Delphi car radios — RCD 510, Opel and Fiat

The RCD 510 is the first VW radio with a touchscreen. Not the navigation computer — that's made by Continental — but the audio unit with touch operation. Behind that innovative interface sits Delphi: a company with an industrial history going back to General Motors.

Delphi Automotive was spun off from General Motors in 1999. GM wanted to separate its supplier activities from actual car production — the same reasoning that led Ford to found Visteon two years later.

At its founding, Delphi was responsible for an enormous range of car parts: electrical systems, engine management, climate control, audio and navigation. The company quickly grew into a global supplier, no longer exclusively for GM.

In 2005, Delphi filed for bankruptcy protection in the US — one of the largest industrial bankruptcies of that period. The company remained operational, reorganised its activities and returned to the stock market in 2009.

In 2017, Delphi split into two separate publicly listed companies:

• Aptiv — electrical architecture, safety technology and connectivity
• Delphi Technologies — powertrain technology (later acquired by BorgWarner)

For the user who has a Delphi radio, this corporate history makes little difference. The technology in the RCD 510 dates from the 2006–2010 period and is unchanged.

What makes the RCD 510 special?

Volkswagen introduced the RCD 510 in 2008 as the first audio unit in its range with a touchscreen interface. At the time, that was a noticeable step forward compared to the rows of buttons on the RCD 300 and RCD 310.

The RCD 510 has:

• 6.5-inch colour touchscreen
• CD player
• USB connection (front)
• Bluetooth Audio (option, via external module)
• SD card reader
• No built-in navigation

That last point is important. The RCD 510 is an audio unit, not a navigation system. Those who wanted navigation chose the RNS 510 (Continental) — the same equipment tier, but with HDD navigation and a slightly larger screen.

How does the RCD 510 differ from the RNS 510?

The RCD 510 (Delphi) and the RNS 510 (Continental) look almost identical from the outside. Both have a touchscreen and a similar size. The difference:

Not sure which unit is in your car? Check the main menu: the RNS 510 has a navigation button; the RCD 510 doesn't.

Position in the VW range

Between 2003 and 2012, Volkswagen used a clear hierarchy for audio and navigation systems:

The RCD 510 fills the space between the simple CD radios and the fully navigating systems. Those who wanted a modern screen but didn't need maps chose the Delphi unit.

Besides VW, Delphi also supplied audio units to Opel/GM. That makes sense given the history — Delphi was, after all, spun off from GM, and GM was Opel's parent company until 2017.

Which Opel models?

You'll mainly find Delphi radios in Opel models such as:

• Corsa D (2006–2014) — higher equipment levels (CD70 Navi variants)
• Astra H (2004–2009) — CDC 40 Opera successors in higher segments
• Zafira B (2005–2011) — navigation variant

Watch out for the overlap with other suppliers. At Opel, during the same period, Blaupunkt (older models), Grundig/Bosch (CD30 series) and Continental (CD70 Navi, higher segments) also supplied audio units. The supplier varies by model, model year and equipment level.

The model page Corsa D gives an overview of which radios belong to which model year.

How do you recognise a Delphi unit in an Opel?

In Opel models, the radio carries the Opel logo or a name like CDC 40 or CD70 — not the Delphi logo. The most reliable way to find out the manufacturer is via the type plate on the unit itself, which you'll see when you pull the radio partly out.

Delphi also supplied Fiat for the European market. Fiat models that may have Delphi infotainment:

• Fiat Punto (Grande Punto, 2005–2012) — entry-level audio (depending on equipment level)
• Fiat Bravo II (2007–2014) — audio and navigation variants
• Fiat Doblo II (2010+) — simple audio units

The Fiat market is fragmented when it comes to suppliers. Blaupunkt, Delphi and later Continental all supplied Fiat, depending on the platform and factory period. The serial number on the unit is the deciding factor for requesting the code.

VWZ at Volkswagen

Like all other Volkswagen radios, the RCD 510 has a serial number that starts with VWZ. It's on a sticker on the side of the housing. To reach the sticker, you need to remove the radio.

For the RCD 510, this works as follows:

1. Remove the front panel if it's detachable (on some units).
2. Use DIN removal keys or a T20 Torx key bit, depending on the exact installation type of your model.
3. Pull the radio forward horizontally.
4. The sticker with the VWZ serial number is on the left or right side plate.

You'll find more details about removal and the serial number on the model pages Golf VI or Passat B6.

Serial number at Opel and Fiat

In Opel models, the serial number is usually on a sticker that becomes visible when you pull the radio partly out. In Fiat, the serial number may be in the glovebox, on the radio itself, or on a card in the documentation folder.

All three manufacturers supplied audio units for the Golf. The choice depended on the equipment level and the build period. A practical overview for the Golf range:

So for the Golf VI, Delphi (RCD 510) is the choice for those who wanted a touchscreen without navigation. Grundig/Bosch (RCD 300/310) was the standard. Continental (RNS 510) was the top option with navigation.

Requesting the radio code for the RCD 510 works the same way as for other VW radios: via the VWZ serial number on the side sticker of the unit. You remove the radio, note down the serial number and request the code online.

Entering the code on the RCD 510 is done via the touchscreen — not via physical buttons. That's a difference from the older RCD 300 and RCD 310. After entering the code via the screen, the radio is unlocked straight away.