Wouldn't it just be the case that as I added an otherwise beautiful 2008 Dakota Laramie to "my garage" that I find out that the thing has no Uconnect module and therefore I can't use the phone hands free with the built-in stereo.

I don't want to spend a small fortune to get the Uconnect module, but do have an affinity for the built-in/OEM radios compared to most of the aftermarket radios that I could find. I like the control scheme and such on the OEM versus the small buttons that tend to be used on the aftermarket units, and also like how the original fits in the dashboard compared to the alternatives.

Anyone have a good source for picking up a Uconnect kit for an '08? Hopefully one that wouldn't break the bank.

 

Check ebay or a junk yard.

 

The only reliable online vendor I have found: https://www.infotainment.com/collect...8-dodge-dakota. You can contact these guys for help. They're good at responding to questions. If you watch the eBay ads closely, you can tell who is re-selling for them. They're generally a little cheaper than the website.

Your options:
with navigation: 730N RER (available in 2008-2010)
730N RHR (available 2011, but should work in your truck. I'd ask them. It works in my 2011.)
430N REN (2008-2010)
430N RHB (2011-2016)

without navigation: 430 RBZ (2010-2016)

Ref: https://www.infotainment.com/blogs/n...dios-explained

If you want to stick with your existing radio (I assume it's a 230), you can get the uConnect hands-free module. You'll also need to get either the microphone or get the mirror with a built-in microphone.

This thread might interest you: https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...im-mirror.html. It's been the mod that I use and benefit from absolutely the most.

That said, I'm not sure that you can really do this mod on the cheap.

 

Thanks @philipat
Yeah, I believe I have the 230. I did find Infotainment's listings on eBay and did a buy-it-now for a kit (spendy, but I expected it would completely do the job).
I'd love to do the mirror with the microphone. I was just checking over your instructions on that. I'm not sure I'll take that approach, but I like the idea of it for sure. Stupid question about that - I see some (apparently) used Mirrors up on eBay. Far less than the seemingly new ones. Any reason I can't grab one of the less expensive ones? I would assume that if I do, I'd need the cable to connect the mirror to the Uconnect system instead of using the one that will be coming with the kit from Infotainment.

 

I bought my mirror on eBay. As I recall, it was a used/salvaged mirror from LKQ that was recovered from a Chrysler minivan. Just make sure you get the right part number and verify the part number with the seller. But, yes, buying it on eBay was about 10% of the price of buying it new from any Mopar parts source.

I don't recall the radio from Infotainment coming with a cable that connects the mirror to the radio. I had to buy that from a Mopar source. I don't recall if it was a vendor on eBay or somewhere else. But, I had to pay full price for that one. No used options. You getting a radio or just the Bluetooth hands-free module?

 

Thanks for the follow-up. Do you happen to recall the part number for the cable for the mirror?

On the radio side, I am, for now, probably just going to stick with the original radio and not bother trying to swap it out for the one with the Nav. I just can't justify the cost for now, and realistically, I use a separate GPS (or can use my phone), so I don't need it to be built into the dash.

I suppose I could ask the stupid question about whether I might have saved myself some money if I had simply upgraded the radio rather than buying the Uconnect module separately for the radio that I have? In other words, do the newer radios have the Uconnect built-in or is it still primarily a separate option so I would have to get the module one way or another?

 

The part number for the cable is listed in the mod write-up that linked for you. It's the mirror harness (82211666).

If you're connecting the mirror to the hands-free module, it should work fine. I would think that the module would be agnostic to the microphone source and the plugs appear to be the same from what I can see in the installation instructions (you can Google those, especially if you've looked up the part numbers...they're available in PDF). But, I haven't tried hooking the mirror to the hands-free device and I couldn't find anywhere on the internet someone who had. So, I don't know for sure that it will work. If it works, be sure to post it here.

To answer your question about the radio, it depends on which radio you bought. Both the 430N and 730N have built-in navigation, HDD for music storage, and DVD playback. But, only the 730N has the built-in uConnect Bluetooth. The 430N still requires a separate uConnect module. I chose to go with the 730N because I wanted built-in GPS and I wanted a hands-free capability. The cost of buying the 430N plus the module wasn't too far from just buying the 730N. And, the 730N has a better GPS and would be easier to install than installing both a radio and a separate device. If you already have a separate navigation system that works for you, then you're going the most economical route available by just getting the uConnect module.

 

Updating, I got the kit from Infotainment (through eBay) and got it installed and working (install completed yesterday). At this point I have a couple of questions that I think I know the answers to --
(a) I don't think I can use my phone to stream media over to the 230 REQ radio. While it works for taking phone calls, or making phone calls, it doesn't seem to support Bluetooth audio.
(b) I have an older iPod Classic that I would like to use. I've seen a couple of iPod wiring modules that I could get to add in support, but see a difference between the two major types - one has a USB connector at the end, the other has the older iPod connector (which my iPod uses). With the 230 REQ radio do I need to stick to the older connector/harness, or should I be trying to get the USB based connector?

@philipat one more stupid question for you on the radio swap. If I at some point opt to upgrade to a 730N or 430N, would I likely need to replace the antenna with one that does both GPS and sat radio? If so, any idea how tough that is to accomplish?

 

I don't know for sure. But, according to the Infotainment product page on the website, the Uconnect module has streaming audio. The Uconnect owner's manual and installation guide are both on the webpage. (https://www.infotainment.com/collect...hands-free-kit)

Best as I can tell from the wiring directions, the function you're trying to add is routed through the Uconnect phone module. So, I would get the one with the USB connector. Having that connector gives you the flexibility to get USB cables that connect any device to the radio, not just the older Apple devices. You could get a USB cable with the older Apple connector, one with the new Lightning connector, or one with the micro-USB for non-Apple devices. Essentially, you'll have more flexibility with if the cable terminates in the USB connector. (See attached installation instructions.)

Yes. You will either have to replace the antenna or add to it. Note that the 430N will still require the Uconnect module that you just bought. Of the two, only the 730N has Uconnect built into it. How you wire everything will depend on which navigation radio you get. The 430N RHB and the 730N RHR both use a single plug in the back of the radio for the satellite input. In other words the SiriusXM and GPS signal flow through the same cable into a single plug. The 730N RER has separate plugs for each satellite input - one for SiriusXM and one for GPS signal. So, the 730N RER requires that you have two antennas with two cables.

The 730N RHR and the 430N RHB require that both satellite signals get fed into a single cable. You have two options to do this. The one I did was to get a separate GPS antenna that was magnetic and to get a "combining cable". The other option is to get the new Mopar dual signal antenna (see my how to post for part numbers) and use that to replace the existing antenna on the truck. I should have done that since it was about the same price as the separate antenna and combining cable. I didn't because I hadn't looked at the existing antenna before I ordered the part. (Note: at this point, I was getting help from the eBay seller that I bought the radio from, who I think is also an Infotainment distributor.) So, if you upgrade the radio, I recommend getting the dual signal antenna.

Because you already have SiriusXM in the truck, your truck already has a satellite antenna and is wired from the antenna to the radio. You existing antenna is only for SiriusXM. But, the antenna you see on the roof at the rear of the cab has a six-inch pigtail on it with a plug that plugs into the wiring that runs through the cab to the radio. This means that if you replace the antenna, you don't have to pull all of the wiring from the cab to run new wiring. You just unplug the existing antenna and plug in the new one. Because I installed a separate antenna with a combining wire, I used the magnetic mount to mount the GPS antenna about 6-8" from the SiriusXM antenna inside the cab between the roof and the headliner. I disconnected the SiriusXM antenna from the cable and connected it to the combining cable. The combining cable was already connected to the GPS antenna. Then, I connected the combining cable to the cable that ran through the cab to the radio. That cable was connected to the back of my 730N RHR. If you get the dual signal antenna, you'll disconnect the existing antenna from the cab's cable and remove the antenna from the truck. The new dual signal antenna looks exactly like the old one and is a direct replacement for the old one.

Infotainment has these antennas. If you're doing the direct replacement, get the "hard mount" antenna. It says there is drilling required. However, that drilling was already done to mount the existing antenna. (https://www.infotainment.com/collect...iant=320789039)

Are you going to try the auto-dimming mirror with the microphones?

Is your Uconnect phone module working without going to the dealership? All of the instructions I have seen say they need to flash the truck with a sales code to get it to work.

 

Thanks again @philipat for the follow-up. I'll have to drop Infotainment a quick e-mail to check on the Bluetooth streaming situation since I couldn't quite figure that out.
In my case, the kit that I got from Infotainment included the C-HFM programmer, so all I had to do was follow the instructions to start up the vehicle and plug in that programmer. After a few seconds it was done, and required options were enabled for me, and I was then able to use the Uconnect button and VR button.
I may yet wind up replacing the radio that I have (the 230 REQ model) with the 730 series you mention (and thankfully thoroughly explain!!!), though from what I had already seen and what you confirm here, I should expect to have to add an antenna or replace the existing one. It would be a while before I likely get it done though. Maybe next year around this time when I would have some disposable income to toss at it. At least it gives me something to look forward to and save for.