Kizashi Club

Hi, I am finally after 4.5 years of ownership going to install the FM Modulator. (The sire on the Sirius antenna to my lifetime service Sirius box broke). I have looked at all of the threads on modulators, antenna power connections, etc. And what I gather is that following.

1. To install the modulator I'll need a two piece antenna adapter unit with the modulator such as: http://www.metraonline.com/part/40-HD30 . I'll remove the antenna cable to the existing head unit, plug it into the first piece adapter, plug the modulator into the first piece adapter, then plug the other piece of the adapter into both the modulator and the existing head unit where the antenna cable currently goes. And then - and this is the possible issue - I'll connect the two blue wires of the two pieces on the 40-HD30 adapter TOGETHER. There was a thread where someone said that Metra said to do this. I imagine that since the head unit currently supplies power through the existing antenna cable, and that this power is separated out into the blue wire, that the blue wires connected will bring that power sufficiently back in (the modulator itself, excluded from this connection, either does not need the power or has it through a parallel (?)). I intend to use plain electrical tape to wrap the connected two blue wires.

2. What was confusing about the threads here is that people have recommended buying a one piece antenna adapter unit such as the 40-HD10. I believe this is ONLY good if you are replacing the head unit entirely and the new head unit has a traditional input. In that case, then, I believe you would be looking to connect the blue antenna adapter wire on the single piece to a 12 volt power supply (and from a diagram someone posted I think I would be looking for a brown wire at post #17 of the main harness input into the existing head unit for a splice tap to the Metra antenna adapter's blue wire - but no one has stated the wire color and wire location of the appropriate power source).

Comments, concurring or dissenting, would be appreciated.

I purchased an ISimple modulator a couple of years ago and plan to install it. It gives me two RCA inputs and there is a separate adapter to purchase to get a 3.5" input, which will give me the Sirius access and is the purpose of the quest. I see the Scosche is #1 purchased on the Amazon list and it includes a stick on end for the 3.5" input. Anyone who did this have an opinion on the quality?

Looking again at the diagrams, I think I might be looking at the #17 grey wire to tap for the antenna booster if I had the nav system. We just have the standard Panasonic head. So I think I would be looking to try to tap the black antenna wire directly. Wish someone had covered this before.

Well, I started modulator (IS32 Tranzit, which has a USB charge port in addition to a 3.5 mm) installation tonight. First pulled out the AC faceplate, easy as people have noted here.

Then took out the two screws holding the head unit. They were further back than I had expected and so this was much more difficult than I had expected. There are holes in the front plastic allowing the use of a very long Phillips screwdriver. I did not however have such a screwdriver. So I wedged by hands around in there with a smailer Phillips screwdriver and was eventually able to get those screws out. Lost one screw down in the gap in the process.

Pulled the radio and identified the 12 volt white power wire going into the main radio harness, and spliced into that. Used the Honda antenna adapter (I did need both pieces as noted above) and threaded everything into the glove compartment through the spaces in the back. Made the connections, and everything seemed to be working perfectly. Head units and face plates back in.

Now I'll need to figure out where to put everything. The little ledge in the glove compartment is a perfect resting place for the modulator and it will allow access to its switches. However, the wires really should get out of there for better access to the 3.5 mm, the USB, and the switch.

Finished installing the ISimple IS32 Tranzit today. One half of the little shelf in the glove compartment has been re-purposed for the modulator and a bunch of wires. They stand hidden behind the little ISimple flaceplate which holds the modulator switch, the USB charger receptor, and the 3.5 mm input. The other half of the shelf can now hold an IPhone or other device while it is recharging and if the other device needs the 3.5 mm input into the speakers then it has it right there.

The old Sirius radio with lifetime service, input into the 3.5 mm, sounds fantastic through the speakers. The modulator uses one of two frequencies on the FM, and the modulator switch is there in case you need one of those frequencies.

Few notes: (1) lost a screw on installation - substituted a 3/4" size 10 diameter wood screw; (2) have not drilled any holes to get the wires from the head unit and car antenna into the tray as there seemed to be a small space which fit the wires perfectly without excess binding - to protect the wires from friction I wrapped electrical tape around them and wedged them in there; (3) tapping into the white wire on the end of the main head input harness works for a switched connection - everything turns off when the other accessories do.

I am also putting the new Sirius antenna under the front windshield in one of those beanbag GPS holders. The old antenna got cut somehow in the car wash, which triggered this whole endeavor. So far the Kizashi's rakish front windshield does seem to allow good reception but I won't know for sure until I've drive a lot with it there.

By the way, this set of wiring diagrams linked by ms_enj really helped: https://doc-0s-a0-apps-viewer.googleuse ... print=true

You can see the numbers on the harness quite appropriately go left to right as you look at the harness from the top (head unit bent down, resting on the car's shift lever). The white 12 v acc wire is the one I was searching for using this diagram - and at least on my harnesses, the wires did match up to the diagram.

First days of running with the Sirius through the 3.5 mm input installed in the glovebox, and the Sirius antenna on the dash in a beanbag holder. Wedged in there under the glass on the drivers side, the Sirius antenna works well and the reception is excellent. No need for a roof mount. At first the 3.5 mm cord was not pushed in completely and I thought something was wrong because the Sirius played only through the right speaker. After I pushed the wire in completely, it was all beautiful Sirius sound.