Installed aftermarket navigation and rear-view camera

[Z-Thrizzle]

The CX-9 Touring that I have did not come with Nav and it was quite a pricey to have it added. I decided to install an aftermarket Nav along with a rear-view camera. I’ve installed a nav unit in my BMW so I was willing to do the install myself.
Much thanks to mightymavkev and his write-up. Here are some pics of my install. It’s not complete as I still need to hide the wires that run to the rear-view camera. I’m waiting for one of those random warm winter days in NY to finish.

I’m using the Schoshe dash kit for my Pioneer Avic X930BT.

I originally got the T-harness from Metra. But later got the connects2 harness after hearing from another member that It’ll allow adjustment of the clock and that your AC won’t be affected.

This is for the steering wheel control. (vol and track)

Testing out the new head unit. I hacked the unit to allow control of the navigation without having to park the car. This mod also allows the passenger to watch movies while the car is in motion.

Another item I got for the nave besides the traffic update module was the iphone cord. It charges your iphone and allows control of it using the head unit...even pandora. It sucks that these items not included with the radio. I think each was item was around 40 bucks.

Since I don’t have any kids I don’t have a big need of an entertainment center for the rear. However I wanted something for occasional road trips with the friends so I got this module to use with my laptop. It converts digital video and audio to analog which is what the head unit uses. This allows the movie to be played on laptop in the backseat and also played on the front head unit. This worked out great because the laptop has an HDMI port. Also with this setup the audio goes through the speakers of the car.

I got a cheap rear-view camera from china that actually works great.

I ran the wires through the lift gate similar to what mightymavkev did

I used a little bit of outdoor double sided tape to mount the camera temporarily. Though the tap has been working out so well so far it may not need to be screwed in.

Installed a switch that allows me to activate the camera without having to put the car in reverse. Yes, you can flip it on while driving.

While working on the stereo install I also hardwired a radar detector via the fuse box behind the glove box.

 

[table5511]

Wow, very nice job, very technical!

 

[damaster]

Awesome work!

1) I love the idea of the HDMI converter instead of installing headrests! I might get that and use it with my son when he gets a little older (he's only 3 months old right now).
2) That switch for the back up cam is brilliant! Can you post the model & link to the back-up cam you purchased and wiring instructions for that switch?
3) What do you lose from the OEM controls with the Connects2 harness? I'm guessing the steering wheel voice control and phone buttons don't work any more, right?

You've convinced me NOT to buy the OEM nav unit when I purchase my CX-9 and instead to install my Kenwood DNX-9960 w/ built-in Garmin. I just won't get the power lift gate without the nav package here in Canada which kinda sucks...

 

[mightymavkev]

Phone and Voice commands will not work with the Connects2 harness. This is because on the Mazda, these switches are connected to the Bluetooth unit in the car which is behind the glove box (on my 2012 anyway) and not to the OEM radio harness.

From the research I did, the PAC steering wheel control unit will allow integration into the bluetooth connection as well to control your aftermarket bluetooth, but you can't connect both the Connects2 harness as well as the PAC harness at the same time.

 

[Z-Thrizzle]

Awesome work!

1) I love the idea of the HDMI converter instead of installing headrests! I might get that and use it with my son when he gets a little older (he's only 3 months old right now).
2) That switch for the back up cam is brilliant! Can you post the model & link to the back-up cam you purchased and wiring instructions for that switch?
3) What do you lose from the OEM controls with the Connects2 harness? I'm guessing the steering wheel voice control and phone buttons don't work any more, right?

You've convinced me NOT to buy the OEM nav unit when I purchase my CX-9 and instead to install my Kenwood DNX-9960 w/ built-in Garmin. I just won't get the power lift gate without the nav package here in Canada which kinda sucks...

Yeah I think you get a lot more features from an aftermarket unit and save some money. The head unit, installation kit, ipod cord, nav traffic module, and camera came up to around $900. The feature I like the most is the iphone intergration. The iphone cord allows audio through and lets the headunit control and charge the phone. I use pandora a lot so that was a big plus.

I got the camera from amazon ($15-$20) The only thing I don't care for in this camera is the guide lines. I don't see the point of them as you can see clearly where you are going.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

The switch was from autozone but you can also find it at radioshack. I can't find it now but this one is very similar to it.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac.../N-2696?counter=10&itemIdentifier=976435_0_0_

3 wires connect to it...Ground, 12v and load. I tap into the stereo's ground and 12v from the wiring harness. The headunit has a wire to activate the video feed of the camera. I plugged this wire to the load terminal on the switch. The headunit gets the video signal from the camera through an RCA cable. You can tap into the reverse light wire from the liftgate. This will give the camera power when you put the car in reverse. However since I was running an RCA wire from the camera to the head unit I decided to give the camera power by using a fuse tap in the fuse box behind the glove box. Wiring the camera this way will give it power whenever the car is on. Thus allowing you to view the rear whenever flick the switch, regardles if the car is in reverse.

 

[Rawyzf]

Wow....wow....good work.

 

[Lindyrect]

That would be cool to install the switch with the current Camera installed on my GT to see behind the vehicle while driving. It would be great to check out my trailer.

 

[mainard1]

I am not sure if this works on the 920bt but on my avic 120bt if you hold the mode you will be able to view the camera even in motion just a heads up

 

[Z-Thrizzle]

I am not sure if this works on the 920bt but on my avic 120bt if you hold the mode you will be able to view the camera even in motion just a heads up

Thanks for the tip. If I new this before, I prob wouldn't have installed the switch.

 

[mainard1]

there's actually an avic411 forum you should check that out, i learn a lot from that forum, im getting ready to get the 130bt for my wife's sienna and planning to change my door and back speakers for my mazda i found out eventhough they are bose still paper cones

 

[Z-Thrizzle]

there's actually an avic411 forum you should check that out, i learn a lot from that forum, im getting ready to get the 130bt for my wife's sienna and planning to change my door and back speakers for my mazda i found out eventhough they are bose still paper cones

Yup, I'm on that forum and got some pointers there. Thanks and good luck with your install.

 

[Kcsfvp]

Hi. Did you say you installed this in a cx9? The pix don't look like my 2012. Wanted to find out if your aftermarket retained all of the factory functions. Thanks. Kai Simonsen