So I bought my 07 mcs about 2 weeks ago. Sure it was an as-is wholesale dealer. Sure I got it for a steal. Sure I knew it may need a bit to get going but damn! I didn't realize is have to do so much to this car! I know it's my fault but I just noticed the passenger rear tire is different than the other 3, and it's completely worn! Another bunch of money to replace both rear tires!

Besides that, just did a thermostat housing replacement yesterday, front brake pads last week, a bunch of cosmetic and comfort stuff for my own sake. Still need to find a hi-fi amp and hope it's not the head unit that needs replacing. When does it end! I haven't even gotten it inspected yet. I pray I've fixed everything so it passes.

Now that I've ranted a bit, I'd also like to say I'm hooked! I love this car and can't wait to get back in it every day.

 

You can check the head unit by hooking up some speakers temporarily to the x9931 connector. that will tell you if the head unit is outputing sound. Just make sure you have the ground wire in the x9931 connector grounded while it is disconnected as the head unit will not work if you do not have it grounded.

Otherwise good luck with the car and hopefully you can have it inspected soon.

 

Oh thanks. Should I hear music or just sounds? And where is this connector? Noob questions I'm sure.

 

All the info you should ever need about eh x9331 connector is in the NAV and Audio Seciton.

But the connector is located in the drive foot well. If you disconnect the two parts one goes to the radio and the other to the amp or speakers depending on the stereo in the car. The head unit side will output music if you have music playing if it is good just connect a speaker to each of the channel outputs and check it that way. If you hear sound then you know the head unit is good. It is possible that the owner had an aftermarket amp in the car and if that is the case who know what they might have done.

 

I'm getting popping and no music hooked up regular. If I turn it way up, I can hear some faint static and music. I have some extra speakers lying around I can test with. Not having seen this connector, can I just shove some wires into the right parts or do I have to use the actual speaker connector from the car? Again, sorry for the noobishness. I'm also looking through the audio section.

 

NAM requires searching and no repeating of the same topic in different threads. So it would be good for you to search the X9331 connector issue in the Nav and Audio section. Again there is a real wealth of information over there.

I will get you Started on that journey with this thread. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-question.html

But as you can see in one of the pictures in that thread it would be easy to just connect to the wiring if it is disconnected. just make sure you are checking the side that goes to the head unit. And make sure that the one parked ground is grounded as the head unit will not work properly if that ground wire in the x9331 is not grounded.

 

Thank you. I didn't intend this post to be about that issue. Just a rant. But you were good enough to respond to that issue. I'll check through that thread and find out what I need to do to diagnose. Seems like that could be a good way to try to use an aftermarket amp too.

 

From the sounds of it, you didn't even get the really big problems yet. Fingers crossed that these are the only problems you'll have.

 

Lol you're at the tip of the ice burg

 

Hey guys stop scarring the poor man. I have 101,426 miles basically trouble free miles on my car. Only thing that has been replaced is the Thermostat housing. Of course tire and oil changes have been done but those are normal routine maint items.

Of course now that I have said that my engine will blow up on my way home.

 

I'm not to concerned. I'm a fairly competent shade tree mechanic. I did the thermostat housing yesterday myself with no disastrous effects.

More ranting though. Sears is so lazy. Had them do my tires. I asked them to put the balance weighs on the inside of the rim. I went to pick it up and I see ugly pieces of metal clipped to the rim. I fought them about it and they took it back in. I see the new weighs on the left side but I see none on the right side. I asked them why they didn't put any weighs back on the right and his answer was that my room is bent and I'll feel some vibration.

No weighs at all though? Gah!

 

Weights*

 

Thank you for the spelling lesson... I'm on a cell phone. Accuracy suffers...

 

Maybe they did do it because they were lazy (good chance). My mechanic is world class (BMW certified/honda certified/MS degree/photographic memory AND he has OCD too!) and he told me he could do a better balance if I let him put the weights on the outside and inside, even if doing so is a bit ugly.

 

If they had explained that, I'd have accepted it. But I see no weights at all on the wheel, inside or out. The left one has weights though. I guess I'll have to go drive on a smooth highway and find out.