Connect your iPod (or other MP3 player) to the Factory Audio System

Applied Vehicle(s): Infiniti QX4 Difficulty Rating: Estimated Labor Time: 1½ hours Written By: rwardell Estimated Total Cost: $20.00 Find related tutorials and information on your vehicle in NICOclub’s Nissan Forums & Infiniti Forums

This is a cheap and easy way to connect a 3.5mm standard head phone jack to the factory Bose head unit in an Infiniti QX4 in place of the CD player, thus allowing you to connect any external audio source.

First, load the Factory Service Manuals (FSMs) for both the Body & Trim and the Electronics System. These will give you instructions on where to pry to remove the trim around the head unit, as well as all the wiring diagrams for the head unit itself.

Tools/Supplies Required:

-Small Flathead screw driver covered in cloth (denim works well) or plastic no-mar pry tools to remove trim

-Phillips head screwdriver #2 to remove screws securing trim/head unit

-Small screwdriver to help remove electrical connectors

-Knife/Box cutter to remove shrink tape from harness

-Wire cutters

-Wire stripper (optional)

-Butt connectors/Electrical tape

– 4 OR 6ft 3.5mm-3.5mm audio cable (head phone jack on both ends)

-Drill (optional)

STEP 1: Set the parking brake and using a key/screw driver depress the shift lock button and pull it back to 1st to give yourself some room to work with, cover the center console with a blanket or protective material to prevent scratching of the trim.
STEP 2: Remove trim. Follow the FSM instruction to remove trim by removing the vents above the head unit, then the rest of the trim.
STEP 3: Remove head unit by un-screwing the four screws at top and bottom.
Step 4: Cut and peel back the shrink wrap on the wiring harness that connects the disc changer to the head unit:

*It’s the smaller top left plug when looking at the back of the unit
STEP 5: Cut the blue and green wires about 1.5-2″ away from the connector (less if need be) and strip the insulation from 1/4″

*The striped wires are negatives and can be wired together.
STEP 6: Cut one of the ends of of the stereo cable and strip wires. (neg will be the un insulated RT will be red LT will be black in most cases)
STEP 7: connect the red wire of the audio cable to the solid green harness wire, connect the black wire to the solid blue wire and connect the ground to both striped wires.
STEP 8: secure connections to harness and tape exposed wires. route audio cable down and out of the console or drill a hole in the cup holder and rout the cable through the whole.
STEP 9: Re-install head unit and trim
Step 10: For the best sound – set your iPod’s volume to maximum and stereo volume to minimum. Then connect to the newly installed headphone jack, push the CD button, and play the audio on your iPod.

Post modification observations:

-Works well to connect external source without interference of an FM transmitter/modulator.

-The maximum volume is not as loud as FM maximum volume due to the lower input power from the iPod

-Must be a CD in the changer for input to work, CD changer no longer works since we cut the wires.

Overall I prefer having the iPod connection over the CD player, but, for some, this may be a deal breaker. The only solution I have thought of is to use a tap splice to connect the headphone cable rather then cutting the wires and having the CD player paused when you’d like to listen to your iPod. As far as the volume goes, if it’s not loud enough for your taste then you may purchase a pre-amp or a new system all together.