Car Audio 101: Firmware Maintenance

Having the cool new car stereo in your ride means you can take advantage of all the new add-on features available with today’s technology. Features like Bluetooth wireless technology, iPod integration, and Navigation and Satellite radio can add to your enjoyment. With the increasing emphasis on technology, car audio decks are way more sophisticated and require “firmware updates” to keep up with new software versions that are being churned out on a regular basis.

Software Updates

2010 Navigation/Multimedia Receiver Firmware updater: http://www.kenwood.com/cs/ce/mm/firmware/2010/2010b/eng.html

Bluetooth

2010 Bluetooth Cell-Phone Compatibility List and Updater Website: http://www.kenwood.com/cs/ce/bt

Garmin

2010 Garmin Navigation Software Updater Website: http://www8.garmin.com/products/kenwood

Firmware updates can do everything from updating your NAV map data, providing current software data for iPod and Bluetooth operation and even enabling your head unit to function more efficiently. Updating your head unit is quite simple, provided you have a PC with internet access. Most firmware updates are done with the use of either a USB thumb drive or SD Card. Simply visit your car audio brand’s website and check to see if any updates are available. Click on the appropriate update link and follow the instructions for loading the data onto either a USB drive or SD Card. There are usually detailed instructions on installing your firmware updates onto your particular head unit, and most units load these updates automatically once the data is loaded onto them. As always, if you are unsure about anything regarding your car audio updates, you can either contact your local dealer that performed the installation or your manufacturer’s technical support department.

Here are some numbers for some of the leading manufacturers: