I have a 2007 Mazda 3 with the Mazda brand iPod adapter thing at the bottom of the center console (the one everyone hates). I've never used but my fm transmitter is about dead and I am looking for new options.

My question is, is it possible to change this terrible piece of technology to a normal auxillary input that can be used with any device? If not, what are my options?

Tried searching but can't seem to find what I'm looking for.

Thanks for the help!

 

My car is a 2008 Mazda3 and it has a Auxillary output in the bottom of the centre console. Isn't that what you should have as well? I've never heard of an iPod plugin instead of an auxillary jack. Anyway if that is the case then I am not sure how you can change it. My thought is to put an aftermarket deck in place of the stock one. Its super simple to install and probably cost just as much to do so.

 

I wish I only had an auxillary jack. I have the mazda-installed ipod system that conly works with old-school ipods and can only be controlled using the car's stereo buttons. It doesn't even list song titles, albums, etc.

This picture is similar to what is in my car:

http://mazda-3-mps.sgpetch.co.uk/adm...pter_large.jpg

 

The ipod adapter and ACI use the same port on the back of the stereo. When Mazda installed the ipod module they had to uninstall the stock 3.5mm input. You should be able to pull the stereo out, unplug the ipod adapter and plug in the ACI cable. The cable should be somewhere inside the dashboard, probably tied off to another bunch of wires to keep it from rattling around.

 

Ok that makes some. Couple questions though. The iPod adapter was already installed from the dealer when I bought the car new. So there was never a place to actually plug in an aux cord (there is only the iPod adapter cord coming out next to cigarette lighter). What would I do with this 30-pin iPod connector that sits in the center console to make it so an aux cord jack can be used?

I'll try and post a pic when I get home later this afternoon if that doesn't make sense.

 

This whole thing is strange to me. I've never heard of an iPod plugin coming from the car brand new. I'd like if you would take pictures and I might be able to help further.

 

I won't be able to take pics for a few hours but this is what I've got:
http://mazdapartspeople.com/images/M...ion_Module.jpg

The cord comes out of the center console, and when it is plugged in it locks down the iPod and shows a Mazda logo, and the music must be controlled using the car stereo buttons. From what I can see they only had this for a short time period because everyone hated it. This is a copy of user manual for it here

Apparently "genuine Mazda accessory" is code for expensive and useless

 

Ok I finally have a picture to illustrate what I mean. This is a picture of what I have in the center console. Ideally this would just be an aux input, but instead this is what was installed by the mazda dealer before I bought the car.

Any ideas?

 

Sorry for the multiple posts in a row, got some more info.

I did some more investigating and took out the radio to see what it looks like in the back and took some more pictures. The one end of the cord is the 30-pin ipod hookup that sits in the center console, and the other end dives back up behind the air conditioning to the radio itself. I'm not totally sure, but I think the black cord that is insulated with a red cap in the pictures is the other end plugging into the radio. I tried to disconnect it to get a better look at what kind of cable it is but it only comes out a little bit when you pull on it so I stopped for fear of breaking something.

In theory, could I just unplug this and replace the cable with an aux cord that has a female port and run that back to the center console, or I guess just run a male port back through the hole in the center console and plug that directly into an iphone, etc. Does that seem plausible?

Appreciate the help!

 

Ohh wow that's a whole different setup eh. And yea I'm pretty sure that would work. I don't see why it wouldn't. That's a whole lot of work for such a stupid setup that they did for you thinking that was the best idea. But try it out and set it up so that the aux cord works. Or even just plug the aux cord into the back of the deck and see what happens. If it works then away you go and if not then you'll have to do some configuring... Or get a new deck with aux installed in it lol.