Well I'm really hoping you guys can help me with my quest to have an aux port in my mini. I've got an '02 mini, one of the first revisions that does not have an aux option on the stock radio and does not have the connectors in the back for a cd changer. I also have the navigation system.

What I'd like to do is to add an aux port to my car while keeping the navigation system's voice and the steering wheel controls. I am completely willing to change out the stock radio with a new one that has the aux port on the front I just need to know what type to buy to have it work. I'd like to keep this under 200-300 if at all possible. Any suggestions anyone? I'm desperate to have a nice sounding ipod in my car without using a fm transmitter.

 

You'll need to find someone willing to sell you a newer stock MINI stereo. They come up often enough in the Marketplace forum and you can post a request and will probably have one within the week if you are lucky.

Your price range is about right for one, so you'll almost certainly be able to track one down. Installing the aux input is super easy too!

 

Is it difficult to install a newer head unit? My mini dealership told me the wiring was different so the newer radios wouldn't work in mine. How new of a head unit would work in the mini (ie would an '06 unit work). Any advantage to going for a newer unit than a '03 or something along those lines? Are there any walkthroughs on how to install a new head unit/aux port.

My god that was alot of questions. Excuse my innexperience. I just want to make sure that I'm going down a path that will work for me.

 

or it's Motoringfile... I never remember which...

Anyway, new head units (at least up till 05) slide and plug right up! In fact, when my head unit took a dump under warranty, I got a newer one as a replacement, it had obsoleted the 02. I ended up with MP3 and Sat Radio features that the original one didn't.

Basic run down on removing the head unit.

1) Pull really hard on the plastic dash cover by the nav unit. Pull out from the bottom, it will seem like it's gonna break, but it doesn't.

2) This will pop off the rings around the nav light level and the flasher.... I guess 0) should have been remove them!

3) Remove the screws holding the downtubes in. There are two Torx on each side. You have to open the glove box to get to the upper on the driver side.

4) You can now tilt the tubes away from the dash at the top. Now that the dash panal is loose, they will come out.

5) Loosen the smaller torx screws needed to free the head unit. IT's either two or four screws. I don't remember and it's been a while.

6) disconnect all the plugs from the back (and some have lock levers, so don't just pull hard!), and the head unit is out!


Have fun!

Matt

 

Not sure about any version of the MINI radio that has an Aux port on the front.

However if your car is an early 2002 you MUST get a new head unit in order to install the Aux port. In specific look for a head unit for a 2003 or later car. The radios in early 2002's will not recognize the port when plugged in.

The wiring harness for 2002-2006 MINI head units are all the same, when you finally get back to the radio you will merely need to unplug one and plug in the other... It'll be a different story with the 2007 hatchbacks though.

However there are some differences in the radios themselves. 2003 to 2004 radios have slightly different buttons than the 2005+ radios. Early model year 2005 radios can play MP3s on a CD, however they don't play will with the bluetooth steering wheel controls (not an issue if your car is a 2002), radios installed after January 2005 do play along with the bluetooth steering wheel controls that are on January 2005 and newer cars.

 

Is my only option to get a newer factory stereo? Will no aftermarket head units work with the navigation and the steering wheel controls? Just checking before I move forward with this.

Oh yeah and after I get the newer head unit where can I get the aux adapter?

 

for sale via Mini and lots and lots of the vendors.... It's about $40....

Matt

 

Mikey at newministuff.com has adapters for the MFSW, but it's definitely simpler to use the OEM head unit. Note that to use the Aux input with Nav requires removal of the pins from the Aux Input and inserting them into the Nav connector. It's described (pics are MIA) here by Greatbear.

 

Not necessarily... If you find an HU that comes from a car that had HK (more than likely it would have to come from a junker) there are actually TWO accessory ports, which means that you don't need to dissasemble the connector and move pins around...

 

?? The head units are the same, no? They don't show a different part number in REAL OEM. The HK consists of special speakers and an amp, AFAIK. Could be the '06 has another accessory port, but I currently have a Jan'06 head unit in my '04HK and certainly nothing connected differently...

 

don't let it scare you away from a clean install...

Matt

 

I have HK in my 2005 and had it in my 2003 and both HUs in those cars have two accessory ports not one. On the 2003 which had Nav one port was occupied by the nav, leaving one port free. On the 2005, both ports were free.

Greatbear and I discussed this back in 2003 and the best that we can come up with is that the HK cars were getting different head units, even though there's no difference in part numbers.

 

I've been looking around on vendors websites and having issues finding the oem version of the aux (find lots of the blitzsafe and the like however). Any pointers in the right direction? Or do you think the dealership will sell me just the part (they're right down the road).

Ben

 

The dealership can definitely sell you the part - just ask for the Auxillary Input. You can get a 20% discount off list from Classic MINI in Ohio, but given the price of the input, it would probably be offset by the shipping.