control board was shipped, on trying to remove the old board I found that they glued the connectors in place as it ripped one connector into pieces and that was replaced, and I'm back to where if I use a Jeep Cherokee setting as the vehicle, some features work, but no where near the amount that it looks like should work. I've asked Phoenix Automotive what they expected to work and didn't as a honest answer so I can declare the installation complete or not, but they refuse to answer. Every time, they have me download a new can-bus controller image and update the firmware in spite of me telling them that I have already downloaded and tried every firmware they have and one works better than the rest at controlling the AC, but does some dumb things that are less than desirable like try to turn on the dual mode in auto when my truck doesn't have a dual mode, or activate the rear AC when I don't have a rear AC. Seeing that you are unable to use the vehicle information settings really helps me because now, I know I don't have to fix a major can bus issue unless I want to adjust the software programming after performing a can bus snoop and finding all of the hexadecimal outputs from changing each setting one by one. I don't think all of them are possible to find, nor would I truly know I did it right. There are things on mine that I really wanted because it has a performance mode that can change readings and looks like it essentially will tune the truck for much better performance. There is even a race cool down mode that allows the engine to cool properly after high revs. Another one is a launch mode where the brake is held with the vehicle in gear and the RPM can be raised way up for a 'launch' takeoff. I doubt I would use that one because tires are expensive enough that I don't need to deliberately speed up their need for replacements. I have some additional equipment on the way and may even get a cheap oscilloscope setup to verify good function of the notes and each of the can bus signals just to make sure. One item I'm waiting on is a CANable 2.0 which should allow me to effectively do a can bus snoop to see what signals I have, gather their hexadecimal triggers, and then I'll see if I can adjust some vehicle setting that is close to the same setup that my truck has so some additional functions might be activated, or so that I blow the truck up, whichever comes first. Thanks again for showing what doesn't work versus what does. From all of the head unit changes that I've made, I think I have three or four can bus decoders from the Meta Axxess, to some generic models that kind of worked with the S8 head units that I previously installed. If I'm unable to get the one that was preinstalled with the current head unit working, I might go back and give those a try as well. What really sucks is to have someone sell you a device that they say is 'compatible' and it shows amazing possible settings and functions, but none of them work and they refuse to admit that they are supposed to work because on/off with ignition and doors open is enough to consider it 'compatible'. The previous head units at least knew to dim when the headlights were on. This one won't do that and has to wait for GPS to declare that it is night at the location where the vehicle is. What about solar eclipses and those days with heavy storms that the sky darkens? We get those in Texas, and fairly often.

[@solargarage]

Thanks for the detailed write up. Much like you we have found, while searching various part numbers that these head units look to have many versions, but the base radio looks to be the same. On this unit, during our install video we actually replaced the main 19 pin input/output harness with a generic android harness that allowed us to add the external sim slot and the head sees the external sim with no issue. So we also added a 4G antenna as the unit has an option for an antenna in the rear and presto, we have 4G data on a head unit that was sold as not supporting it. As for the bus I have e-mailed back my findings to the vendor so they can relay back to the supplier. Per the vendor the supplier states that the radio in my case will display all options for the vehicle, supported or not and those not supported it will not change. But to that I replied with an example of an option that I can update through the EVIC on this cluster such as flashing lights with the door lock. I see this same option on the head unit as a vehicle setting but I can not update it. Currently I am awaiting parts to install the steering wheel audio controls to see if I can get those to work, if I can that to work that will make me happy as the head unit does everything else just fine. I would love to be able to edit the other vehicle settings through the radio as this would add convenience, much like it does with the newer factory Chrysler radios. I believe part of my issue maybe that this truck is a 2012 and Chrysler made many updates to wiring/protocols...etc... stating in 2013. My theory is that the canbus software is largely setup to support 2013 on up and not as robust for earlier versions. I have also ordered some different cabus decoders to see the effect it will have. But even with that an issue that is unique to this version of a head unit is that the canbus decoder or part of it, is built into the headunit itself. Hence why when we did not have that 2 wire 8 pin connector connected it would not see the doors open and close. I love the head, so this is not a rant more like troubleshooting notes. I'll continue to poke and see what I can also get discovered.

[@myselfmeandi]

@@solargarage I would send a picture of what I've installed, but that's not a part of KZbin's chat feature. It's difficult enough to get this stuff to work with the vendor's support and it's very rare to get that much. At one point in this debacle, I had to accept the fact that none of what they have on the unit works and they simply hoped it would without testing anything. I realized this when I received the device and first installed it to find that they selected the 2013 Ram 1500 when mine is a 2012 Ram 1500. I already knew there would be major integration issues because I had already learned that Ram redesigned the entire can bus and node network for the 2013, which was a major upgrade of the truck from the 2012. They failed to recognize this error and when I told them, they denied the accuracy of my message which really bothered me because I was trying to help them gain full compatibility, which improves their product. Customer service has been tossed in the garbage. It's like everyone recognized at about the same time that they can treat their customers like dirt because if they have a problem, it's their problem and not the product that has an issue. There are plenty of customers with brand new cars that they would much rather integrate their product with. They don't need to waste time with people like me. The funny thing is, within the list of cars that have the correct and specific protocols are Lamborghini models, Ferrari models, Bentley models, and several super cars. I asked their customer support person how many of these they have sold and they wouldn't give me an answer. Then I told them they've sold none and wasted their time putting those on the list while they missed putting mine on the list. No one with that nice of car would ever put their piece of junk head unit in one of those nice cars, but tens thousands of regular guys like me would love to install their head unit on their truck, IF it was really fully compatible. Then I told them how much they missed the mark by doing this and did a quick calculation of lost sales. They asked me to box the head unit back up and return it for a full refund. I refused and told them that I would make sure to tell everyone about how little worked in my Phoenix Automotive head unit. There was only silence on the phone and I eventually hung up. An ounce of honesty here would have received my forgiveness. If they said, "we understand that only some items work, but that's all we have integrated so far. If you want to send us what you find from using a can bus sniffer, we will look at updating the protocol." Even if they hadn't intended to do anything, I would have understood. Instead, I've been treated like I know nothing in spite of telling them that I've designed intelligent transportation systems for city buses for over a decade and really could get the can bus information to them if they wanted to fix the issue, but that would take work and people don't work anymore.