Installing Ipod Xcarlink into a Executive Auto without Sat Nav

[Taffytim]

I've made this guide as my car is different to the guides that are on here. I hope it helps others, as you will see its quite an easy process but i came into trouble when removing the big panel so I'm not going to say that its a simple process.

You will need a philips screw driver, an extended socket set, something plastic thin and strong to prise out the panels (kitchen tools are useful), an extendable magnet to catch any screws that fall, a drill and some cable ties.


Start by prising the circled edge out then move around the panel doing the same, you may want to knock the stick into the towing gearing to give yourself some space for later on.

Disconnect the heated seat plugs, there is a little press in clip on each coloured plug, the panel will now be free.

Pull out the ash part of the ash tray.

Undo the 2 screws in front of the gear stick.

Undo the 2 Screws in the ash tray hole.

The Ashtray unit will now be free apart from the electrics. I think there are supposed to be some metal clips on the front of the unit too. I heard them ping off but i didn’t actually take them off properly when I pulled it out!

Twist and pull out the light bulb.

Push the clip and pull out the white plug.

Pull out the black plug.

I failed at the next bit as I snapped the off some plastic from the panel heres how it should have been done (thanks Doc):
"When I fitted mine I slid a flat scraper in the side and prized the side up a bit to create a gap at the top, I then slid something in that gap too. I think I also got my fingers in between the top of the DVD drive and the dash trim. Then slowly worked at all 3 sides in turn to wiggle the trim clip out. There was a point where I nearly gave up because the trim was flexing a lot especially round where the clip was but I just kept applying the same pressure and with a lot of patience it slowly worked loose".

You are left with the pocket that needs to come out, on mine the 4 nuts were on really tightly. Use an extended socket set and use a sharp action to get the nuts lose in the first instance.

Remove the pocket and its support.

 

[Taffytim]

If you now look into the hole from where the gear stick is you will see the open white port that points downwards. I was expecting this port to be on the back of the unit pointing towards the bonnet but its on the bottom of the unit pointing toward the floor.

Here is a picture to show how much wire is provided by the Xcarlink system. There is about this length again coming out of the other side of the box.

People have mentioned the cable coming lose so i have used cable ties to secure the ipod plug in its place.

I’ve then put a small one around the aux cable and fed another cable tie through this to try to keep this in place. It doesn’t look pretty but I’m hiding mine away and I don’t plan on dismantling the dash any time soon to reconnect the cables.

I've then cable tied the unit to a thick existing bit of the wiring loom as i didn’t want it knocking about back here. I’ve then fed the aux cable into the glove box (squeeze the side of the glovebox together to get it to drop down and you can easily feed the cable in there without cutting any holes).

I've made a cover for this cable as I didn’t want it open when I'm using just the ipod. Its the filter of a *** that I've shoved on its end and I’ve put on a cable tie to keep the thing tight.

As I wanted the ipod to sit in the pocket with the door I’ve marked around the ipod plug with a screwdriver to show me where i need to drill on the back of the pocket.

The plastic is quite soft when you get going with the drill so dont worry about splitting the whole unit. Also a sharp knife easily cuts through the rough edges to smarten up your hole. Feed the Cable through this and as they say fitting it all back together is the same but in reverse.

 

[apintofmild]

+1 for a great write up.