No problem, glad to have helped. I've got a big variance between the car and the system I use in the shop, so I've become rather adapt at making these adjustments. It only took 2 times with the Roady blasting in the car for me to remember to do it

 

The part that confounded me was how to get the vertical rails beside the radio out of the way, they were trapped top and bottom. Couple screws on the bottom of the lower center section of the dash below the nav display, and a moderate tug and then I could get those rails free. The rest was a snap, but getting the radio out was a bugger (at least when you don't know what you're doing).

Greatbear, thanks for the help!

 

I managed to find all of the pictures that were lost in NAM's forum upgrade (as well as my own PC crash). I reposted them along with a couple more and expanded the text a bit as well. It seems people are still keen on this mod, which is just as valuable now as back in '03, the only difference is now you can get this installed by the dealer before you take delivery of the car. Still, some people might want or need to do this now or in the future.

Some things have changed in the 3+ years since I did this mod: My Archos mp3 player bit the dust and was replaced by a couple different iPods, the aux input serves primary duty as the input for my JVC Siruus plug-n-play receiver, and I have attached a pair of 12volt outlets on either end of the back of the shelf. Also, the cars themselves have changed somewhat, most notably there is a new mp3-capable head unit available since '05, the Dension interface is now available, plus the new convertible has come into being. All of these can still use the same procedure for installing the aux input.

I have a few more pictures to locate, process and post.

 

Thank you Greatbear! With your write up a year ago I used it to install my aux input on my car with Nav. Without your detailed write-up with pics I wouldn't of had the confidence to go about the install.

 

I just installed my aux. Located it on the small panel beneath the toggle panel. It took about 30 minutes total ot install as I had use my dremel to start the holes for the port plate. My MP3 unit, Toshiba 40mb Gigabeat is mounted on the right tube with the mounting bracket I got from MyMiniParts. I applied wide heavy duty velcro on the bracket and MP3 player. Pics will be posted in a bit.

 

I have the new MCS with the "AUX IN" female jack installed. My ipod nano was stolen a month ago, but I have a smartphone (Tmobile MDA) with a 2gig card full of music. If I get an adaptor and cable that coverts 2.5mm to 3.5mm, could it be that simple to play my cellphone music on my Mini's stereo?! Any idea how it will sound, vs. how it would sound thru a ipod (hardwired or via the AUX IN)?

 

Are you able to plug a standard stereo headphone into your smartphone for listening to music? If so, then all you need to do is connect the headphone jack to the aux in. How does it sound on headphones compared to your Nano on headphones? That will be a clue to the difference when played on your car stereo.

On a Nano, using the headphone jack is not as good as using the line-out signal from the dock connector. Your smartphone probably doesn't have a line-out signal, so there will always be some sound quality loss because of going through a headphone amplifier.

 

So, resurrecting a thread from the dead... always fun!

Anyway, I have an 04 MC with NAV. I just took a look at all of the DIY pictures posted by Greatbear and I noticed that the downtubes were taken off first and then the head-unit was taken off. This was done so that the back of the head-unit could be looked at to find where the AUX input cable should go, I am assuming.

Now, I want to remove the current connector on the back of the head-unit holding the wires for the NAV system audio and move those wires onto the AUX input cable terminals and then insert that AUX input cable into the back of the head-unit. Is this possible to do this without removing the downtubes?

 

Unless you can teach Stuart Little to go back there for you.
On non-Nav cars, it's just a simple plug in, so you don't need to remove the HU, but you'll definitely need to if you're going to be swaping wire positions.

 

haha, no Stuart Little help for me, sadly.

So, are you saying that I can't even take out the cable connector currently in the AUX input slot (the cable that the NAV audio is wired to) unless I remove the downtubes first?

I was thinking that the NAV cable connector could be disconnected from the head-unit by just reaching around the back of the head-unit after taking out the panel below the steering wheel. At that point, I would be able to pull that cable out from behind the head-unit, transfer the wires from the NAV cable connector to the AUX connector, and then plug the new combined connector back into the correct slot.

Is it not possible to do this? I haven't started the install yet, but I don't see the hurt in pulling out the current NAV cable so that I can have access to it to perform the transition of the terminals from the NAV cable to the new AUX cable.

 

As you say, can't hurt to try.

Me, I've spent too many years doing things the 'quick' way, only to discover that shortcuts are often the long and frustrating way home.

Let us know if it works! Mine was already installed, so no direct info here. I DO know that there's not a whole lot of wiggle room in the stereo wiring harness.

 

1, why isn't this stickied? This is something I wish I'd managed to find on NAM when I installed mine, Kudos to swissarmy for finding it.

2, I think the simplest way from my experience with an 05 is to unscrew and pull back (to the side allowing access to the front radio screws) but not remove the downtubes, then pull the radio out to access the connectors, then move the pins to the proper slots (what you want to do has been said to be done before so it is possible) then check for function and put it all back together.

 

Did the install!

Eric_Rowland: You are definitely right about the length of the stereo wiring harness -- even if I could unplug the NAV connector, I would still have to remove both of the terminals and transfer them to the AUX connector all while working from behind the head-unit! That was not gonna happen as removing the two terminals from the NAV connector requires two hands and a "jewelers tool" as Greatbear stated.


I ended up doing the same exact procedure that Greatbear and I'm guessing many others with the NAV system did.

-- removed the knee bolster.
I swear, I thought I broke the thing. I yanked it lightly at first... then I heard a crack (supposedly, the glue separating from the two-part knee bolster)... then I gave it a hard tug with both my hands and the whole unit pops off and falls on the ground! SUCCESS!

-- Removed the downtubes.
These were a little tricky. I first unscrewed all 4 of the T20 bolts attaching the two downtubes to the center console. Then I unscrewed the T20 bolt beneath and to the left of the passenger air bag fascia. I then thought that the fascia could be easily lifted up to allow the downtubes to be move and pulled from out of them... turns out that I had to give the fascia a gradual tug starting from the right of the center console (where the bolt was) and making my way to the left of the console (where the other downtube was). Finally got both downtubes off, only problem was a little metal clip popped off from behind the fascia and I didn't know where it should go. Luckily, the fascia didn't seem to need that clip too much... so I'll just keep it "just in case."

-- unscrew Stereo from center console
By far the easiest part of the procedure. Just unscrew the 4 T20 bolts securing the stereo to the center console and then pull it out!

-- Removing wiring from NAV connector
I couldn't find a small enough tool to push the two terminals out from the connector they were in. Then I remembered I had a "macgyver" swissarmy knife... and it had the little jewelers tool corkscrewed into the corkscrew! yeah-yeah, swissarmybottle... swissarmy knife... how fitting Anyway, I tried pushing the terminals out with the jewelers tool.. but that didn't seem to work. Instead, I had to wedge-pry the two terminals out... which worked like a charm!

-- Connect the two NAV terminals to the OEM AUX connector
The yellow-brownish NAV terminal went into its designated section easily. The yellow-red NAV terminal had some trouble... apparently, when initially trying to push the terminal out with the tool, I damaged the contact surface of the terminal (the terminals are end-fitted with a metal contact point). When I tried to push this terminal in, the damage I caused made the terminal bump into something inside the AUX connector and it wouldn't go in any further... to make things worse... after trying multiple times to un-damage the contact surface, the contact surface fell off! So I was just left with a bare wire with a copper tip showing! I thought failure was imminent! I decided to just stick the wire in its proper slot and pray that it works.

-- Test
Plugged my ipod in.... hit "mode" a couple of times... VOILA! AUX! That was part 1. 2nd test, turn on NAV and see if the AUX audio drowns out when the NAV directions come on... SUCCESS! copper-paths working great so far! Let's hope things don't come loose =D

-- Buttoning back up.
Stereo back on. Downtubes back under the fascia and bolted down. Fascia bolted down. Knee bolster... back on... the knee bolster took a while to put back on... I don't know whether it was because it was 12AM and I couldn't see anything, or if it was because it is just hard to put back... somehow I got it back on its hinges.

-- Future.
Buy drill to drill holes for the AUX input that I plan to place beneath the center console behind the two cupholders. Wish I could've done it all in one sitting, but I don't have a drill =(

That was a fun addition! Thank you NAM!

 

Damn, you beat me to it.


FWIW, I disconnected my Aux from it's drilled mounting position. Given that you need a male/male cable to connect a player, and it's doubtful that you keep a male/male cable attached to your player, you can just coil the unused wire and leave the male 'pigtail' whereever you plan to use the player.
I started with it in the cupholder, then got a Belkin Tun-dok, and have since moved on to the IntraveeII (an awesome solution if you have Nav and a spare $300 or so)

 

Unless I missed it, your story starts with the radio already removed... what's the quick & easy way to remove it?

'03 CVT




[quote=Greatbear;146236]Part One - The Introduction and Teardown

Well my patience for waiting for MINIUSA to finally release the Aux Input kit for the MINI has paid off. Friday after work I come home to find the package containing my brand new Euro Parcel Shelf and Aux Input connector had arrived! (Thanks Classic Mini! )

 

pull the base of the speedo/nav cover out. It will feel like it's gonna break, but it won't.
Undo screws for downtubes.
Pull top of downtube to back of car, when it clears the speedo/nav cover, it will come up.
This will uncover the screws that hold the radio in.

FWIW, there are good how tos on motoring file and mini2.

Matt

 

I just couldn't figure out where to start... my 1st MINI, you know.

 

FWIW, if you're just doing the Aux in, you don't need to remove the head unit.

 

Yes, you posted that to one of my questions the other day... I started reading some of the other posts about DICE units, etc., and just got curious about all the possibilities.

I think I will go with just the aux cable for now... the one you recommended for about $45...

I did remove the knee panel under the steering wheel, and I see where you're talking about... I can sort of see the back of the radio, but if I don't know exactly where to plug the aux cable in (because I didn't remove the radio), I might save myself a lot of time and skinned fingers by just removing the radio long enough to see where to hook up the aux cable.

thanks for the help.... cool website.

 

So I have read through the threads about getting an auxillary connection to connect my iPod and still need some direction if you don't mind..thank you in advance!

I have an '05 MCS (with no Nav). I would be interested in the euro parcel shelf as well, but mainly looking for where and what to get for the auxillary connection. I like the fact that it can power/charge the iPod while plugged in and can be run through the steering wheel controls, etc.

Thank you for all the help in advance, it's greatly appreciated by a newbie and my lack of understanding of all the wiring and such

 

the aux connection will not do these things. the iPod interfaces are required. Aux will only allow you to plug in the audio.

 

AWESOME INSTRUCTIONS! I though I was screwed but I searched and found you which helped me fix my problem. Install complete thanks to greatbear.

 

Big thanks to both greatbear and swissarmybottle for the writeups - this worked like a charm. This thread should definately be a sticky...

One thing to add when moving the nav wires to the aux plug, if you don't have a jeweler's screwdriver (I don't), a 1/16 hex wrench works perfectly. The thing is tiny and fits right in the connector and easily popped the nav wires out.

Next up - Zune integration into the nav screen similar to what TheOfficeMaven did. Just need to order the parts

 

ok...last time...I promise. AND thx for all for sharing info and making NAM such a great community!

I have an 02 and have located someone willing to sell me an 03 standard head unit. Will the 03 head take the aux input as a simple plug and play? How much is the plug and play kit? OR is the Ice kit a better move b/c it shows the audio info on the head? Thx again!

 

My wifes car was built in 8/2002.... cry.. i have the old radio...