Please check first whether your vehicle is offered with a factory-fitted  Bose®sound-system: 

Retrofitting does not comply with the principle that every Bose® sound-system is custom-designed for the interior of the specific vehicle type. All Bose® sound-systems are developed in close cooperation with the car manufacturer so that they can be integrated into the assembly process. This is the only way to ensure proper music reproduction and maximum listening pleasure. It is also not economical to retrofit a Bose® sound-system from authorised dealer parts.

Although this is possible, we don't recommend it. Due to their complexity, Bose® car hi-fi systems are basically designed for factory fitting. This is the only way to guarantee the superb level of sound quality required to satisfy our customers' high expectations.

Bose® sound-system is included in the service scope of your vehicle as factory-fitted special equipment, so service is offered by the manufacturer's authorised dealer. In case of technical problems, your authorised dealer will receive expert advice from the manufacturer.

Bose® automotive music system components are not available from your Bose® hi-fi dealer, but you can order components for your Bose® sound-system from your authorised vehicle dealer.

Your Bose® sound-system is a special equipment feature of your vehicle. Therefore, guarantee claims are not handled by Bose, but by the vehicle manufacturer via your authorised dealer and according to warranty guidelines for your vehicle's electronic components.

Bose does not manufacture components such as radios, CD-players or AUX adapters. Because they are selected by vehicle manufacturers, related service issues are handled by your authorised car dealer.

No. Each Bose® automotive music system is completely integrated, with every element custom engineered to work as a whole. If you install a new radio, the results could include decreased sound quality, incorrect bass and treble balance, distortion at high volumes, and a loss of bass at low volumes.

We highly recommend choosing components approved by the vehicle manufacturer to enhance your car's Bose® music system. They will be compatible with the radio tuned to the Bose® sound-system and ensure trouble free installation as well as optimum operating characteristics.

No – the acoustic signal of a conversation is not constant enough to be perceived as a disturbance. In addition, the algorithms do not react to the frequency range of speech. As a result music will not become louder during conversation in the vehicle.

Ideally, you won’t even notice that AudioPilot® is running. The volume you have selected remains the same throughout the entire ride – independent of interfering noises caused by the car itself, from the street (road condition) or the environment (wind, rain). The control algorithm in the amplifier analyses the signals received by a microphone inside the car, and makes frequency-dependent adjustments to the sound and volume of the music. Thus the volume perceived remains constant without any need to make manual adjustments. Should the system in your car not work as described, please contact an authorised dealer of your car manufacturer.

From a technical point of view, upgrading is not practicable. For one reason, the Bose® CENTERPOINT® signal processing circuitry, which is required for surround sound, does not work with a classic stereo amplifier. For another, a surround system has a larger number of precisely positioned loudspeakers which would have to be installed after the system is already in place. This is usually not feasible because of insufficient space; furthermore, expenses would be inordinately high.

1. Bose Surround Sound System (Surround sound generated from a stereo source) Bose Centerpoint® signal processing, an algorithm developed by Bose, converts conventional stereo recordings into multi-channel format and controls the surround information throughout the vehicle. In this way, you can also enjoy stereo CDs in captivating surround sound. 

2. Bose 5.1 Surround Sound System (Discrete 5.1 Surround Sound) This format requires a DVD as the source and facilitates the reproduction of discrete 5.1 Surround Sound. The system displays the impressive sound spectrum of digital 5.1 recordings (e.g. from DVD-Audio and DVD-Video). Five audio channels (front left, front right, centre, surround left, surround right), together with an effect channel for low frequency sections (the so-called “.1 channel”) provide for an authentic and natural surround sound. In technical terms, this describes discrete 5.1 Surround Sound with voices and effects which can be given an exact location so as to appear from the front or the rear. 

In the case of both systems, Bose SurroundStage® processing circuitry custom-designs the sound for the acoustics of the vehicle’s interior. It assigns each individual audio channel to a selected combination of loudspeakers, regardless of whether it is generated by a DVD or through Centerpoint. In so doing, it always provides the best possible balanced surround sound.

No. Our custom engineered, complete system solutions largely supersede conventional audio measurements. For example, with a Bose® automotive system, speaker design and location can be much more important in determining output than the wattage power rating. The best tests of a Bose® system's sound quality aren't a list of specifications, but your ears.

Every authorised dealer has access to technical assistance via the car manufacturer's hotline. Your customer service advisor can also make direct contact with the manufacturer, or you can contact the vehicle manufacturer's service centre.

You may also contact the Bose® Automotive Customer Service. They will gladly answer specific questions and help you find a solution.