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Uconnect 5.0 upgrade to 8.4AN (2014 Cherokee) - Part Deux

81K views 53 replies 21 participants last post by  JWalker087 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Here is the official write up.

*I recommend disconnecting any thumb drives, sd cards, anything plugged into the interior.*

It's a pretty easy swap, so I kept it short and sweet.


TOOLS NEEDED: T15 Torx screwdriver, Philips screwdriver, Interior trim pry tools

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable (10mm wrench). Wait a few minutes for the air bags to discharge.

2. Pry the lower HVAC control piece off.


3. Remove the two philips screws on the bottom of the bezel.


4. Pop the bezel at both ends next to the air vents. Also pop the top of the bezel above the radio, there are about four clips up there.


5. Remove the four torx screws (T15) that hold on the hazard light assembly, and unclip it from the bezel.


6. Now you can remove the four philips screws holding the radio onto the frame.


7. Remove the connections from the rear of the radio.


Install is pretty much the reverse of these steps. Actually it only takes maybe five minutes or less to remove the stuff. Running the satellite cable took the longest.

*NOTE: You may need to have a Jeep dealer unlock the radio, mine needs it.*

*Perform this mod at your own risk, I assume no responsibility for whatever may go wrong.*
 
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#3 ·
I have scheduled next tuesday to have my new radio flashed at a jeep dealer.

Total cost:

RA3 Radio: $699 oemautopartsco.com
Bezel: $150 mymoparparts.com (side note: oemautopartsco.com only has the silver trimmed bezels.)

Satellite antenna cable: $45 oemautoparts.com (if needed)
Reflash/Reprogram Radio: $65

Total: $959

I also talked to Chris Balles from oemautopartsco.com, and he said to walk away from any dealer that charges more than $100 to do the radio reflash.
 
#7 ·
The radio is still programmed to the VIN from the RAM that it came from. It is in lock mode. They will reflash the radio to my VIN, and it will have my current Jeep software on it. I still have climate control, and FM radio, thats it.
 
#9 ·
Jim just one extra question. Could you please check after the reflash if you got same options like original 8,x or you keep only standard settings from 5, getting only a big screen? I hope you get all the benefits. I'm interested hahaha
 
#14 ·
Thats great news. I also believe I read somewhere, they have patents pending on those custom bezels. I also saw OregonCherokee is going to be calling dealers to get a price quote for the unlock, and software flash. It's cool that this is a do-able mod. I saw it's very popular on the ram forums.
 
#15 ·
Ask the dealer service department if they have the ra3/4 sales code available for your vehicle before you do this mod. They have the ra4 for me, but not the ra3. I will keep you posted.
 
#17 ·
Ok, so there was no RA3 sales code available for my cherokee. The dealer tried it with the available RA4 sales code, and it was a no go. So to sum it up, I currently have the RA4 software running in the jeep. I found a used RA4 on ebay for what I paid for the RA3, so I ordered it. Gunna have a newish RA4 by mid next week. If anyone goes to the dealer, and they have the available RA3 sales code for their VIN, send me a PM, and we can talk about the RA3 I no longer need.

What a long day...
 
#21 · (Edited)
Waiting to hear back from my local service manager, hope they don't give me the runaround when trying to get the sales codes that are available. Since this whole project is balanced on this one little piece, went ahead and told OEM guys to hold shipment. Kind of a shame that they advertise them as plug and play, and didn't add the *disclaimer until after the weeks of contact I've had with them. Don't mind experimenting, but a $1k experiment? lol
 
#51 ·
Sorry for bump on this old thread.

But hey, I'm going through the same situation as you are and trying to get it worked out. Did you ever find a way to get an actual volume control knob after upgrading to the 8.4inch screen? I can't for the life of me find a way to get that done without tearing up my whole dash. All I want is to just switch the climate/volume panel, but the connections won't fit which is annoying.
 
#23 ·
I installed the RA4 I ordered, and same issue as before, it says "radio locked, start vehicle". Going to the dealer again this week. I don't have a clue why it is still doing this since I have the RA4 software installed.
 
#24 ·
The new RA4 radio is hooked up. I get the blue screen when I back up. I plan to shut off the rearview camera feature, as I don't have one. The navigation works, the local streets show in tiny map screen. I have to take it in saturday for the ra4 sales code software flash.

Still locked though.

Sooo close to this being functional.
 
#25 ·
I was able to get an appointment at the dealer today, and had the software upgraded to the RA4 stuff. The conversion is now complete with a fully functional RA4.

@Amon, @OregonCherokee, @Lawman3, @Avamedic







Thunderbirds Are Go!!


Any questions, just ask.
:)
 
#27 ·
Sure:

1WP091S5AD - Moroccan Sun Bezel (Bronze color)

1WP091SAAD - Silver Bezel

68211963AC - RA4 Touch Screen

68211955AC - RA4, RSD, RS7 Touch Screen (International maybe?)

I also ordered an antenna splitter from oemautopartsco.com because I had the GPS cable as well, so now I can get sxm, and gps through the spliitter. It works with our radios:




Anything else @Amon?
 
#30 ·
You CAN upgrade from 5.0 to 8.4AN in 2014 Cherokee

I got the RA4 8.4AN from OEM Auto Parts also and installed in my 2014 Latitude upgrading from the 5.0 unconnect system. Installed in about 10 min. Climate and back up cam worked(my Latitude already had the cam) but all other radio functions were locked. Dealer flashed it in 15 minutes to recognize the radio. Everything worked great with ALL features of the radio working as if factory installed. All panel controls, all on screen controls, all steering wheel controls worked normal. The nav even popped up turn by turn on my second screen above the steering wheel. The 5.0 system I had did have sat radio already so the sat antenna was already there for sat and nav.....nav and sat radio work off the same antenna. I like the 8.4AN much better due to the extra Sirius features and the 3D nav map. The radio is also a better radio made by Harmon Kardon. Here's the radio:
http://www.oemautopartsco.com/produ...rokee-gps-uconnect-navigation-8-4an-ra4-radio
 
#31 ·
I got the RA4 8.4AN from OEM Auto Parts also and installed in my 2014 Latitude upgrading from the 5.0 unconnect system. Installed in about 10 min. Climate and back up cam worked(my Latitude already had the cam) but all other radio functions were locked. Dealer flashed it in 15 minutes to recognize the radio. Everything worked great with ALL features of the radio working as if factory installed. All panel controls, all on screen controls, all steering wheel controls worked normal. The nav even popped up turn by turn on my second screen above the steering wheel. The 5.0 system I had did have sat radio already so the sat antenna was already there for sat and nav.....nav and sat radio work off the same antenna. I like the 8.4AN much better due to the extra Sirius features and the 3D nav map. The radio is also a better radio made by Harmon Kardon. Here's the radio:
http://www.oemautopartsco.com/produ...rokee-gps-uconnect-navigation-8-4an-ra4-radio
I was also surprised how quikly the install went when I installed mine. It is a good weekend project. Thanks for the quick review.
 
#34 ·
I've read through this thread many many times, and I think I will be attempting this myself sometime in the next few months. My 5.0 system didnt come with SiriusXM, so I would love to get that and Navigation. Not to mention how pretty the screen looks :)

Speaking of the SiriusXM and GPS, do you have any tips on running and hiding the antenna? Thanks!
 
#35 ·
Thank you for the inspiration! After talking to the dealership the other day, who was confident that they would be able to help me out with the unlocking portion, I went ahead and ordered a RA4 off eBay. Will be ordering the bezel and GPS/SAT antenna tonight.

I will post updates here as they occur for those who are interested, or I can start a new thread if anyone thinks that would be better. Here goes nothing!
 
#41 ·
I am thinking about upgrading my 5.0 radio to the RA3 here soon. My Cherokee does not have sirius/xm and I was wondering if I install this RA3 radio and take it to the dealership to get flashed with my VIN, will the sirius/xm feature stay on the radio and fully work or will it go away since it is not programmed into my VIN?

I noticed you didn't have siruis/xm in your Cherokee too and was wondering if it worked fine after you upgrade.
 
#37 ·
Any idea if this kind of swap would work coming from a 8.4A to get to an 8.4AN? I'm guessing I'd already have all the hookups and would just need to plug and play hopefully? If so I'd love to do that because my dealer just didn't happen to know 8.4A didn't have TrafficLink.
 
#38 ·
hi does a uconnect ra4/8.4 AN from a ram 1500 can be re softwared for our jeep cherokke
thanks
 
#39 ·
Just had a little oopsy with my 5.0 radio screen, due to a load of 2 x 4's and a panic stop at a red light while I was talking to my son about chips. Talk about distracted driving...and he was sitting right beside me.

Anyway, long story short, radio got a little banged up and the screen is no longer a touch screen.

Does anyone have a 5.0 radio for a Cherokee Sport they'd like to send my way. Everyone who takes out their old radios and puts 8. whatever Connect radios in, what do you do with the old one? Looking fr anything that was functioning properly. I figure I can do the install and get FCA dealer to do the refresh.

Anyone?

Thanks
 
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