Sony radio, camera and apple carplay 2023 Minnie Winnie 22M

[Tanchar]

Hello, we just purchased a 2023 Minnie Winnie 22M ..haven't been on a road trip yet but have some concerns about the Sony av receiver radio system. It seems that to use apple carplay (and google maps nav system) we have to plug in a USB connection, but by doing that we have to unplug the USB that connects the side and rear cameras…is there anyway that the display will show both ? The way it is now it seems we will have to continue to use a separate GPS for a nav system if we want the side and rear cameras to function…our dealer has not been much help with this. Thanks!

 

[BirchyBoy]

Do you have a bundle of wires hanging down under the dashboard? There should be a microphone and also an additional USB connector.

 

[Tanchar]

There is a microphone but no additional usb connector. We tired a usb hub in usb port but that wouldn’t work. Our dealer does not seem to know much about electronics so has been no real help

 

[BirchyBoy]

I’d give Winnebago support a call. There must be another cable somewhere.

 

[Eagle5]

Just as an FYI, my much-more-basic 2019 radio also has both a microphone-on-a-cable and a USB-on-a-cable. I use my USB to play MP3 files.
Eagle5

 

[MDJDCarter]

An unpowered USB hub will not work. You could try a USB hub that has a 12v connector for power and see if that solves the problem. Are you sure there are no otherr ports like in a console?

 

[ACB-WO]

Do you have a bundle of wires hanging down under the dashboard? There should be a microphone and also an additional USB connector.

I hope you resolved your issue. I don’t know that I’m much help, not knowing if I have the same Sony radio unit. I’ve had two different Sony units with CarPlay. One in a 2019 Minnie and one in my 2022 Winnebago class A which we presently own. . The CarPlay and microphone did not work because it wasn’t plugged in properly. I took it in twice, the dealer was no help, told me the unit was bad and they would order a new one. I’m handy , so I removed the dash bezel ,got the radio model and figured out the wiring diagram. The microphone was unplugged, which was an easy fix. There was a USB plug going into radio for the CarPlay port that was loose.

My Sony has different ports/plugs for the cameras and the phone input. It sounds like it’s not wired properly, but if your servicing dealer is clueless, maybe contacting Winnebago directly can get a dealer to help. Good luck.

 

[Raxel7851]

We have the 2021 22M and we simply use the USB port that’s part of the dash, next to the Sony unit on the right. It will give you a prompt to enable Apple CarPlay. We’ve never unplugged anything for it to operate. We do use the Garmin RV stand alone unit at times.

 

[Twells-WO]

How do you like rage Garmin RV….is it the 795?

 

[Twells-WO]

Just as a side note fyi…we purchased a 2023 Spirit 22M and we had the same issues not to mention upon first use driving the unit home on pick up, my wife tried to plug in her phone and the usb port actually fell into the dash., not to mention the Sony radio body was sitting loosely where it was mounted.We are trying to figure out a way to use gps from Android Auto without paying extra data charges as we live in Canada, but plan to travel through the U.S. soon. As in most cases I am seeing, dealer no use at all, in fact trying to send us to Ford for the fix.

 

[creativepart]

Twells, you might try taking the Spirit to a Car Audio Installer to have everything made right. I see 3 or 4 near you in Nanaimo. Luckily, your Spriit is more city friendly than a 40' motorhome.

 

[Dozzer]

Has anyone replaced the Sony unit with an up-graded ?

 

[wlpendley]

Turning off annoying Demo messages

Has anyone found a way to turn off those annoying "Demo" messages that keep flashing while you drive? It really is a safety hazard. I want the audio source (Bluetooth, SiriusXM, Android Auto etc.) to stay fixed on the screen. By default these Demo messages advertising different features of the touchscreen take over the display and keep flashing as they rotate one annoying advertisement for another.

I can't find any "Settings" mode anywhere in the menu system. I can turn off the display completely, but then I can't see the audio controls at all. Help!

 

[creativepart]

Likely it's been setup in "Demo" mode by the dealer before purchase.

Usually this is in the setup menu. If you have a reset item on the menu, reset the entire radio and when it starts choose the "User" mode, not "Demo" mode.

So, I did a simple Google search for you.

Here's the top result:

 

[wlpendley]

Likely it's been setup in "Demo" mode by the dealer before purchase.

Usually this is in the setup menu. If you have a reset item on the menu, reset the entire radio and when it starts choose the "User" mode, not "Demo" mode.

So, I did a simple Google search for you.

Here's the top result:

Yes, I also did a simple Google search before I posted here, along with a ChatGPT search, a Perplexity AI search, and a Google Gemini search. None of those aids could solve this problem because they all advised using the "Settings," "Reset," or "Language" options, and none of those options appear anywhere in the menus now. Someone clearly put this unit into "Demo" mode, where all the "Settings" options disappear. (Actually, Claude AI gave some very helpful advice when I explained the missing options.)

There is no confirmation anywhere on the dashboard screen or the menus of which Sony Model number this is, but it appears to match the Amazon photos and the Sony Operating Manual for the XAV-AX8000 model.

So that led me to Sony's online Help Guide (Web manual) for the XAV-AX8000, where I found the following

"Performing Initial Settings

You need to perform initial settings before operating the unit for the first time, **after replacing the car battery**, or changing connections..."

So, I will disconnect the chassis battery and hope this Sony unit goes into initial settings mode, where I should be able to,

"Touch [Language], then set the display language.

Touch [Demo] repeatedly to select [OFF] to disable the demonstration mode."

I'll post here whether this "cold boot" approach works or not. Fingers crossed!

 

[creativepart]

It's likely a cold restart like you have detailed will work.

I'm curious though. There's a "Home" button down there on the lower bezel. Pressing that doesn't bring up a new menu with other options like "Settings?"

 

[wlpendley]

As it turns out, disconnecting the battery is not required!

I finally found the solution to this Sony XAV-AX8000 / AX8100 problem, and I want to share it with you here in case it helps future users with the same problem:

1. Most of the touchscreen in the home menu is not scrollable. But the bottom ~15% strip of that screen displaying icons for the different audio sources *is* scrollable. (Thanks a lot, Sony :-( )


2. Swipe left on the icon strip, which appears in the lower 15% of the "Home" screen, to reveal a secondary home screen. In the secondary Home screen, you will see the "Settings" option.


3. Within the "Settings" menu, select the "General" option.


4. Inside the "General" submenu, you will find the option to turn "Demo" mode off or on.