How To: Make an AUX input for FREE

Does this work on Mazda 3 2004 factory? Not sure what model it is. I took it out but it has no indicators.
After reading some of the fried stereo stories, I'm abit hesitant because I can't afford a new stereo and have a road trip after this semester ends.
This is what I have, I believe
 
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One more idea I'm thinking right now is to find FM radio amplifier, cut the pcb lines and solder aux input there. In this case I will loose my radio, but I don't need it. Will give a try when I remove my HU for any purposes. Also there can be used the 3.5 female with 5 pins with switching off and in this case the radio will be switched off when the jack is inserted. Can anyone give an advice where FM amplifier lines can be on the PCB?
 
Any way we can get the original pictures back up? I need to dig into this on my car since my left side went out about a month ago. I saw the pic a couple pages back but the numbering is different than the numbering wannabe put up. I don't want to pin the wrong one and have to buy a new stereo.

Thanks!
 
Maybe it helps if I use an updated browser. Just pulled this up on my phone and everything is there. Never mind.
 
Hello ZAMETAL just a question did you tried to connect the bridge between 1 and 8 before going to the PCB mod. According to the diagram on top 2I is also an AUX CONTROL
 
Can confirm this worked on a Mazda 3 2.0 Sport from 2006. Non bose, bottom line addons.

I just wanted to contribute some clearer pictures, I might be slow, but I found the current info difficult to follow.
Note that this way of doing it causes a dead silent null signal, as I did not share negative with common ground.

A picture of the HU serial and model:


How I connected everything, borrowed pic from first post as I forgot to take one myself:


What I needed to remove:


End result with the magic AUX label on screen: =)


Closeup of my line-in mod:


My middle hole was unoccupied, but the protector was a simple plastic sticker.
I cut a piece of aluminum sheet, that I sanded round with the help of a power drill.
Yes that's a 6,3mm plug, the 3,5mm one I made broke. ;)
 
hi, just a quick post to say thanks to Wannabe for his instructions. After the initial fear of pulling too hard on the cup holder section to get it out I was well away, I now have an audio cable running through to my glove box. I can now use this every day to listen to my podcasts on the commute to and from work and it cost me nothing but time :) thanks again.
 
Does this work on a 2004 model?

Wannabe, I have 2004 Mazda6 and tried your $0 solution on the stereo system using the CD-ROM cable from one of my old computers and a old set of headphones. It did not work; however, my wiring might be suspect - I did a pretty bad job on the soldering. I am going to try again with electrical connectors (the kind you crimp) and a 3.5mm stereo connector.

Has anyone tried this with a 2004 model? Just want to make sure this is not a fruitless exercise on my part. Everything looks the same...
 
OK, after some searching in the thread, I found a number of potential solutions which involve my soldering wires to the PCB board and playing a "silent CD" (Posted by Dragan and buba). Not sure I can follow those instructions completely - see my reference to my soldering skills... :)

Has anyone figured out an alternate solution? Really frustrating that Mazda did not make the radio a little more flexible in being able to add a simple AUX input.
 
I done this mod on my 2002 atenza (non bose) and it didnt work. Before I plugged the 2 cd rom cables in i checked to make sure there wasnt 12v between the jumpered pins, i also wired in a fuse in the jumper just to make extra sure. Now, does it matter that my car hasnt got a MEDIA button, but instead has a TAPE/MD button? (mine has a mini disc and cd player, no stacker or tape player). Would love to get an aux input going...
 
Dragan said:
Sorry for not posting any images, but i simply had no time.
Click to expand...

A big thank you for providing the cd-hack option! I was also one of the unlucky with pre-2006 mazda. The MD/Tape trick does NOT work, so I did go for the blank-cd option. It went just fine, so I decided to contribute my own bit of info to this thread to help the others.

In my case, I removed the top cover from cd player. A pcb is visible then which has a connector going down to the amplifier unit. On this connector the signals are very conveniently labeled, you can find both signals L and R together with ground.
top%20view.jpg


https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11352905/mazda%20aux%20hack/top%20view.jpg

I took the CD player out to reach the pcb under it.

open.jpg


A dash of hot glue on top of the wires makes sure that everything stays in place.
That's it! :D
modified.jpg
 
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Want to thank buba and dragan for the cd pcb method. Worked like a charm on my 2004 w/Bose. Anyways, the method using the sat radio port is ONLY for 2006-08 models, regardless whether it is a speed model or not or even bose or not. The pinouts changed for 2006, making it more desirable. If you have a 2002-05 M6, your method is the cd pcb method. Requires soldering skills, but still very doable. Otherwise you would have to drop 70 bucks on a sylfex. (64 if you are in the US). Anyways some people like myself thought the 06-08 method would work on 2004 with the L716 mod (google if u dont know), it didn't work. It will only work if you use a GROM or similar device with ur car. i had purchased this https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned) before I realized my pinout was different. I ended up cutting off the connector end and soldered the wires to the cd pcb connector. I then mounted the female end inside the center console. It looks factory I love it. And for those who dont know this, the way to activate MEDIA on 2003-2005 models is to hit cd button twice, but since the pinouts are different it still will not make the sat port method work for those years. Hope this info helps anyone. Dont hesitate to ask me more! Once again props for buba and dragan.
 
Thanks for the great fix. I've been wanting to do this for a while and just started this weekend. I didn't have a CD-Rom around and went for the D-Sub pins. The only thing is that I'm not getting good volume levels. I noticed the pins are not on that secure so might try again with the CD-ROM sound cable. Does anyone have any ideas on the sound issue?

So I went back and double checked the connections to no effect. I crimped down on the D-Sub pins to get a better connection, but didn't get better sound. The sound volume right now is too low to enjoy. I would compare it a Sound Level 4 when a CD is playing. I tested the sound with my cell phone and SanDisk MP3 Player and both sounded the same at max volumne. Do I need some kind of pre-amp?
 
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i have a 2010 Mazda 5
the car has an AUX port next to the 12volt port.
i want to install another Aux port, inthe middle of the car, where the AC vent is.
actually i have already wired inthe cabling and a 12 volt port there now.
problem is- with no 3.5mm cable attached at the front aux port, the new added aux port does not wort properly. i dont mind having a cable plugged in, but in order for it to work, one of the 3.5mm cables has to be unplugged just enough, but still make some contact.
at this point in time, i wired the new cable to the back of the front aux port.
should i have wired it tothe back of the HU some where, if so, where and which pins?

looking forward to a reply

thanks,

sam
 
hello. im new to this site. i have seen this `how to` and would love to do it myself but i am not that technical and i am a little scared of giving it a go.
can any of you give me some advice please.
i own a 2006 Mazda 6 sport. it has the Bose sound system with the 6 cd changer head unit. i would like an aux input to plug my mp3 player or my phone in and access it via the media button. i have seen this on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-2-3..._Technology&hash=item1e8b8faa4b#ht_1563wt_721
i messaged the guy who is selling them and he said that all i have to do is plug it in the back and it will work via the media button.
can anyone on here please advise me whether my stereo will have the port to plug it into and will it be as easy as that or will i need to do something else. i know this thread is a how to do it yourself. but i dont have the balls to give it a go for myself im afraid. any advice would be appreciated
 
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Hey all,

So I did this mod on my 2006 Mazda 5 and it has been working perfectly for the past few weeks. I have run into a problem recently when I had to go back in to remove the centre console.

The wires I used to connected the aux cable must have shorted or something and it has caused my radio to switch from USDM to JDM.

Essentially the volume controls are now on the right instead of the left and the radio stations are now adjustable in 1/100th increments - i.e. 93.50 or 93.55 vs 93.5

Anybody have an idea what might have happened a how I could possibly go abouts fixing it?

Thanks in advance!
 
I have a 04 Mazda6, and I used the blank CD method. I am very pleased with the results, despite my fear that I was ruining the PCB when I was soldering the AUX cable to it. However, I now have a hum from the power connection when my sat radio device is powered by the car. I followed the instructions that bubba and the "whatsmyip" link that dragan posted. I now see these better pictures posted by sjev. Does anyone know if moving my AUX cable from the amp PCB to the CD PCB will eliminate the power hum? Waltf had posted on this thread on 12/21/12 about the problem associated with using the signal ground instead of the audio ground. I'd love to eliminate the hum, cuz it drives my wife nuts.
 
kdoyon18 said:
I did this mod over the weekend, and I could not be happier.

I have a 2006 Mazda 3, and the instructions worked perfectly for my setup.

I chose to use a male stereo plug at the end of a 6 foot cable. I ran the cable down behind the air controls (had to take out the ash tray/lighter assembly to get it through) and out through the ash tray area. I took out the actual ash tray and now I have a small compartment with a door to hold the coiled cable when not in use. When I need it, I can pull out the length I need: 1 inch to 5 feet!

Sound is great, although I do get a slight hum while charging. I may have to add the ground loop isolator. But I am also thinking of adding a blue tooth adapter like https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned), which I think will solve the problem as well.

Thanks for all the info!
Click to expand...

Can you please tell me which exact wires you used!?!? Thanks
 
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