Aftermarket head unit, keeping USB (AX-MAZUSB)

Hey guys,
So I'm installing a new head unit tomorrow and the one thing I'm a bit bummed about is the fact that I'll be losing the USB in the armrest. I was randomly browsing the Axxess website while getting instructions for the ASWC, and came accross this:
http://axxessinterfaces.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=207
So I guess you just plug it in the USB slot behind the aftermarket and attach the USB connector to the end of this. I'm wondering how difficult it would be to just make something similar to this? I haven't checked out behind the OEM head unit yet, but a typical USB cable has 4 wires, could I not just use a regular USB extension, cut it and solder to the wires of the OEM 4-pin connector's wires?? Anyone tried something like this?

That would probably work, although the inner USB wires are very tiny and therefore not much fun to work with.

Or, you could run a regular USB wire down to the center console and avoid hacking into the factory wires. There is an opening at the top front and center of the console that a USB wire easily fits through. If you wanted it mounted in place, I'm sure it wouldn't take much to rig something up for that as well.

DOES NOT WORK AS OF Nov 8th ! 2013 CX-5 Sport Non-Color radio e.g. the super basic Be Aware!!!

Called Metra and they were no help. They told me only the vehicle with the navigation should have different connector and it should work for you!
Its totally different, size and pins, and I did get the correct part! (pissed)

How much does it cost? It is an interesting adapter for my future android based headunit

OK, so I started looking into this topic in preparation for my upcoming aftermarket radio. I'd hope to be able to pull off the connector pins at the back of the factory radio, but it turns out you can't

I have the schematics of the wire connections and connectors, but nothing tells you which wire is which function. So I just pulled the Aux/USB box from out of the center console. Remarkably easy by-the-way... 5 mins tops. See the last few photos at: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...t-Shiny-Trim-Head-Unit-and-Center-Floor-Piece - Thanks TreyP!

I then proceeded to pull it apart so that I could trace the pins/wires. You just unclip the 'ring' at the rear, and the innards just push out from the front (photos attached). What I found is that although the Aux jack wires *ARE* routed direct to the radio, the USB connector wires go to the Bluetooth module instead (and then presumably are passed-through to the radio as a straight audio signal). But given that BT will be disconnected when the factory radio is removed, it's likely the pass-thru will no longer work. This does explain why some folks have had the Bluetooth unit replaced to cure the notorious USB drive corruption issues, rather than the radio.

So now, I'm working on whether to use the OEM box and either hack into the connector+harness or pins in the box somehow. Or replace the factory USB/Aux box with some other connector setup (and have to doctor the plate inside the console), using something like this:



Here's the photos of the innards. The jack contacts are just routed to male connector pins. The USB is a straight-through to something like a cut-down USB socket at the back. A regular USB plug might fit in the back there with some trimming.

RedBaron said:

So now, I'm working on whether to use the OEM box and either hack into the connector+harness or pins in the box somehow. Or replace the factory USB/Aux box with some other connector setup (and have to doctor the plate inside the console), using something like this:

Click to expand...

RedBaron, what you decide to do? I’m also considering hacking into the USB/aux wiring to retain the factor box. Otherwise, looks like it could be pretty easy to cut a hole for a new box adjacent to the factory box. (I have a Mazda6, but the setup is identical.)

OK a brief writeup on what I did. Here are some photos and steps, but these are mostly just hints (if you have to ask more, you shouldn't attempt )

I had a number of different prototypes for this. The final/best way I found was to take a cheap dollar-store male-female USB cable and modify it (heavily) to create an adapter plug that fits into the back of the factory console connector (see bottom left photo above). Plus, then you'll need a SECOND USB cable to solder to the adapter you build from the first cable - that's long enough to reach to the back of your radio.

1. You have to take the both male and female plugs completely apart. This shows the female end, but all you need from this end is the insert piece (white plastic and gold contact pads). You need the female piece because the contacts stand up away from the pad. (The male end contacts are flat and won't touch those in the factory connector).



2. Now to the male end. First grind the front sides of the connector down, using a Dremel or grinder (or a metal file if you're careful). You just need to go in enough that the connector will fit into the factory one. Basically, just grind off the metal sides until the edge of the white plastic of the insert is exposed. The metal is soft, so this is pretty easy - be careful not to go too far.



3. Once that's done, cut away the cable, take the shell apart and discard everything except the metal shell pieces (far left and far right, below).



4. Now insert the contact innards from (1) into the shell from (2). Cut off the end of your second USB cable and solder the wires onto the insert piece (normal color code and order for a regular male plug http://image.pinout.net/pinout_USB_files/usb-pinout-diagram.gif).



5. Reassemble the shell loosely and insert into the back of the factory connector - be sure to 'buzz' the whole thing out with a meter before you finish it up. It should be "straight-through"... the leftmost pin into the front of the console connector should align with the rightmost pin at the male end of your constructed USB cable (etc.). Then when you're sure, close the shell up properly and solder the cable braid to some convenient point on the shell. Cover the rear half with some heatshrink tube (optional) and you're done.

This is my adapter+cable inserted in the back of the factory console connector (Yellow wire is AUX cable)...

Wow, that's significantly above my pay grade! Thanks! I'm thinking it will be much easier to do this:



Source: http://forum.***************/electr...ead-unit-swap-2014-mazda-6-grand-touring.html

EDIT: That would be forum.mazda6 club.com. Can't seem to make the link work correctly.

lhendricks92 said:

Wow, that's significantly above my pay grade! Thanks! I'm thinking it will be much easier to do this:

EDIT: That would be forum.mazda6 club.com. Can't seem to make the link work correctly.

Click to expand...

Yes that's a non-factory-looking alternative - already mentioned in post #5, that you quoted above

Yep, just giving the folks a visual. Really appreciate all your hard work and write-ups. You've made the upgrade process infinitely less frustrating!

Redbaron, thank you for this write up! I'm looking at doing this soon, and am debating the time and effort I want to put into it. I plan to install a 4100NEX, and looking at this https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) and/or https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned), but I've read these have had data transfer and/or charge issues. I have a OnePlus One and heard data can be finicky depending on the USB cable. I was toying with removing the 12V port under the dash, and using one of the above items.

Have you had any data/charge issues with your setup?

Also, what connector piece did you use to wire in the AUX?

I am about to take on this exact issue, I just got a Sony XAV-AX100 and I want to use the built in USB port that is in the arm rest for my Android Auto. I think I am going to do what you just did which is just remove the old cable form it and solder the new wire to the port. This should not be too hard. 4 wires, what could possibly go wrong

BTW I found this for the wiring of the Aux port and USB

http://www.mcx5.org/auxiliary_jack_usb_port-236.html

So far anyone else, I didn't want to do any surgery and I also wanted to leave the factory cables intact in case I want to remove the head unit before selling it. So after looking in my car I thought why not buy a wiring harness and just solder the wires together for USB and Aux cable.. I contacted Mazda Parts and I looked at getting a new wiring harness that plugs into this USB port int he center arm rest and I got a price that was a little too high for me ($129 CDN) This is because they give you the entire wiring harness form the arm rest to the center console on the dash that goes to the Bluetooth unit. I was just looking for the wiring harness with 12 inches of wire. So my best bet is to go to a junk yard and just remove it from a broken up CX-5 in the yard and use it to splice into an existing USB cable and AUX jack..

If anyone is interested the part number for the wiring harness is KD45-66-970B for 2013 and 2014 models and there are two different models a car with Bluetooth, harness goes to passengers side, or non Bluetooth and it just goes to center console. I am going to try to get one at a junk yard but so far there are none local that have this new of a car.

Still trying to find a way to use the existing USB port. the OPs method so far seems like the best way!!

BTW here are photos of the wiring harness and socket for the USB port and AUX

Caspan said:

So far anyone else, I didn't want to do any surgery and I also wanted to leave the factory cables intact in case I want to remove the head unit before selling it. So after looking in my car I thought why not buy a wiring harness and just solder the wires together for USB and Aux cable.. I contacted Mazda Parts and I looked at getting a new wiring harness that plugs into this USB port int he center arm rest and I got a price that was a little too high for me ($129 CDN) This is because they give you the entire wiring harness form the arm rest to the center console on the dash that goes to the Bluetooth unit. I was just looking for the wiring harness with 12 inches of wire. So my best bet is to go to a junk yard and just remove it from a broken up CX-5 in the yard and use it to splice into an existing USB cable and AUX jack..

If anyone is interested the part number for the wiring harness is KD45-66-970B for 2013 and 2014 models and there are two different models a car with Bluetooth, harness goes to passengers side, or non Bluetooth and it just goes to center console. I am going to try to get one at a junk yard but so far there are none local that have this new of a car.

Still trying to find a way to use the existing USB port. the OPs method so far seems like the best way!!

Click to expand...

I do consulted the part number you described above and according to that even I have Bluetooth HF system I have a Mexican cx5 2013 so it is supposed that usb is wired directly from head unit to armrest.
There are an USB adapter (axxess) for Mazda cx5 (usb type a to Mazda xonnector) to reuse the armrest usb but it didn't work for me. So I don't know how to make it working with the adapter plugged directly to the usb connector

Yes if you have Bluetooth then the USB port goes to the Bluetooth adapter in front or Front Passenger then to the stereo, for users that don't have Bluetooth it goes right to the head unit it seems. Now I wish i didn't get tech package either that ill have to splice into the wires which is fine i just didn't want to do it. I am going to just replace the existing USB port and 3.5 mm port with a new one form eBay and just skip trying to Frankenstein it! Either that I am just going to take the existing wringing harness out and use it and sell the car with this stereo in it, if i ever sell the car.

Caspan said:

Yes if you have Bluetooth then the USB port goes to the Bluetooth adapter in front or Front Passenger then to the stereo, for users that don't have Bluetooth it goes right to the head unit it seems. Now I wish i didn't get tech package either that ill have to splice into the wires which is fine i just didn't want to do it. I am going to just replace the existing USB port and 3.5 mm port with a new one form eBay and just skip trying to Frankenstein it! Either that I am just going to take the existing wringing harness out and use it and sell the car with this stereo in it, if i ever sell the car.

Click to expand...

But on the legend it is stated that for Mexico market applies the direct connection to headunit not the connection to Bluetooth module
I did check my Bluetooth module and I didn't get any wire compatible with my adapter

I am not sure what adapter you got.. What adapter is it you are speaking of? this one??

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00L2SJ1WW/

Caspan said:

I am not sure what adapter you got.. What adapter is it you are speaking of? this one??

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00L2SJ1WW/

Click to expand...

Yes...that one