🇺🇸/🇬🇧 Repair of the most common RT6 radio fault (Citroen/Peugeot), including extraction from DS5 

Most likely the build-in SD card is failing. Linux probably doesn't add "garbage" files to the SD card on it's own, but all might depend on the particular distribution.

Zastanawiam się czy nie kupić Android i mieć to w dupie. Są teraz takie fajne w AliExpress za tysiaczka w miejsce wysuwanego ekranu

1. OK, blank card 8 or 16 GB must be FAT format 2. Yes 3. You need to find the firmware online and put it on the USB pendrive or burn a CD from an ISO image and install from that. For the files you can google using phrase RT6 2.86B firmware, for the moment it looks it should be available here www.peugeotforums.com/threads/how-to-update-to-2-86b-on-rt6.213202/ along with some instructions. If you are just copying the files to a pendrive vs. burning a CD from an ISO image you have to remember that windows likes to add it's various "garbage" files/folders which needs to be removed, otherwise the Radio will do an error check and discover the CRC doesn't match ... there are instructions here frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=63227 as how to create a .BAT file and how to use it to remove the unwanted files. PS after succesfully running the BAT remove the pendrive - trying to list the pendrive contents in windows can cause it to write these to the pendrive again. When installing you need to be patient as the screen can remain blank for a very long time - if the files on the pendrive happen to be corrupt/CRC is wrong you might not see a message on the screen, but you will here a noise of it trying to eject a CD after which it resets and falls into an endless loop repeating the whole procedure - you will then need to try creating a new pendrive from a different source. 4. and here's where the real fun begins depending on the firmware source it won't necesarily match your car make/configuration. You might see a Peugeot logo instead of Citroen and vice-versa. The steering wheel and panel buttons don't necessary match the relevant functions. Your bluetooth audio might have an echo to it (needs to be matched to the interior "geometry" and audio system you have installed). You might not see the hybrid information screens, or see them (like I do now, even though I have a regular engine) etc. etc. To fix these you need to load the apropriate user configuration file and for this you need to look around eg. you can try here cartechnology.co.uk/showthread.php?tid=51007 for mine I got help on the Portugese Facebook DS5 group although the files wasn't ideal. fixed all the problems but as a bonus I got extra screens showing hybrid batery loading screens etc.

Thank you for the reply.For the SD card once I insert into my computer to make sure that it is formatted to fat32 will I have to do the .BAT file to get rid of the "garbage" files that windows adds

@@infernossg3101 for the SD card it’s not much of a problem as it will be cleared by the radio when you install the new firmware (therefore no need to take out the radio again) however it’s a must for the pendrive you stick in the USB port for the installation

I only have 32gb SD card is that fine ?

If you will be able to format it in FAT32 should be OK, NTFS will not work in the radio. Ps. the pendrive you use also has to be in FAT32, whilst anything larger than 32GB will be NTFS etc. (FAT32 supports only 2GB-32GB media)

The internal SD card for RT6 radio? Haven't ever seen these offered anywhere yet - do you have a link? Theoretically this could somehow work, however it likelly will mismatch your actual configuration (unless perhaps somebody offers preconfigured ones based on your car VIN?). Does your radio still intermittently work? If so, use Mirascript and try to download your car config to a USB memory stick. Trying to copy/clone the original SD card won't work. The radio uses a propriatery partitioning scheme (when inserted into the PC it appears as 2-3 separate drives) and on top of that you will get read errors since it is starting to fail and on top of that windows will immediatelly write its "garbage" information files, screwing up the CRC checksums :). The standard procedure is to insert a new blank SD card (best max16GB with FAT32 format) and then upload the firmware either from the USB memory stick installer or CD. Afterwards you need to upload the proper config file which hopefully you were able to originally download from your radio, or go on a "hunt" through the internet citroen user groups, for somebody who has a similar car configuration to yours and will be willing to send you their config file.

The firmware sits on the SD card, therefore when you replace it with a new card you need to do a full fresh load of the firmware

@@TomaszPlawski many thanks for your prompt response!! Milego weekendu

@@TomaszPlawski unfortunately it did not work for me 😔 I have tried with 2.85 and 2.86… trying to upload it through usb and CD. In case of CD it is directly extracted after a few seconds/minutes. In case of USB appears a message saying “CRC media checking” and then, after a few minutes “CRC error on media”. Any ideas? Thanks 🙏🏻 in advance

@@ewelina_ka did you burn the cd from an ISO image? As for USB CRC errors these occur most commonly when you load the files but don’t clean the “garbage” windows writes to the pendrive … you need to delete the “system volume information” see below You can Google how to remove this using command prompt. HOWEVER: Once removed if you re-insert the memory stick back into your PC to check its gone, it will automatically put this file back. So once completed do not put it back, if you do go through the process again. You have to be logged on as admin and set up to show hidden files and folders.

@@TomaszPlawski hi Tomasz, many thanks again for your support, internet is a better place thanks to people like you 👏🏻 Coming back to the topic, yes I did in the way you explained , however I did not check the garbage files windows adds, maybe this is the problem… In this case I have also seen on internet the original cd firmware for around 20€… Maybe it’s worth to buy it to be sure where the problem comes from. Have a great Sunday!

Copying didn’t work as the original card was corrupted and has this weird multi-partition. You need to pop in a new memory card in the radio (max 16GB) and then perform the firmware upload from usb stick downloading the firmware from the internet and preparing the usb in a special way, so it doesn’t contain windows added garbage which will screw up the CRC value, which the radio checks

99.9% chance that this is the SD card failure

Brilliant. Am I correct in thinking I will need a 16gb Micro SD card and a 16GB USB stick?

Yes and yes

Czy radio jeszcze cokolwiek “gada”, czy już czarny ekran?

@@TomaszPlawski czasem się włączy. Szczególnie rano. Na początku reaguje z opóźnieniem na przełączniki i na ekranie nawigacji jest tak jak by polowa mapy, jak by się nie wczytała. Udało mi się wrzucić CD z softem kiedy działało. Długo ja czytał a potem czarny ekran. Później tez miałem momenty kiedy zadziałała ale teraz kiedy jej włożę CD to pisze ze cd unreadable

Możliwe ze czytnik cd jest walnięty, czy tez cos porąbałem ? Z drugiej strony kiedy działa to działa oczywiście nie wyświetla map ale można radia posłuchać i cos tam poustawiać.

… nie chciało mi się pisać :) zob. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mxUrxu4bUSk.html

Przyda się też link github.com/bentalebahmed/Citroen-Peugeot-RT6-car-radio-display-config-via-MiraScripts z opisem robienia backupu konfiguracji radia

I'm afraid can be much longer than half an hour before the initial "upload" completes and anything appears on the screen. Unfortunatelly the eject noise is the only indicator of potential errors on the pendrive which prevents the firmware from loading (when there is a CRC error, the radio reboots and tries to repeat the process) As an alternative you could try downloading a CD ISO image and burn that onto a CD and try to install from that. PS - what size SD card did you put in the radio? Recommended is max 16GB, some reported that 32GB works as well, although either way, it must be formated FAT.

@@TomaszPlawski I used a 16g, never used. I inserted the memory card in the head unit and assembled all again, plugged the pendrive, which contained the firmware and I erased the windows files, leaving it like you guys recommended.

Should be OK then, just a bit more time.

@@TomaszPlawski I will try and tell u here.

The same ..you fixed?

Yes. With the card failing it does so gradually, dropping random memory „cells”, sometimes being able to read/write to them, sometimes not, and depending which data is affected, the symptoms can also vary. But probably 99.9% of the cases, when something wrong starts happening with the RT6, it’s the SD card.

1 thing to remember when installing a fresh SD card and doing the firmare load: card must be MAX 32GB (recommended 16GB) and MUST be formatted FAT32 (not NTFS!)similar thing with the pendrive as the radio might have problems reading different formatting firmware download with instructions amongst others here: www.peugeotforums.com/threads/how-to-update-to-2-86b-on-rt6.213202/ otherwise if that doesn't work you can google for "RT6 2.86B firmware" and download elsewhere when preparing the pendrive you need to remember to remove the garbag files windows will add to it (instructions for preparing and running a .BAT file below) frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=63227 You also need LOTS of PATIENCE as the radio screen can remain blank for half an hour or longer during the initial installation, where during the whole time you needto keep the engine running (so the car doesn't go into power-saving mode) and a good ear as you need to listen if there are now CD eject noises ... this happenswhen the radio discovers some errors on the pendrive (eg. if you didn't correctly remove the windows garbage files and thus the CRC is mismatched) and will resettrying to reload and then again and again falling in an endless loop. Normally when you do a firmware upgrade it shows a message that the CRC is bad, but with aninstallation to a blank SD card it doesn't have any software to handle the display and unfortunately the blank screen for the whole time. And that's just the beginning of fun. Once installed the firmware is "bare", not necessarily matching your car configuration (type of audio system, equipment options etc.)although maybe with Peugeot you will have more luck. When I installed in my Citroen the buttons on steering wheel and front pannel were mismatched, the rear cameradidn't show the guidance lines etc. For that you need to load the relevant user configuration files and therefore need to look around on the forums, facebook user groupsetc. for some "magician" who will be able to send you these. I got mine from a Portugese DS5 user group and they are not ideal ... they came from a hybrid engine versiontherefore I now have the radio show the additional screens for like the loading of the hybrid batteries etc. which my car obviously doesn't have. However, fortunatelyeverything else works ok.

Most likely the SD card. Rip out the radio, replace SD, load new firmware… and the most difficult part - if necessary, hunt on Facebook DS5 groups for somebody who can provide the config files for your particular model configuration as these aren’t commonly found online… and without this you most likely will end up with a Peugeot logo and steering wheel buttons not working as expected

@@TomaszPlawski i updated my dad's car but now the denon audio system doesnt work, how can i fix it

@@ahmetufukyuksek365 could be the wrong selection of external amplifier type/output setup - this can be changed by misrascript frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=61033&start=15 "Audio Mode": 0=Normal : internal amplifier () 1=HiFi : external analog amplifier 2=HiFiCAN : external digital amplifier 3=Arkamys : internal amplifier with Arkamys audio DSP 4=Arkamys+Hifi : external analog amplifier with Arkamys audio DSP

@@TomaszPlawski can i have your config i effed up by installing wrong config

Hello @tomaszplawski I've installed a brand New sd card in my RT6. During firmware installation, I have an error message saying "error during sd partitioning" Any Idea to resolve this problem ?

Is the radio making any noises… especially sounding like trying to eject the CD?

Hello, mine does this! What does this mean? :)@@TomaszPlawski

@@LansaDiag slowly “decaying” SD memory card in the radio, producing more and more read/write errors

@@TomaszPlawski yes, continuously trying to eject CD....

@@armandsliepa574 ok, so it looks it's falling in the endless reset loop. Need to make sure that the installed fresh SD card is FAT32 formated (!) therefore max 16 or 32GB. Also the pendrive used for the firmware installation should be FAT32 and you need to make sure it ONLY contains the installation files without the windows added garbage/hidden folder, which it writes to the pendrive as soon as you pop it into the USB (this causes a CRC mismatch when checking if the pendrive is not corrupt, and therefore finding the wrong value with the extra files, the radio continues reseting trying to reload). Procedure for creating a batch file to remove the hidden folder described here frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=63227

most likely the same - SD card dying

Nie, myśle że trzeba by rozszyć jeden ze zbiorczych wtyków, chociaż rozpiski wyjść nigdzie nie widziałem (aczkolwiek też za bardzo nie szukałem - rozważałem zakup chińskiego radia z Androidem, ale na Ali sprzedają wersje szyte pod konkretne samochodu z kompletem przejściówek „plug and play” to znajomość pinoutu nie jest wtedy zbyt istotna 😏). Nawet jak wyciągniesz audio z kabli to jeszcze mirascriptem trzeba by wybrać odpowiednią konfigurację do pracy ze wzmacniaczem. W opcjach pamietam że były chyba przynajmniej cztery konfiguracje - jedna gdzie radio idzie bezpośrednio na głośniki i 3 do pracy z różnymi wzmacniaczami (pewnie ogranicza poziom sygnałów wyjściowych)

Z opcji audio w MiraScript jest: "Audio Mode": 0=Normal : internal amplifier () 1=HiFi : external analog amplifier 2=HiFiCAN : external digital amplifier 3=Arkamys : internal amplifier with Arkamys audio DSP 4=Arkamys+Hifi : external analog amplifier with Arkamys audio DSP więc przy klasycznym wzmacniaczu analogowym zdaje się że trzeba by wybrać 1

The firmware to put on the pendrive? Eg. Here www.peugeotforums.com/threads/how-to-update-to-2-86b-on-rt6.213202/

@@TomaszPlawski thanks to your video I manage to get my screen back! Its in Czech now, do you know how to change the language ? I have a Citroen DS3

@@kiminho0175 I believe it all depends on the firmware image file you got. Mine allows for selection of a few different language versions from the settings menu, but I have heard that with some installs people had that menu hidden and then had it changed by visiting the official shop (where sometimes they also didn't know how or wanted to rake in the cash and were proposing to replace with a new radio). You can try mirascript and dataexplorer as described here www.peugeotforums.com/threads/radio-changed-language-to-czech.355892/ to unlock the language selection screen ... if you figure out the exact steps be sure to post a video about it - there will be many gratefull people as it seems to be a quite common problem ... I would go the "brute force" method and try clearing the card and reinstall firmware from different sourc ... again and again ;)

@@kiminho0175 ... In "user.config.dat": * Unlock language selection: 1.6: Display data Field "1.6.98: Language selection option in setup" value=0 change it to 1 You need "Mirascript" and "DatExplorer" utilities. Extract the "Mirascript" archive on your key and keep only the "RT6_USERCOM.CMD" file from the "CMD" folder. Connect the USB key to the RT6 and answer "YES" to the script execution request. The script will ask to launch the "WRITE" command to which you will answer "NO". The script will then ask to launch the "READ" command to which you will answer "YES". Wait for the script to finish executing before unplugging the US key. On your PC, make a copy of the "User_config.dat" file on the USB key. Extract the archive of "DATEXPLORER". Launch "DATEXPLORER" and click on "Load Config", select the "RT6_2xx-user_config.dat" file. Click on "Load Dat" and select the "User_config.dat" file at the root of your USB key Navigate to the section indicated above and make changes indicated. Click on "Save" and remove the USB key from your computer. Connect the USB key to the RT6 which will ask you to execute the "USERCOM" script, answer "YES". The script will ask to launch the "WRITE" command to which you will answer "YES". Wait for the RT6 to display a message asking to reboot. ESPECIALLY DO NOT ANSWER YES. It will be necessary to press the eject button for 10 seconds, until the RT6 restarts.

That looks like a corrupt installation pendrive although a bit long if it was the wrong CRC ... i.e. when you don't properly remove the windows system filles which windows automatically writes to any pendrive as soon as it is inserted into the USB, but that is detected pretty much right away and the radio generally resets itself in under a minute. A CD which you burn from an ISO source is generally more reliable.

@@TomaszPlawski Rubish files was deleted with script. Burned cd and dvd also no one working probably broken radio and in my city no one is repairing what :D probably best choice buy chines android multimedia

@@TomasSiaudinis if both methods failed then yes, probably a rare occurance of something else broken. As a last attempt you could still try installing a different make of SD card (best 16GB) in the radio.

@@TomaszPlawski ok my fault my old usb stick work very slow so screen only apeared after approximately 40 mins and all instal about 1 hour thanks a lot.

Glad it worked. I have a fairly modern usb and it also took forever, I think the radio itself is unable to read files any quicker, copying them to the internal SD card which probably it also is unable to write any quicker (it obviously uses the old standard considering the size limitation and the FAT32 only format)

Most likely the SD although it usually gives some earlier symptoms where the reset with the CD eject helps to get it working again. Some people say that they successfully used a 32gb card, although there is no advantage to the higher capacity. 16gb is enough to hold all of the maps and radar info whilst the original 8gb falls a bit short and at some point will ask you which map set you want removed when loading the new ones. 2.86 vs 2.86b is practically no difference, but instead of ordering you can find the CD image files to burn onto the CD online, as well as a pendrive if you have an USB input. As for the maps, and traffic radar data, those are loaded separately

www.peugeotforums.com/threads/how-to-update-to-2-86b-on-rt6.213202/

@@TomaszPlawski - Thank you very much. Do I need to order a cd for maps and radars to load..? If so do you have a link or can you tell me what exactly I need to order..? Sorry if I'm bothersome, I've never done anything like this and frankly it's become a challange I'd love to resolve just so I can pat myself in the back if I'm able to do it. Thank You, again..! Take care..!

@@stargazer3364 the official (Expensive) maps would be here peugeot.navigation.com/home/en_GB/PeugeotEMEA/EUR a safer bet would be first getting your radio restored, confirming that it's working before ordering anything. Of course there are not entirely legal sources online where you can find the maps for free, but you need a "crack" to get them matched to your VIN or disable DRM in your radio

@@TomaszPlawski - Hello Tomasz..! Hope you had a Merry Christmas..! I received the 2.86 firmware cd today and installed it with a new sd card. It updated perfect, the only problem is the language is eother Check or Slovak. I contacted the vendor on ebay and he said I need to go to Peugeot or any garage and do a "telecodage" or telecoding. Not sure what that is as I was trying to avoid going to Peugeot dealership. Still have to get the maps installed but unsure if I should "fix" the language problem first. Whay do you suggest..? Thanks again for your video and all your help. You are a blessing..!

Does it continue to reset when trying to load the firmware? Could be that the pendrive is corrupt - it needs to be cleaned of all windows added data otherwise the CRC will come out wrong and installation will not proceed, whereas you won’t know that since the screen is blank. As a safer alternative you could try looking for the iso file of the firmware installation CD and burn a disk. An image should be always a 1:1 copy of the original.

@@TomaszPlawski Yes, i think i should try the CD option. As for the pendrive, it was an USB stick provided directly by a DS store, so it should have been fonctionnal (well, the vendor didn't seem to be really sure about what he was giving to me, so, maybe they gave me a corrupted file) and i also try with an USB prepared by myself, and both aren't working. But, thanks à lot for the help you provide !!!

@@TomaszPlawski Finally, it seem's to be the motherboard, i made it test by someone and it wasn't giving any response back, so he replaced it and now it's working

@@hypothermie3753 i have the same problem the radio turn on about 3 minites then off and on again so what was the problem exact so i can fix it And thanks

@@usstheboss2268 Well, the SD card removal didn't worked and the screen stayed black, so i just looked on the internet for someone who could provide a solution against a compensation : i found a guy (i live in France) who tested it, apparently it was due to a dead motherboard, so he changed it, reinstalled all the software and configured everything on the "valise" (I don't know the english name, but it's the citroen computer that permit to check and control most of the parameters of the car). It cost me 300€ but now everything works fine and is up to date and well configurated and it was still less expensive than the entire replacement of the radio by the constructor (at least in france). (Maybe i got scammed, but at some point i was pissed and just wanted to have a working autoradio ^^' ) You should still try the procedure shown in the video before, it's pretty inexpensive and it apparently work in multiple situations (the software of the RT6 can be found on forums, the last version is 2.86 if i'm not mistaken)

it seems that you're not the first one to whom it happened, but on www.peugeotforums.com/threads/radio-changed-language-to-czech.355892/ somebody provided a solution: In "user.config.dat": * Unlock language selection: 1.6: Display data Field "1.6.98: Language selection option in setup" value=0 change it to 1 You need "Mirascript" and "DatExplorer" utilities. Extract the "Mirascript" archive on your key and keep only the "RT6_USERCOM.CMD" file from the "CMD" folder. Connect the USB key to the RT6 and answer "YES" to the script execution request. The script will ask to launch the "WRITE" command to which you will answer "NO". The script will then ask to launch the "READ" command to which you will answer "YES". Wait for the script to finish executing before unplugging the US key. On your PC, make a copy of the "User_config.dat" file on the USB key. Extract the archive of "DATEXPLORER". Launch "DATEXPLORER" and click on "Load Config", select the "RT6_2xx-user_config.dat" file. Click on "Load Dat" and select the "User_config.dat" file at the root of your USB key Navigate to the section indicated above and make changes indicated. Click on "Save" and remove the USB key from your computer. Connect the USB key to the RT6 which will ask you to execute the "USERCOM" script, answer "YES". The script will ask to launch the "WRITE" command to which you will answer "YES". Wait for the RT6 to display a message asking to reboot. ESPECIALLY DO NOT ANSWER YES. It will be necessary to press the eject button for 10 seconds, until the RT6 restarts.

You could also try to download the firmware from some other source (I guess this one was Czech as I can't suspect any other reason why it would default to that language) and try to reload, although I suspect that with the current version already installed it might not rewrite the config files and the language might remain the same - you would need to remove the SD card and delete this manualy.

How do I change the 'user.config.dat' does dataexplorer automatically change it to English or do I have to change it manually then write it in my rt6 with mirrorscript

@@TomaszPlawski I bought the firmware direct from UK dealer

​@@saydur2625if everything else works, you should use mirascript to download the user configuration from your radio, then use a text editor to make the modification and then load it back up to the radio. Weird thing though, that the languaged changed for a firmware comming from the dealership. Or maybe that's their way of getting you to come back and pay some extraordinary fee for them to "fix" the problem.

You can try here www.peugeotforums.com/threads/how-to-update-to-2-86b-on-rt6.213202/

Thanks, Tomas. I have placed update on USB, the screen now comes on & displays "CRC Media checking..." after several minutes "CRC ERROR on media... " & then you can hear buzzing noise, I have left engine running for entire time of the procedure. @@TomaszPlawski

@@miroslavjevtic6263 unfortunately windows writes it’s “garbage” to the pendrive as soon as you stick it into the USB port, therefore you need to manually remove that so the CRC check of the pendrive comes up ok. Check here frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=63227 starting from point 4

Did you use a 16Gb (max 32Gb) card with FAT format?

​@@TomaszPlawski Tks for your reply. I'm from Brazil my friend! I'm using a 8gb, Fat32 formated, sd card.

@@rodrigoken5772generally should be ok, although the first thing I would try would be a different card. Best if it was 16Gb, that way you should be able to fit all region maps onto it. Here in Europe if you have only 8Gb at some point when loading maps for more countries the radio asks you which region you want removed to make storage room for the new additional load.

@@TomaszPlawski I will try another sd card and I come back to tell you if it solved the problem. Can I format normally, Fat32, Allocation Unit Size (default size), no Quick Format, right?

@@rodrigoken5772 yes, that would be the correct way to format

Got it from the Polish file sharing site chomikuj.pl/meggi55/Nawigacja+Citroen+Peugeot/Software+do+RT6/na+Pendrive don’t know how easy it would be to navigate for foreigners (you need to buy credits to download larger files) however if you google RT6 and 2.86 or 2.86B i recall there were also numerous other sources available. You then need to unpack the archive to the root folder of an empty pendrive but also delete the system folder from CMD window added by windows every time you put the pendrive into the USB port (the radio checks the CRC of the files on the pendrive to make sure it is not corrupted but since there are additional folders/files added by windows it thinks something’s wrong and will consider the pendrive bad) as an option you can search for an ISO image of the installation CD 💿 and burn that onto a CD where the image is a 1:1 of the original

​@@TomaszPlawski there is script for removing disc info files i found it on frenchcars forum or smth like that, did you go with 2.85b straight? or you upgraded from 2.77 upwards

@@MegaVranjanac I did go straight with the newest upgrade, having a new blank SD card installed in the radio, and yes, you need to run the script to clean the pendrive from the windows inf files added by the system, every time you insert a pendrive in your computer. In case of system upgrade the radio checks the CRC of the entire pendrive to see if the data us not corrupt, but since there is something extra now added by windows the CRC does not match and thus the radio will not proceed with the installation. In case of maps etc. the CRC is checked for the individual files, therefore there it doesn't matter if you remove the windows info.

@@TomaszPlawski batch file for removing is : @echo off set /p DriveLetter=Enter Drive Letter and ":" to remove System Volume Information Files and Folders. %DriveLetter% attrib -a -r -h -s "System Volume Information" Rmdir "System Volume Information" /q /s pause

But what content did u get on new sd card? did u download it somewhere and where or u bought it from dealer

it's a really simple job - dissasemble the radio, replace the built-in SD card and load up the new firmware ;)

@@TomaszPlawski I have to upload the new firmware to the new SD, or it takes a specific file