Adding MP3/IPod input to Disco IIs

[spiderfreak80]

I have a "Success" thread that has this info as well but I thought this would work better if someone was using search. The info below applies to my 2004 Disco, but as far as I can tell, the wire coding is the same for 1999-2004 with premium sounds, without GPS head unit.

In some of the pics you will see squeeze on splice connectors. Only use those for the "power" connections for the aux. power outlet. Use old fashion strip, twist, and tape for all other splices. The squeeze on taps will not transmit the signal properly, as I indicated in my other thread.

First, you need to unplug the cd changer cable from the one that leads back to the head unit. Right under the changer. Access from back seat area. Push your passenger seat all the way forward to give plenty of room. The wiring harness from the car has a clip holding it in a loop under there. Pull hard and the clip will come out. CAREFULLY strip the heavy black insulation back at least four or five inches. You may need to take some pliers and twist off that clip. You don't need it anymore. In the bundle of wires there find the red, grey, white, and black. They are: left +, left -, right +, right -, respectively. Cut through each at least two inches from the end connector. Now here is where you can go two ways.

1) If you do not want the changer sound anymore, you can now splice onto the car end of those wires and run a couple of wires to wherever you want to install a 1/8" female headphone jack. You can see from my pics that I chose to run everything to the armrest cubby box. You could put yours pretty much anywhere you want to keep your MP3 or IPod. Once you install the wires to the jack and tidy everything up, reconnect the car/changer connector. You must have a cd in the changer at all times to fool the radio into thinking it is receiving a signal from the changer, when in fact, it is getting the signal from your jack.

2) If you still want to use the changer. I could not find a four way switch locally so I used two 2-way switches. One for left channel, one for right. You have to use 120v switch so that there are six connectors on the back. The middle connectors on both switches will be wired to the car end of those four wires you cut. Make sure you keep all the grounds on one side and the +'s on the other. Now run wires from your 1/8" jack to one end of each switch (obviously the same end for each switch) and then run wires from the other end of each switch back to the cuts you made by the car/changer connection. The two inches you left that lead to the changer should be enough to connect to. Plug it all back together and tidy up. Turn on your stereo, hit "cd". Push your switches one way to hear the changer and the other for your MP3/IPod.

Power- If you want the aux. power outlet in the cubby as I have done, it is simple. You can get the aux. outlet at Radio Shack or O'Reilly's. Make sure it has an inline fuse on the hot lead. They usually come with like two feet of leads on the back. Pop off the passenger electric seat control pad and pull it out a bit. There is a huge bundle of wires that will come with it. Using a large guage squeeze on tap, tap the red aux. outlet wire to the red/white stripped wire, and the black aux. outlet wire to the black wire in the bundle. Put everything back and tidy up. I purchased a Scosche (sp?) adapter that plugs into the aux. power and gives two USB ports. These ports take the voltage down to 5v which is pretty standard for all portable music players and such, including Zune. It is also standard for most GPS devices.

I have left out a lot of "be careful this and be careful that" stuff. Don't be afraid to take this one. You really can't screw up anything that can't be fixed ! Oh, in the pictures you see I take the window control panel out so I have access to do everything. You just pop the trim piece off from around the switches. Under that the panel is held by four phillips head screws. It will be much easier if you disconnect the wiring from each of the switches. Just make a sketch of which color connector goes back where.

Cheers !!