Options for adding an auxiliary input on the Mazda3

[icspots]

Thanks for the responses all.

http://www.gromaudio.com/store/ipod_adapters/grom-i2-maz.html

I just bought the GROM iPod Adapter from their site. It says that it charges both the iPhone 3G & iPod Touch 2g, so that should work for my 2g Touch.

How complicated is installation? How do I get to the back of the stereo? Glovebox?

The installation is simple and should take you less than 15 minutes.... honestly the longest part of my install was deciding where I wanted the cable to come out.

You need to remove the decorative trim above the glovebox, then remove two screws for the HU. The whole HU just pops right out after that and you can get stuff hooked up. There are plentiful walkthroughs online of how to pull the HU.

 

[allenda]

looking for a free way to install an aux jack

hey i was reading up on this for a while and am having a hard time finding a specific answer to the free option that requires soldering.

i have an 06 mazda3 5-door and am an electrical engineering major so i can solder.

i read some posts about soldering directly to the inputs in the bottom of the radio rather than putting the adapter in.

does anyone have a link or any info about what pins need to be utalized to do this?

thanks for your help

 

[icspots]

hey i was reading up on this for a while and am having a hard time finding a specific answer to the free option that requires soldering.

i have an 06 mazda3 5-door and am an electrical engineering major so i can solder.

i read some posts about soldering directly to the inputs in the bottom of the radio rather than putting the adapter in.

does anyone have a link or any info about what pins need to be utalized to do this?

thanks for your help

Sadly I don't think anyone's done this particular mod since back in '04/'05 as that's when the Aux Mod Basic hit the market. I only ever saw details of it on another forum and they've had several crashes since then over the years so I'm pretty sure that data's lost.

 

[Addison]

OEM input switch box (P/N TD1379CFZ)- For 2007 models with the ACI. Allows you to plug the ACI, as well as one of the following: sirius, phatbox, OEM ipod adapter, etc. into the HU via the sirius/CD changer jack. ~$113.60
(Note: One input on the switch box works only with the ACI)

Does this allow steering wheel/HU control of the ipod as well? Or, am I stuck with keeping the ipod out and switching everything with it.

Also- I sent you an insite message with my email address icspots. I'd very much appreciate a copy of that PDF you have. Thanks for all your help in the thread so far.

-Addison

 

[icspots]

Does this allow steering wheel/HU control of the ipod as well? Or, am I stuck with keeping the ipod out and switching everything with it.

Also- I sent you an insite message with my email address icspots. I'd very much appreciate a copy of that PDF you have. Thanks for all your help in the thread so far.

-Addison

To my knowledge no one's retrofitted an ACI onto an older model car. It does not allow control of the ipod.... it's just an audio input.

You should have the PDF.

 

[Addison]

To my knowledge no one's retrofitted an ACI onto an older model car. It does not allow control of the ipod.... it's just an audio input.

You should have the PDF.

Good to know- and thanks for the PDF.

 

[Nliiitend1]

Can I get a copy of said PDF??

I'd really appreciate it...

My email is nliiitend1(at)hotmail(dot)com.

 

[icspots]

^^ you've got e-mail.

 

[Nliiitend1]

Thanks! (thumb)

 

[electrodan]

Help

Hi! Could someone post step by step instuctions on how to take out the HU? I'm new to this and I don't want to screw anything up. Just looking to add a 3.5mm standard input for my sansa mp3 player. Probably looking at the Grom. I have a 2004 mazda 3 with navigation if that makes any difference. Thanks for any info!

 

[icspots]

Hi! Could someone post step by step instuctions on how to take out the HU? I'm new to this and I don't want to screw anything up. Just looking to add a 3.5mm standard input for my sansa mp3 player. Probably looking at the Grom. I have a 2004 mazda 3 with navigation if that makes any difference. Thanks for any info!

This is from another forum and is a pretty good walkthrough. This guy decided to have the cable come out in the cupholders, though you can also have it come out in the ashtray or glove compartment depending on where you want it to be. I have my Aux Mod cable coming out of my ashtray.

3 - Remove the carbon trim by opening the glove box, and pulling towards you. Work you way towards the drivers side first, go back to the right side, and finish on the driver's side again. Watch out for the right side, since it's got a tab that tucks underneath. If it doesn't come out easily, you need to clear more of it on the left side first.

4 - Now that you have removed the trim, unscrew the screws that hold the factory stereo in place (the botton row, as shown circled in red), and pull the stereo unit towards you (the LCD screen will stay attached to the unit).

5 - 2 cables will be plugged in the back of the stereo. The fat, square one is the main harness. To unplug it, push on the little tab at the bottom, then pull, gently but firmly. The round cable with a red tip is the antenna. To remove it, same thing, pull gently but firmly. Once you have removed these cables, you will be able to competely remove the stereo unit. Here's a photo of the back. The connector circled in red is the CD changer connector, the one you will use to plug the GROM audio vehicle specific cable into.

6 - Remove the cup holder compartment, by simply pulling on it, as indicated on the following photo:

7 - Release the gear shift knob unit, by simply lifting it, as shown:

8 - This will reveal 2 screws that hold the ashtray compartment. Unscrew them as indicated, then pull the ashtray compartment towards you (it helps to stick your thumb in the cigarette lighter hole):

9 - It is now time to feed the vehicle specific cable (the one that connects the back of the stereo to the grom audio interface box) downwards, towards the ashtray compartment:

10 - You can now connect that cable to the back of the stereo (not shown, but please refer to the picture in step 5 to see which connector it should plug into) and to the interface box, and also reconnect the antenna cable and the main harness cable:

11 - Plug the iPod docking cable into the interface box, and guide the cable as shown. I used double-sided sticky velcro to maintain the interface in place (I also made sure that the ashtray unit would still fit before sticking the interface definitively)

12 - It is now time to test the installation, before closing everything up. First, re-connect the negative terminal on your car battery. Then flip the key to ACC, turn on the stereo, plug the iPod docking cable into the iPod, and enjoy what's happening! Your iPod is playing through your car factory stereo!!! :-D You will see on the first pictures that, in basic mode, you keep control over your iPod:

However, in advanced mode, the iPod is locked out:

13 - Finish the installation by feeding the cable through the circled opening in the cup holder compartment:

14 - You can now put everything back in place. You're done! Put away your tools, and admire your installation!

 

[xnaron]

Does the SAT share the line in with the Media function on my 2007 Mazda 3. I couldn't find a clear answer to this in this thread. I have an aux line input jack in the console that works when you press the media button on the head unit. The head unit has FM/AM, SAT, CD, and MEDIA buttons on it. I want to install the satellite module and retain the use of the Aux Input in the console with the MEDIA button. Before I buy the sat module I'd like to know if this is possible? I'm thinking I might need the switching box..that would be a bummer as it is so expensive.

thanks,
Brendin

 

[Nliiitend1]

Does the SAT share the line in with the Media function on my 2007 Mazda 3. I couldn't find a clear answer to this in this thread. I have an aux line input jack in the console that works when you press the media button on the head unit. The head unit has FM/AM, SAT, CD, and MEDIA buttons on it. I want to install the satellite module and retain the use of the Aux Input in the console with the MEDIA button. Before I buy the sat module I'd like to know if this is possible? I'm thinking I might need the switching box..that would be a bummer as it is so expensive.

thanks,
Brendin

Yes, you need the switching box.

 

[icspots]

^^ What he said. Mazda has a 'switchbox' that plugs into the port of the back of the HU and then lets you plug in both the sirius and the ACI (input). Once everything's plugged in you access each module with the button you would normally use. The price and part number are in the OP.

 

[joshbachman]

I bought the Audio link iPod car adapter for my 2005 Mazda 3 and it worked great for about 6 months.
One day for no reason it stopped working. When I plugged in my iPod it made a popping sound through the speakers and that was it.
After that when I pressed the CD button nothing happened. Even the regular CD player didn't work. As soon as I unplugged the Audiolink adapter from the CD changer input the regular CD player would work again.
I had a replacement sent (Xcarlink) but it doesn't work either so it must be an issue with the head unit.
Anyone have any info on this subject?
Thanks in advance.

 

[drowningknot]

question

I've been reading through here and some other sites and can't find a real definitive answer. I have an '06 mazda 3s and am trying to add an aux input for my zune. Since its zineim probably going to have to go with just a 3.5mm adapter as i havn't seen any zune specific cables. But it appeas as though the grom would work well. waswonder how you access it after installed? and i also found this (ALP/M-3.5M (KCM-123B) Auxiliary Input cable for select Alpine "M-BUS" Radios ONLY ) and was curious if anyone knows if it would work. I really appreciate any input on this,

thank you all

 

[archrr]

If anyone's considering the Dice text module...

I have the one with the text display (i-mazda-r2) After a few days of using the unit I have a major problem - 99% of the time the unit does not work when the engine is on! The unit mostly works OK when the ignition is on ACC mode. But as soon as I switch the engine on, the module stops working. It does not respond to clicks or double-clicks, and usually gets stuck on 'loading' and then turns the radio off. The strange part is sometimes, if I turn the engine off, the module starts functioning again without even needing to turn the key to off and back on! I have tried various things to ensure that the module works with the engine running, like leaving the key on ACC for a length of time before starting the engine, unplugging and replugging the unit when the problem occurs, but nothing seems to work.

Has anyone experienced anything similar to this problem? There really is no point in having payed so much for a module that doesn't work when the car is in motion, heh. Does the non-text module (that hooks up to the CDC changer slot) work better?

 

[RedKatanax9]

Damn it! Just ordered a Dice R2 (silverline Pro, whatever that is), and heard people are having problems. Guess I'll have to see if it works with the 2008.5.

 

[icspots]

Damn it! Just ordered a Dice R2 (silverline Pro, whatever that is), and heard people are having problems. Guess I'll have to see if it works with the 2008.5.

The only ipod module that works with the '08.5 is the newer OEM version. The upside is that it will display text for you.

I suppose the "notes" that specifically say that were added on the other forum never made it over to this thread. Sorry 'bout that, adding them now.

 

[RedKatanax9]

The only ipod module that works with the '08.5 is the newer OEM version. The upside is that it will display text for you.

I suppose the "notes" that specifically say that were added on the other forum never made it over to this thread. Sorry 'bout that, adding them now.

Just tried the Dice R2 on the 2008.5. Does not work... The radio doesn't even show a connected iPod, I tested with a iPod Touch 2G. Charging is temperamental as well. Most of the time just shows not charging. :'(