56K no way! How to: Install a jack for MP3 player on a CX-7 -NAV setup included

[Raider]

Hey Guys, I finally found a solution to the AUX problem and installed an AUX input for an MP3 player.

AUX INPUT FOR MAZDA CX-7 SPORT (non- NAV) AT LAST!!! NAV Setup below

Well, after doing a little bit of research on the web and tearing apart my head unit, I was able to figure out the way to connect an AUX input. I adapted this procedure from one I found for a 2000 Miata with Bose radio.

From Cue:
You'll need 3 or 4 different colored 22guage wire (too lazy to read earlier; and can't remember exactly), a soldering gun (for the headphone jack), the headphone jack (3.5mm), an exacto knife, a sewing needle, and a screwdriver (with multi bits), and I'm pretty sure that's it.
The wire should cost you less than $10, and the 3.5mm female jack should be about $2.

The first thing that you need to do is remove the shift knob and place it on “D” to gain access to the service port on the bottom of the bezel to be removed.




Following the advice of another guy, I inserted pliers to remove the cir-clips in the service port and pulled hard, don’t be afraid, make sure to cover the tool with a thin cloth to protect from scratches.




After that, remove the bezel by pulling towards you.

Then unscrew the four screws to remove the head unit and unhook the wire of the emergency lights.

When you have the radio out of the car, you have to look for a 16 pin connector on the back.

Then you only need to connect the pin #1 (lower left hand side , green wire) to the pin # 13 ( on the bottom, second for the right).
I used a 22 gauge wire that I previously inserted a needle in to enlarge the hole to make it fit
Between the Pin # 1 and #1 3 you need to install a fuse in line ( I used a 15 amp) and a 1K resistor.


Now when you push the MEDIA button, your radio will change to AUX line input, Cool!!!!

The next thing you need to do is connect a 3.5 headphone stereo jack to the pins # 3 (Right input), pin # 5 ( Left input) and pin# 7 ( signal ground). (see picture)


After I welded the wires and connected the pins, I decided to apply a little bit of glue instead of waiting for the right pin connector, you can order this pin connector on the web, but I couldn’t wait to plug in my MP3 player.

I rerouted the wires from the back of the radio to the empty area designated for the tape deck, where I will place my AUX input.


After that I used a small propane welder to make a hole in the plastic cover to insert the AUX input.


I decided to locate the AUX input on the right because it is close to the glove compartment and close to the 12-volt outlet just in case I need to charge the MP3.


That’s how it looks, not bad and cheaper than other options on the market.

Here there is the wiring diagram


I hope this guide can help anyone out there.


CX-7 WITH NAV: Read here:

sgspearman successfully did this on his 2007 CX-7 with Nav. First, thanks to everyone for all the postings. Since there have been some changes since the first posting - especially around better ground connections, I thought I'd post my wiring diagram and a few thoughts from having done it today.


Note that I used 4 and 6 connected together as the grounds for the audio cable. I was very pleased with the volume and the lack of noise with this and would recommend it. I also used a pre-made audio jack and cable that I originally got at radio shack I believe. I did not see any good reason for the fuse given the 1k resistor - all other connections are as mentioned earlier but here I show how they line up with 4 pin connectors.

Here's a view of the way I wired up these connectors before insulating them:

Note that these are common connectors for PC motherboards - they were often used for connections to CD drives for example. By putting this together with connectors, it all became just plug and play once you pulled the radio out.



Here's a few tips in following the instructions from the original article in this thread:

1. Putting the vehicle in drive was good to provide clearance but I did not find I needed to remove the shift knob
2. To remove the connectors from the back of the radio, feel for the small tabs underneath (on the larger connectors) or on the side (for the flashers connection). Depress that in order to remove the connections.
3. I ran my cable out to the glove box as mentioned in another article. It was very obvious how to do so once you're in the dash.
4. Do try out your jack after hooking things up but before reassembling. I found it didn't work the first time - one connector was apparently loose. Pulled the radio out and tried again.


Here's what the connectors look like on the pins:


And here's how I secured the cable with a tie wrap:

I wasn't sure if it might hit when putting the radio back in, but I didn't see any signs of that.

So, that's my contribution back to the thread - hope it's helpful for some of you trying this next!