MazdaForever35
Member
- :
- 2006 Mazda Miata MX-5 Sport
I just finished doing this to my 2006 Miata MX-5 Today. It's pretty easy. Now I have the Bose stereo in mine. I'm assuming it would be the same with both types of stereos.
1. Remove Your Stereo.
This video shows how to remove the stereo. You only have to remove 6 screws and one bold. Pretty fast. This is what your stereo will look like when removed. This is the front.
This is the back.
This is the bottom.
As you can see, there aren't any jacks for your mp3 or aux. From the bottom view there is a plug. This is the port you will use. It is connected to the Media button on the front of the stereo.
2. Install an aux interface card.
I got mine from a company called Syflex. http://www.sylfex.com/products/AuxMod/ Here is a close up of the plug where the card is going to be installed.
This is the card plugged in the port.
It comes with two 3M adhesive pads that will keep it in place.
3. Then you can plug in your 3.5mm cable to it.
.
Now there are several options. You can just buy a cable with one male end and one female end or one with two male ends. The male end goes into the syflex card and you can patch the cable through the center console and have it come out where ever you need it The other option, which is what I chose, is in the next step.
4. You will need a 1/8" female solderable audio jack. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104044 I was able to get this last minute at my local radio shack but if you can find something that works better then I'd love to hear about it.
So I took a 3.5mm patch cable and cut one of the ends off. I drilled a 1/4" hole next to the cigarette lighter where I fed the wire through from the back to the exerior. I stripped the wires and there will be three. The ground which is bare wire, a red which is your right channel and a white which is your left channel. I added solder to each wire to make it easy to solder to the connector. Then I added solder to each connector as well. I cut each wire to the proper length and soldered them in. Now there are three connectors on the 1/8 stereo plug. the largest one is the ground. Looking at the connector with the ground at the bottom, the connector on the right should be a copper color which is where you solder the red wire to. The left is silver and you solder the white wire to it. The sleve that fits over the connectors wont screw back on because the plastic on the console where you mounted it is too thick. That is why I chose a 1/4 drill bit and slowly made the hole bigger until it fit very tightly in the hole so that it doesn't move. Now you can just use black tape to cover the other side so you don't have exposed connections or you can put the sleeve on before you feed the cable through to do the soldering. When the connector is snuggly in place pull the sleeve tightly up against the other side and use a small zip tie on the wire to hold it in place.
This picture shows the plug installed, the white cable in the picture is my 3.5mm plug connected to the stereo.
5. Finally put it all back together. You will find that when you press the media button, you're mp3 player will work. (Oh and you'll need a second male to male plug to plug it in to the port you installed.) Here is the final product. Oh and FYI. The plastic on the console sratches so easy. Be really careful or you'll end up with a permanent scratch. You'll probally be able to see it in the picture.
Also keep in mind when you push the MEDIA button, the screen on your stereo will say TAPE PLAY as seen in the previous pictures. This option cost me $75 in parts and my work to install. There is another option. Remember the picture of the back of the stereo? There were two white plug ins. The larger of the two plugs on the right is where the factory plug is inserted (speakers and power to the unit). The smaller one on the left is open. You can buy the following unit that will plug in there. http://www.therpmstore.com/store/p/134-XCarLink-iPod-Integration-Kit-for-Mazda.html .
PROS:
It has both a connector for you IPOD or IPHONE and it keeps them charged at all times. You can change songs with the steering wheel controls. It also comes with a 1/8" plug for non apple products.
CONS:
It is more expensive at $139.95 or $184.95 if you add the blue tooth option. Also it doesn't work with the media button. To switch to it, you have to use the mode button on your steering wheel until you get to it. The screet will say EX: 1:66. The other way to get to it is to press the CD Button twice to access it. If you have an IPHONE5 you need to buy an extra adapter. The steering wheel controls don't work when using the 1/8" plug option. For the 2002-2005 Miatas, it is only compatible with the non bose systems. Finally, it is not compatible with the Sirus XM Radio Option. It's one or the other. Can't use both.
P.S. Now I did not add a ground loop isolator http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062214# but you can. I don't get any buzzing sounds unless I'm charing my phone while playing it, but it is barely noticeable. But if you don't want the light buzz then add the ground loop isolator. [/SIZE]
1. Remove Your Stereo.
This video shows how to remove the stereo. You only have to remove 6 screws and one bold. Pretty fast. This is what your stereo will look like when removed. This is the front.
This is the back.
This is the bottom.
As you can see, there aren't any jacks for your mp3 or aux. From the bottom view there is a plug. This is the port you will use. It is connected to the Media button on the front of the stereo.
2. Install an aux interface card.
I got mine from a company called Syflex. http://www.sylfex.com/products/AuxMod/ Here is a close up of the plug where the card is going to be installed.
This is the card plugged in the port.
It comes with two 3M adhesive pads that will keep it in place.
3. Then you can plug in your 3.5mm cable to it.
Now there are several options. You can just buy a cable with one male end and one female end or one with two male ends. The male end goes into the syflex card and you can patch the cable through the center console and have it come out where ever you need it The other option, which is what I chose, is in the next step.
4. You will need a 1/8" female solderable audio jack. http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104044 I was able to get this last minute at my local radio shack but if you can find something that works better then I'd love to hear about it.
So I took a 3.5mm patch cable and cut one of the ends off. I drilled a 1/4" hole next to the cigarette lighter where I fed the wire through from the back to the exerior. I stripped the wires and there will be three. The ground which is bare wire, a red which is your right channel and a white which is your left channel. I added solder to each wire to make it easy to solder to the connector. Then I added solder to each connector as well. I cut each wire to the proper length and soldered them in. Now there are three connectors on the 1/8 stereo plug. the largest one is the ground. Looking at the connector with the ground at the bottom, the connector on the right should be a copper color which is where you solder the red wire to. The left is silver and you solder the white wire to it. The sleve that fits over the connectors wont screw back on because the plastic on the console where you mounted it is too thick. That is why I chose a 1/4 drill bit and slowly made the hole bigger until it fit very tightly in the hole so that it doesn't move. Now you can just use black tape to cover the other side so you don't have exposed connections or you can put the sleeve on before you feed the cable through to do the soldering. When the connector is snuggly in place pull the sleeve tightly up against the other side and use a small zip tie on the wire to hold it in place.
This picture shows the plug installed, the white cable in the picture is my 3.5mm plug connected to the stereo.
5. Finally put it all back together. You will find that when you press the media button, you're mp3 player will work. (Oh and you'll need a second male to male plug to plug it in to the port you installed.) Here is the final product. Oh and FYI. The plastic on the console sratches so easy. Be really careful or you'll end up with a permanent scratch. You'll probally be able to see it in the picture.
Also keep in mind when you push the MEDIA button, the screen on your stereo will say TAPE PLAY as seen in the previous pictures. This option cost me $75 in parts and my work to install. There is another option. Remember the picture of the back of the stereo? There were two white plug ins. The larger of the two plugs on the right is where the factory plug is inserted (speakers and power to the unit). The smaller one on the left is open. You can buy the following unit that will plug in there. http://www.therpmstore.com/store/p/134-XCarLink-iPod-Integration-Kit-for-Mazda.html .
PROS:
It has both a connector for you IPOD or IPHONE and it keeps them charged at all times. You can change songs with the steering wheel controls. It also comes with a 1/8" plug for non apple products.
CONS:
It is more expensive at $139.95 or $184.95 if you add the blue tooth option. Also it doesn't work with the media button. To switch to it, you have to use the mode button on your steering wheel until you get to it. The screet will say EX: 1:66. The other way to get to it is to press the CD Button twice to access it. If you have an IPHONE5 you need to buy an extra adapter. The steering wheel controls don't work when using the 1/8" plug option. For the 2002-2005 Miatas, it is only compatible with the non bose systems. Finally, it is not compatible with the Sirus XM Radio Option. It's one or the other. Can't use both.
P.S. Now I did not add a ground loop isolator http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062214# but you can. I don't get any buzzing sounds unless I'm charing my phone while playing it, but it is barely noticeable. But if you don't want the light buzz then add the ground loop isolator. [/SIZE]
