My fellow club member bought an OEM aux cable from MINI for her '02. I have read on other threads that the 02 head unit has a plug for it, but wont recognize the cable. She installed it and I guess is realizing this when Mode only cycles through FM/AM and CD.

Is there any way at all to get it to play?

 

Factory headunits did not have capability for aux input until '03. Her easiest option is probably to replace the headunit. They come up frequently on eBay, sometimes for as low as $60. You can also check the NAM marketplace.

 

That's what I had to do- I got a head unit from an '04. I can confirm that the aux unit won't be recognized by the '02 head unit. You can buy the unit that plugs into the back where the CD changer is and run your aux cable up to the front, but the cost will be about the same as a replacement head unit, IMHO, and then you have to deal with the cable running up from the back.

Val

 

someone correct me, if i'm wrong, but can't you use the aux cable in the same socket for the cd changer. they look like the same plug (pins might be located differently). you'll have to take the hu out. unplug the cd changer plug & plug in the aux cable that she just got. if the wires are in different locations (in the plug) you'll have to slide them out of the plug & move them to the proper locations. it will be the same mode as if you had a changer installed. "cd1-99", i think.

 

I don't think it's the same plug location. Aux-in does not interfere with the CD changer, and shows up as "AUX" on the head unit. I have both the aux-in and an ipod playing through the CD changer port.
I know that if you have Nav, you must insert the Aux-in pins into the Nav plug (or vice-versa) for the audio connection.

 

it's def'ly not the same plug location. there are (2) plug locations on the back of the hu (side by side). looking at the back of the hu, left is cd changer & right is aux in. they accept the same plug. if the aux in is not recognized on older models, what stops a person from unplugging the "cd changer" plug & plugging in the "aux in" plug (again, you may have to swap some wire positions)? you said you're playing an ipod thru the cd changer port. using what cable? what would be the difference between that & an "aux in" cable plugged into the changer port? when you listen to the ipod thru the cd changer port, what does your hu call it?

 

Ok, I see what you're saying. I have no idea if the HU would recognize the aux-in as the CD changer - have never heard of anyone doing that.

I have the Intravee II via an Alpine KCA-420i. ipod -> alpine -> cdc plug in the boot. In that mode it reads "cdc 1" in small letters to the left, and TR1-001 (or something like that) in large letters at the center of the HU.
Don't have enough tech knowledge to know the difference (if any) in signal between the CDC and Aux-in.

 

There are two parts to the CD changer interface -- its analog audio connector which is what mrknowitalltoo is referring to, and the CAN data bus which is used to send play and track/disc selection commands. The relevant question here is what triggers the headunit to enable its CD changer mode.

NewMiniStuff sells an aux input cable for the CD changer interface: http://www.newministuff.com/new/shop...uctshow&id=245, so it's possible that headunit simply detects that something is on the analog connector (instead of testing through the CAN bus). It would be worth trying if the OP is comfortable with electrical connectors (or knows somebody who is). Here's a pin diagram:


The aux pins are labeled "TV" on connector C and you would have to move them to the CDC pin locations on connector B.

However, the physical plug might not be a direct fit. BMW keys many of their connectors with grooves and tabs to prevent accidentally inserting a plug into the wrong location. There is some evidence of this in the diagram. You may need to also modify the housing of the plug.

 

ok. yep i see that there is some possible differences in the plugs (looking at the diagram from rkw). if that's the case, one would need to slide all the wire ends out of the "cd changer" plug. you would then have to transfer wire ends 3 ,4, & 10 from the "aux in" plug to 8, 9, & 2 of the "cd changer" plug, respectively. you would then have the 1/8" stereo female on 1 end of the cable & the "cd changer" plug on the other end. plug that cable into the "b" position from the diagram and...you should have "aux in" thru the "cd changer" socket. the hu won't call it "aux in", though. the hu will recognize it as it would the cd changer.

i'm having problems with either the "aux in" cable that i ordered, or the "aux in" socket of the hu. if it's the socket that's bad, i may have to resort to something like this as an answer. if so, i'll take some pics along the way to a solution.

thanks to rkw for that post (it may help me as well).

btw, eric, that sounds like a kick-a$$ solution.

 

I installed my aux long ago and don't remember exactly what it's like, but judging from the pics in this thread, the connector itself is mounted in a outer housing and can be removed. The outer part is probably not compatible between the two plugs, but you can plug in just the actual connector without the outer piece and it would "probably" be secure enough to stay on from the friction of the pins.

 

I've got an 03/03 Electric Blue R53 that I'm having the same problem with: installed the aux input kit, but the hu doesn't recognize it. Have you made any progress on this? I would be very interested in hearing, since I would love to avoid replacing the hu!

 

Yeah, I def'ly had troubles with the 1st cable i bought (MiniCarParts.net). I never had a problem with the HU recognizing the cable, but it played for about 1-1/2 minutes, then no sound (ever again). I ordered a 2nd (Outmotoring.com) and it's been working ever since (a month or so).

Don't know what the problem actually was for sure, but those cables have a circuit (mid-cable) that does 2 things. 1st it allows the HU to recognize the cable with no input source. 2nd it serves as a ground loop isolator to keep the audio "clean" when both playing & charging (thru 12v source). The 2 cables I rec'd were def'ly different. The 1st was put together with generic wiring. The 2nd had wiring that was color coded like the rest of the car. I put money on the cable being bad (in your situation). Mine is not the 1st I've heard of being bad, so it happens. I guess the easiest way to find out is to order another cable (it sucks, I know). Hope some of this helps.