[Necros]

I got the uconnect 5.0 radio with my Renegade. I’d really like to have an in-dash GPS rather than my little external windshield mounted one (that I can barely reach since our dashboards are like coffee tables). I thought I’d keep the 5.0 until my Sirius subscription runs out, and then get a GPS radio installed. Do our renegades require uconnect radios to run properly? Like if I needed a software update for something important under the hood, would I not be able to get those updates because I got rid of the radio? Would anything important stop working if I switched to a different radio? Would my only real option to be to upgrade to the 6.5 after the fact? I think there’s a lot of other cheaper (and probably better) radios out there on the market these days, I might even want to look into one of those new apple radios, but I don’t want to mess anything up or lose something my renegade needs.

 

[Kinematic9]

I have this same question. I have a Pioneer 4100nex with Android Auto/Apple Carplay. I took it out of my old car prior to getting my Renegade with plans on replacing the stock radio. It can be done per Crutchfield, but little did I realize how much the Uconnect actually controls in the car. Locks, light behaviors, etc. I didn't even think of the software update part of things - I am leaning towards just selling the setup and keeping things stock (but I am a newbie at this, so perhaps there are options out there).

 

[Oldav8tor]

A lot of functions run through the UConnect.... I don't know how you'd replace it. I've also heard that upgrading to a 6.5 isn't simply plug and play. What you've asked has been discussed elsewhere but I think the answer in most cases is to buy what you really want from the get-go...

 

[Necros]

That’s what I was afraid of. I just read that FCA is doing a 4th generation uconnect system later this year that will have the apple carplay and android built in, so I’m hoping they’ll have some kind of upgrade for us when that happens.

Do you need to have a smartphone & dataplan for the GPS to work with those? I mostly just want the GPS, but the extra goodies might be fun too. I just don’t have a data plan on my phone, the only time I ever need the internet on my phone is when I’m around wifi anyway. I don’t need the internet in my pocket and can’t afford those kinda monthly prices. I just do the pay as you go plan for $100 a year for 1000 minutes and between calls and texts I make I don’t even use half of that by the time it runs out. Guess I’m just old

 

[twospirits]

I just read that FCA is doing a 4th generation uconnect system later this year that will have the apple carplay and android built in, so I’m hoping they’ll have some kind of upgrade for us when that happens.

I do hope that FCA does incorporate Apple CarPlay/Android Auto into the Renegade. Every other manufacturer is getting on the bandwagon already.
Whether it will be backward compatible with current systems via an upgrade is anyone's guess. But at least it most likely will be in the 2017 models.

TS

 

[I1430radio]

There are boxes on the web that are "supposed" to interface the controls of the uconnect through certain aftermarket stereos. Considered getting one until the dealership was able to (we hope, permanently, time will tell) fix my Uconnect losing it's brain settings. However, one company with which I was communicating said that they believed the actual "settings" are held in the Renegade's master "BCM" which basically connects to the dash, options for functions, etc...and that only the SELECTIONS are accessed BY the radio.

Would be nice to find out if this is true! I don't know, and Uconnect is the most "hush hush" on talking to anyone who wants to ask about their technology. Our radio station engineer asked if he could talk to tech support and was given a definite and final "no!" I'd like an AM section in a radio that doesn't insult broadcasters. This digital piece of crap gives AM a bad name, and fades/changes bandwidth with every variation in signal. A REAL AM radio section, or a GOOD Software radio wouldn't have these issues. Or, if they'd give us a software update option to shut OFF HD detection, the awful sound MAY go away on AM.

 

[tkseward]

uconnect sucks

 

[crom]

if somewhere on my uconnect could just have a shortcut button on the wheel or at least the screen for siri/google voice search that would be the bees knees...

so many times I wish I could just push the voice command button and tell it "navigate to the nearest ______ " or "how busy is the traffic on ____ "

I feel like these things could be implemented with an update... then again these are the same nitwits who let hackers find a way to crash our jeeps lol...

 

[wn7ant]

Negative Nellie rides again...

That’s what I was afraid of. I just read that FCA is doing a 4th generation uconnect system later this year that will have the apple carplay and android built in, so I’m hoping they’ll have some kind of upgrade for us when that happens.

Do you need to have a smartphone & dataplan for the GPS to work with those? I mostly just want the GPS, but the extra goodies might be fun too. I just don’t have a data plan on my phone, the only time I ever need the internet on my phone is when I’m around wifi anyway. I don’t need the internet in my pocket and can’t afford those kinda monthly prices. I just do the pay as you go plan for $100 a year for 1000 minutes and between calls and texts I make I don’t even use half of that by the time it runs out. Guess I’m just old

Just to be a nay sayer (cuz everyone likes a nay sayer)... I was looking at the new uConnect and figured out there most likely will NOT be an upgrade route. It uses an 8" screen. My "upgrade" may be a "trade in" depending on lots more factors...