What was once an “Is it really worth $660?” item was suddenly a very affordable $300. I managed to get the kit shipped to my door for $235 after some discount shopping and a manufacturer’s rebate. The wiring harness and digital signal processor alone are worth more than that! Watch this video for a introduction to Helix, then return to read my installation tips below.
Calls to three Volkswagen dealerships for installation quotes, as well as internet discussions, compelled me to tackle the installation myself: One dealer quoted a very confident $312, another did a round of back and forth phone calls over a few days and then never really gave me a great feeling about their plan, and a third dealership wouldn’t touch the installation at all (but would gladly sell me the part for $660). “No, thanks!”
Everything went smoothly, especially when making a few exceptions that I think the video producer would agree with:
1) Kill the power! He said it and he illustrated why it is prudent. The instructions say to disconnect the battery for a reason. Just do it!
It took just a few seconds to disconnect my battery’s negative terminal. I did not lose any settings. Also, open the hatch, windows, and passenger side doors before you disconnect the battery.
Clicked into place, they held the radio and enabled me to slide it straight out. But the keys were indeed locked-in and stuck. No worries, though! With the radio in-hand, all I had to do was press inward on the retaining tabs (depicted by the arrow in this photo) and the key immediately released without need to fight with or risk breaking anything. This is exactly how they’re supposed to work!
IDParts’ web page has a link to a video that shows how to use the tool. Here’s a photo of it in my hand. I had slid the stereo unit out of the glove box and gently hung it by the cables that were still connected.
I had to swap out one of the wiring blocks and re-pin two of the wires. It was straightforward with the video assisting me, but definitely not “plug-n-play” as suggested by some of the vendors who sell the Helix upgrade.
I met someone whose sub stopped working after he adjusted it. We adjusted the pot and found a sweet spot. Also, the “screw head” is tiny, made of plastic, and very fragile. Again, LEAVE IT ALONE!
The subwoofer is easier to disconnect if you can bring it to the hatch opening first. I made the electrical connections at the front of the car and then did a test of the stereo before committing to routing the cable under the trim panels to the trunk. I could hear the difference right away… much brighter. Of course, it sounded even better once I routed the cable and closed the doors.
The Helix five-channel amp removes lower bass from the doors and dedicates it to the subwoofer, allowing me to increase the bass setting without over-driving the door speakers. The subwoofer sounds surprisingly good, especially when considering that it has only 6-inch drivers. It sounds like a “larger” system.
It is not used in cars where the driver sits on the left side. Feel free to misplace this part if the system will never serve in a RHD car. I have no idea where mine went.
The one-touch window opening/closing will still needs resetting. To do that, switch on the ignition, close all windows and doors, pull each window-up switch and hold it for at least two seconds, release, then pull up and hold again. Driving the windows into their stops retrains the module, which allows the auto up/down feature to work again.
Please feel free to contact me privately if you’d like to meet. In my case, flashing with the dongle seemed to make only a subtle difference. But others have reported dramatic changes. Later, I discovered that the distortion I had at higher volumes was gone after programming.
Overall, I’m very pleased and could even be pretty happy with the system as installed if not for the fact that I had already planned and purchased parts for a subwoofer upgrade. Read more about my upgrade HERE. 
He became more and more impressed as the song continued and we switched back and forth between the modes. As we exited the car, he finished by saying “I feel like something’s been missing from my life.” 😀 That was funny!
UPDATE: Here is an observation for VWVortex user KsR_808:
“All of you should be VERY happy with what you got for the money. Especially those that paid $250. Yes, certain aspects of the Helix could be better, but now that I have perspective on the sound of the Helix compared with the system I just installed that cost 4 times more, I really appreciate the work and engineering that went into this bespoke sound upgrade solution for our vehicles. Helix is an award-winning company renowned for its super high sound quality and they have packed a lot of their intellectual property into this amp. The value is especially surprising when you look at how small the amp is and realize there is a built-in DSP with EQ, time alignment, etc!”
NOTE: Some have squeezed their Helix subwoofer in with the donut spare tire by removing the subwoofer’s rubber “feet” and using a longer spare tire retention “bolt,” VW P/N: 1T0-803-899-B. More details HERE.
BUYING USED: Some have found this system on the used market. Often, they’re shipped without the harness because the previous owner did not remove it from their car. THIS HARNESS should work. Remember, there’s still a wire reversal that must be done in the directions. This is not a plug-and-play part.
Loving the Beat!
Scott
UPDATE: I’ve published a long-term update HERE.
Also, here are some handy part numbers:
Programming Dongle – DKS051419A
Demo Switch – DKS051419
Loopback Harness – 000051727B
Do you have a programming dongle? Download the latest data files HERE.
