Thanks for the videos OP. They were a huge help in knowing what to expect.
I elected to do my install a little differently. I did not remove the cupholders / HMI / shifter bezel / wallet tray or tunnel side trims. I prepped the cable with the foam and ran it down the dash from the head unit. No fishing wire necessary. Buttoned up everything in the dash and down to the tunnel exactly as you did.
From there I left the cable loose and poked it up under the tunnel plastic where it meets the carpet between the passenger seat and the arm rest. To do this slide the passenger seat all the way forward and work from the back seat. I knew this would lead directly to the USB port in the console as that was the first thing I looked at after disassembly.
From there I buttoned up everything inside the console the way you did. Working space was much tighter without removing the cupholder but I managed. I also managed to get a zip tie around the existing wire loom to secure the new cables under the cup holder blindly. That part wasn't exactly easy but I got it done.
I then tucked the remainder of the cable up into the tunnel under the plastic and buttoned everything up in the passenger kick panel as you did.
Basically I did everything the same as you except for running through the interior of the tunnel. But anyone considering the same needs to decide for themselves what's best for you and your car as this obviously isn't how Mazda says to do it.
Total time for me was ~45 minutes, not including the software update which was done well in advance. I hadn't taken the CX-5's dash apart before but do have experience working with car audio and interiors / electronics so I was comfortable going in.
The only trouble I came into was with a plastic alignment peg on the left side of the screen unit not lining up correctly on re-install, preventing it from fully seating properly into the dash. I had to pull one tab from the gauge cluster surround out to get some wiggle room to get the peg lined up at the correct angle. Once it went in everything else re-assembled without any further issue. In your video it looks like you were fiddling with the same spot a little when re-installing the head unit and the video skips, then it's sitting right. I'm curious if you had a similar experience.
Anyhow, a complete tool list used:
- a plastic trim tool
- phillips screwdriver
- 3/8 ratchet + extension + 10mm socket
- flashlight
- small side-cutters (for trimming zip ties)
- a knife to cut the last piece of foam in half
Thanks again for the work you put into the videos. They were extremely helpful.
I had trouble getting the left side lined up as well. With some patience, it worked well eventually. Definitely agree it's easier to start at the head unit with your wiring and work back. Avoids the issues people have had here trying to fish the wires up. Taking apart the console pieces wasn't that hard. I'd do it again rather than stuff the cables up as you described.