Jun
I’ve stock navigation which eliminates the aux plug and cassette deck. FM receivers are awful so my poor iPod has been absolutely neglected for all this time. Is installing an adapter even possible without totally messing with the wiring and potentially creating a massive mess of my electrical system? Could I’ve it done in-dash rather than as a peripheral box on the passenger side? And would I be able to get this done through SAAB or would I need to seek out a mechanic? Finally, would this void some or all of my warranty?
Sorry for the plurality of questions. Any help at all is appreciated.
Answer:
I used a WIRED FM modulator in my '01 9-5. Don't be scared away because it's called an FM modulator though. I’ve pretty sensitive ears and the slightest imperfections bug the crap out of me. I tried one of those over-the-air stupid FM modulators, and returned it because it sounded like crap. It was a higher end model too. The wired FM modulator actually plugs into the back of your head unit where the FM antenna plugs in, and then you plug the FM antenna into the modulator. By doing this you get the sound of an FM radio station that comes in perfectly. It’s not quite CD quality, but I really can't tell. This is the model I bought, I would advocate it:
http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/I…
Then I had to buy 2 European adapters from circuit city (part numbers 40-VW10 and 40-VW20). These were $15 each. Basically off the modulator comes a wire for power, which I spliced into my 12v outlet in the dash, and a ground, which needs to be tied into one of the grounds behind the head unit. The power cord has that green two-way switch in it, which I drilled a hole into my glovebox for. I’ve seen people put an AUX plug in one of their switch blanks on the dash too which looks good. I set radio preset 1 to 88.7 or whatever it is and I can listen to my iPod. While the modulator is on and you’re listening to other radio stations I’ve noticed it interferes a tiny but, so I reach in and switch it off when I’m not using it. As for the modulator itself I stuffed it and the excess wire into a sock to keep it all together and so it won’t rattle and stuffed it in behind that cover in the passenger side foot well where the heater core access is. You could probably bring it to a radio shop and they’d know what I’m talking about. This is what most pros use to hook up aftermarket satellite radios to peoples’ automobiles. Good luck and let me know if you want any more info, although judging by the length of this post it should all be there, haha.
Answer:
The feature ( AUX) is not available in the 9-5 but is available in the 9-3 ( 2003 onwards). The AUX plug will be available in the new 9-5 (2010) model onwards. The kit isn’t available from SAAB. I would have recommended to use a FM modulator but you rejected that option. The only solution seems to be a peripheral installation. I don’t think it will void warranty but superior check with an authorised dealer near you. Book Mark it-> del.icio.us | Reddit | Slashdot | Digg | Facebook | Technorati | Google | StumbleUpon | Window Live | Tailrank | Furl | Netscape | Yahoo | BlinkList