How can you add a direct aux input to a 2003 Pontiac Montana with factory radio that has am FM CD and factory DVD?
By "direct", I assume you mean you
don't want to use any type of FM modulator to connect to your
Montana's sound and Rear Seat Audio system.
I had a similar goal which, after
some trial and error, I was able to accomplish.
I have a 2003 Pontiac Montana which
came with a factory AM/FM/CD and Rear Seat Audio (RSA) and Rear
Seat Entertainment (RSE) DVD system. What I wanted was the ability
to listen to an MP3/IPOD device on the van's speakers, while at the
same time, allow my children to watch a DVD on the Van's RSE system
and listen to it on their wireless headphones. I already knew that
Montana owners (with RSE DVD systems) could listen to any external
audio source - so long as "Track 99" is displayed on the Radio's
RDS display - but to use this feature, I would have to connect the
device to the RCA input jacks on the DVD player and change the
source. This however would prevent my children from also watching a
DVD on the RSE System at the same time. I wanted both - the ability
to listen to an MP3/IPOD on the van's speakers and at the same
time, have a DVD play on the RSE system, with sound coming from the
wireless headphones).
I recently accomplished this, so the
following information may be helpful to you.
The only aftermarket external aux
device that would provide the functionality I was looking for was
the PAC AAI-GM12. I now have two externally mounted RCA female
jacks that I installed just below the coin holder located on the
center floor console trim. The AAI-GM12 also required that I have
access to its separate toggle switch which I mounted,
unobtrusively, inside the same coin holder.
The result is that I can now connect
- but not control - my mp3 player (or an IPOD) directly to the
van's speaker system, using a 3.5mm Audio to RCA male-to-male cable
(or an IPOD Docking port to RCA cable). The sound quality is
excellent.
Please note: The AAI-GM12 device
will not allow you to control the MP3/IPOD player, other than
muting and volume controls. You will not be able to turn the device
on/off or switch songs using the steering wheel or radio controls,
nor will you be able to use the radio's Radio Data System (RDS)
display to view MP3/IPOD song information. From what I understand
there is no easy solution that will provide this level of MP3/IPOD
functionality for a 2003 Pontiac Montana (without, of course,
replacing the factory radio).
What follows is not a difficult
undertaking; I am a novice (I didn't know what a Trim Tool,
Multi-Meter or a Fuse Holder were before I started this project)
and after some trial and error, I was able to accomplish the task
with very good results.
This information will be mostly/only
relevant to "novice DIY" Montana owners (like myself) that have the
RSA and RSE factory-installed DVD player - and want to install an
Aux input device without losing any of the existing factory radio,
RSA and DVD's functionality . I cannot confirm that these steps
will work or even be necessary for model years other than 2003 (as
there may be other/better aftermarket products to choose from).
The main issue I had was that, in
order to keep all of my van's existing factory (Radio, DVD)
functionality, I was very limited to what aftermarket external Aux
input products would work. If I didn't have a factory-installed DVD
player (or if I had a newer Pontiac Montana), I likely would have
had other, simpler or better auxiliary input device options to
choose from.
Installation Steps
------------------
1. Getting the right Auxiliary Input
Device
I found several promising devices on
the internet and purchased a few, which I subsequently returned
when they didn't work as expected / advertised for my specific
vehicle configuration.
I tried both the PIE GM12-AUXV2 and
PAC AAI-GM24 devices which both seemed ideal on paper. The 2003
Pontiac Montana is listed as a compatible vehicle for the PIE
GM12-AUXV2, and the packaging states that it will work with a Rear
Seat Entertainment System. However after connecting the factory DVD
to the female 12 pin receiver on the GM12-AUXV2, I was unable to
switch between the DVD and the MP3 signals; Only the DVD could be
heard through the van's speakers. No combination of
Track-up/Track-down sequences would cause the signal to change from
the DVD to the MP3 device. I contacted both the manufacturer (PIE)
and the vendor (Crutchfield), and although they thought it should
work, they were stumped. Crutchfield did send me two replacement
PIE GM12-AUXV2 units, thinking that perhaps the devices were
faulty.
The same problem existed for the PAC
AAI-GM24 device (which I knew at the outset may not work from the
conflicting vendor/review comments I read). Again, although
everything installed fine, only the DVD signal could be heard over
the van's speakers. I was unable to switch between the DVD and MP3
signals using the Track Up/Track Down radio buttons. Fortunately in
both cases, I was able to return the devices to their respective
vendors for a full refund.
Finally I tried the PAC AAI-GM12
device, and this worked as I had hoped. The downside is that
switching between the two signals (DVD and MP3) is accomplished
using a hard-wired 3 position (and unattractive) toggle switch,
which I installed out-of-sight inside the coin holder of the center
console. But the result is still great: The sound is excellent and
although I usually leave the toggle in the MP3 position, it is a
simple thing to reach inside the coin holder and move the toggle
switch to broadcast the DVD or the MP3 sound onto the van's
speakers.
2. Removing the factory radio
You will need to remove the factory
radio, but it isn't as hard/daunting as it may first sound. You
just need to have the right tools and information before you begin.
You'll need to find or purchase a fully illustrated Master Sheet
that shows you step by step pictures on how to remove the radio
from a 2003 Pontiac Montana. This is available from Crutchfield
($10 I think), and possibly other places as well. The Master Sheet
doesn't specifically cover removing the factory DVD section, but it
is pretty obvious what to do by looking at the Master Sheet.
There are three sections of trim
that need to be removed to get at the radio.
You'll need a Trim Tool to remove
the bottom face trim. Do not try to remove it with a screw driver.
You'll need a proper (metal) trim tool and is only used to remove
the bottom trim. If you find that the other 2 trim pieces are not
coming away from the console easily, it is because there are still
some screws remaining that you haven't removed.
You'll also need a 7mm ratchet
spinner to remove the remaining screws. As you remove each screw,
put it in a labeled zip-lock bag so you'll know what goes where -
as the length of screws differ depending on where they came from. I
even took some digital pictures before/after removing each trim
piece so I would know how to reassemble them when I was finished. I
never did need to refer to them, but it was nice to know that I had
them available.
3. Connecting the PAC AAI-GM12 to
the Radio and DVD
Once you have the radio out of the
dash - you never completely remove it because the antenna wire will
still attached - remove the 12 pin wire harness from the back of
the radio. This is the wire harness that connect the RSE (DVD, etc)
to the radio. Connect the PAC AAI-GM12 male 12 pin harness to the
back of the radio and connect the DVD male wire harness to the
female wire receiver on the PAC AAI-GM12.
4. Making the electrical connections
- Ground Wire
The PAC AAI-GM12 has a very short
grounding wire that may or may not need to be connected (see below
regarding "Ground Loop Issues"). Because I decided to connect the
ground wire, I took a 10" long piece of 18 gauge automobile wire
and connected it to the top screw on the back of the radio. The
other end I eventually connected (using a wire butt connector) to
the brown ground wire on the PAC AAI-GM12. This supplied a solid
ground connection, which I confirmed with my multi-meter. The
additional length of wire allowed me sufficient room to tape the
AAI-GM12 device to the back, right side of the radio cavity (not to
the radio itself).
"Ground Loop Issues"
According to the instructions, you
shouldn't connect the AAI-GM12's brown ground wire if you will be
powering your MP3 player using the car's electrical system (i.e. a
cigarette lighter which also supplies a ground). This is so you
won't experience a Ground Loop Issue (static, noise) which is
caused by having multiple ground connections. In my case, I decided
to connect the brown ground wire, because I will usually run the
MP3 device using its internal battery and not off the vehicle's
power. If I later decide to concurrently charge the MP3 device from
the car's electrical system - which will mean there will be a
second ground connection available to the AAI-GM12 - I will add an
RCA Ground Loop Interrupter to prevent any resulting static or
noise. If you are certain that you will always be connecting your
MP3 accessory device to the vehicle's power, then I suppose you
should not connect the AAI-GM12's brown grounding wire.
5. Making the electrical connections
- Power Wire
Although you might be tempted to
connect the AAI-GM12 to the radio's conveniently located thick
Orange Power wire (located at B1 on the radio's 24 pin wire
harness), don't! Don't do this for two reasons: First, you will be
compromising the integrity of the existing wiring harness by
splicing or tapping into the power wire. Second, the radio's power
wire is Constant Power, not Switched or Retained Power. Constant
Power is always on, even when the vehicle is turned off. There is
no reason to have this device draw constant power from the battery
- especially since there is a hardware toggle switch that
determines the source of the DVD or MP3 signal.
The easiest and best way to connect
power to the AAI-GM12, is to source it from the fuse box (found
inside the van, beside the passenger door). Buy a Fuse Holder that
turns one mini-fuse slot into two. It is a fast and clean way of
installing and protecting additional accessories without splicing
or cutting. Insert the fuse holder into the fuse slot that protects
the powered Rear Vents. The Rear Vents have retained power and use
a 10AMP fuse which is perfect for what you need. Insert the
existing 10 AMP fuse in one slot to protect the Rear Vents and buy
and insert a 1 AMP fuse in the other slot to protect the AAI-GM12.
The fuse holder fits perfectly into the interior fuse box and it
does not interfere in any way with the fuse box cover.
The benefit of using this particular
fuse slot is that you will be getting Retained Power for the
AAI-GM12 device - it will only draw power when the vehicle is
running, in Accessory mode or for approx 2 minutes thereafter until
the doors are opened. In other words, it will draw power only as
long as the radio is drawing power.
Using several feet of 18 gauge
electrical wire, connect the fuse wire coming from the new fuse
holder, and string it along the underside of the passenger dash
compartment. You will need to use the Trim Tool to remove the three
trim plugs from the underside trim below the glove box, which will
reveal the existing wiring, and expose a suitable path to string
the new electrical wire.
Using a multi-meter, confirm you are
getting 12 volts at the ends of the power/ground wires. Remember to
put the ignition into Accessory (as the wire is connected to
Retained Power only). If no connectivity, check the Fuse Holder -
it may have been inserted in the wrong direction.
Once you have fed the power wire to
the back of the radio cavity and tested the voltage, connect it to
the Orange Power Wire of the AAI-GM12, using a butt connector.
Connect the Ground Wire (that you attached to the back of the
radio, see above) to the brown ground wire of the AAI-GM12 using a
butt connector.
6. Interim Test
With all the wires connected to the
AAI-GM12 and accessible(and with the trim pieces still off the
console), now is the right time to verify that the AAI-GM12 is
working as expected. Connect an MP3 audio device to the AUX1 RCA
female connectors on the AAI-GM12. (I left the AUX2 RCA connectors
empty - I saw no benefit to having both AUX1 and AUX2). Place a DVD
disk inside the DVD player and turn the vehicle ignition to
Accessory. Place the AAI-GM12 toggle switch in the center position.
Turn on the radio, and using the CD/AUX button, switch the van's
speakers to the DVD. Now flip the AAI-GM12 toggle to the AUX1 side
(if it doesn't work, flip it to the other side). You should be able
to hear the MP3 signal clearly over the vehicle's speaker
system.
Now, moving to the van's back seat
and using the wireless headphones, press the RSA button on the rear
seat console. You should be able to hear the DVD on the headphones,
while the car speaker's are playing the MP3 signal. Verify that all
the factory RSA functionality still exists. One bonus: depending on
the RSA setting, selecting Channel B on the Wireless headphones
will allow the rear seat passenger to hear the MP3 player on their
wireless headphones, even if you decide to listen to something else
on the van's speakers.
If the above doesn't work, check the
wiring using a multi-meter.
7. Installing female RCA ports
permanently into the vehicle trim.
This is the step that provides a
"factory" look to the aux input connection. You could just skip
this step and have 2 RCA cables (and one toggle switch cable)
dangle loose out of the trim, but I wanted a near-professional
look.
Once the interim test is completed
successfully, attach a 3 foot RCA male-to-female extension Cable to
the AAI-GM12. I wrapped the AAI-GM12 device in thin soft insulating
material. I then taped the wrapped AAI-GM12 to the back right side
of the console cavity out of the way of the radio to eliminate it
bouncing around and making noise inside the dash.
Drop the 3 wires (1 black toggle
wire and 2 RCA cables) inside the cavity behind the radio and have
them come out near the floor where the DVD and cigarette lighter
wires harnesses are located.
Using a pair of "chassis mount RCA
jacks" (one red, one white), drill 2 suitable sized holes right
underneath the center of the coin holder. Do not drill the holes
too low as it will interfere with the support bars of the DVD
player below it. If you can purchase screw-on mountable RCA
connectors that are female on both sides, great, because it will
save you some time/money/hassle by avoiding the need to solder
wires in the next step.
Because I could only easily find
mountable RCA jacks that had to be soldered on the backend, I
didn't want to directly connect the RCA cables coming from the
AAI-GM12 to the mounted RCA jacks that are installed onto vehicle's
trim, as this would make it difficult to completely remove the trim
in the future. I therefore purchased speaker wire that that was
terminated with male RCA ends (Speaker wire allowed for easier wire
splitting and soldering to the RCA jacks). I cut about 8" from each
end and soldered the +/- wires of each RCA wire to the back of the
two mounted RCA jacks.
I then drilled a third hole about 5"
inside (right wall) of the coin holder for the AAI-GM12 toggle
switch. It is an unattractive switch, and there was no reason to
expose it on the dash.
8. Test again
Repeat the tests to confirm that the
soldering was successful.
9. Replace the Trim, using the
Master Sheet from Step 1 (in reverse order).
10. All done.
Knowing what I know now, and
assuming I had all the tools and parts before I started, I believe
I could accomplish all of the above steps within 2-3 hours, start
to finish. The total cost was less than $100CDN (which would have
been much less if I shopped in the US).
How to Listen to an MP3/IPOD when
there is no DVD in the player
-----------------------------------------------------------
As owners of the Pontiac Montana
(with factory RSA and DVD) already know, the only way to switch to
the DVD signal is if there is a DVD disk already inside the player
- or - if there was a game system previously attached to the three
DVD Player's front RCA jacks. The latter would cause "Track 99" to
show on the radio RDS display. Only if the DVD player senses a
VIDEO (not just audio) signal, will the radio "CD/AUX" button cause
control to switch to the DVD, which is needed for the AAI-GM12 to
work.
This poses a minor issue when I
wanted to listen to my directly attached MP3/IPOD device. If there
was no DVD symbol on the radio's RDS display, I was not able to
switch to the MP3 device, since the CD/AUX button will not switch
to it.
There are two possible workarounds.
The easiest workaround would be to place a DVD inside the player
and leave it there. Unfortunately this will likely mean that the
DVD disk would be continuously playing even if no one was listening
to it (because the AAI-GM12 toggle switch was set to AUX1).
Another, less convenient but perhaps
preferable solution, is to temporarily connect a video source (such
as a game system, or an IPOD with a video cable/signal) to the DVD
player, in order to get the DVD symbol and "Track 99" to display on
the Radio RDS display. Once you see the DVD symbol and Track 99 on
the Radio RDS display, it will remain there "forever" until you
insert a DVD disk. "Track 99" will even remain when you disconnect
the game system or IPOD from the DVD player's RCA jacks and even
after you turn off the vehicle. The point is that once I had "Track
99" displayed, I no longer needed to have a DVD inserted into the
player before the CD/AUX button would allow me to switch to a DVD
(and MP3) source.
Either way (DVD Disk or "Track 99"),
once I had the DVD symbol displayed on the RDS display, I could now
switch to the MP3 Player by pressing the CD/AUX button on the
radio.
Installation Tools Needed
-------------------------
I purchased all the required tools
and supplies from Canadian Tire, The Source by Circuit City and
AutoValue. Items from "The Source by Circuit City" can also be
purchased from Radio Shack in the US, using the same product
numbers.
Trim Tool (Powerbuilt #648544) -
Canadian Tire
Multi-Meter
Ratchet set (including spinner with
at least 7mm socket)
Wire stripper
Soldering gun/solder
Drill and drill bits
Supplies Needed
---------------
1. PAC AAI-GM12 Auxiliary Input
Device (purchased from Matrix Trading in Canada). If you are in the
US, you have more sourcing options to choose from.
2. 18 Gauge wire (Buy orange to
indicate that it will be carrying power. 10 feet is more than
enough).
3. Fuse Holder ("Parts Master
Tapa-Circuit #00505" from AutoValue).
4. RCA (male to female extension
cable #4202353A from TheSourcebyCircuit City).
5. RCA Speaker Wire (Product
#4202445 Speaker Cable with male RCA ends from TheSourcebyCircuit
City).
6. Chassis mount RCA jacks (Product
#2740852A from TheSourcebyCircuit City).
7. Tape - I used black Gorilla-brand
Tape.
8. Electrical tape.
9. Wire Butt connectors.
10. Ground Loop Interrupter
(Optional) available from various sources, including Crutchfield -
"PAC SNI-1").