Audio System Upgrade Information

[ms_enj]

Hi Everyone.

First post-itis, so please bear with me.

I'm Elyse, I live in Western Australia, recently purchased a 2011 Kizashi XLS, and have started working on upgrading from the Rockford Fosgate headunit to the Garmin Everest Navigation unit fitted to the 2013 Kizashi and SX4 models.

While I'm still waiting for my brand new unit, dash garnish, GPS antenna, and other installation accessories to arrive (at a cost just shy of $1000), I've started working my way through the 2013 Kizashi service manual in order to establish what I'll need to modify when installing the unit.

I'll be adding a non-original microphone to the overhead console (as the wiring is already there), a reversing camera, the extra navigation system wiring, and possibly the phone controls to the steering wheel, which weren't fitted to my car from new. As my car doesn't have some of the necessary connectors in it's wiring harness, I'll be adding some of my own to the head unit.

Either way, I've compiled all the techincal information relating to the electronic side of replacing a stereo in a Kizashi, and which connectors do what and their pinouts should you wish to modify them to suit an aftermarket head unit.

All the documentation is available here on my Google Drive.

Included there are colour copies of the complete wiring diagrams from the service manual for all variants of Kizashi audio systems, and an 8 page booklet that I've put together that identifies all the audio connectors on the car's wiring harness and gives pinouts and their functions, along with a few other tips.

Feel free to share that link around - I'll be updating that booklet with more information as I go along.

I'll be posting photo updates in here once things start arriving, so until then, stay tuned!

[bootymac]

I was considering doing the same but the lack of information deterred me. Thank you so much for compiling and sharing your resources! Please keep us updated on your progress

[~tc~]

I'll have to check this out. I don't like the way mine uses the speaker outputs and want to change the amp.

[murcod]

Welcome Elyse.

I did something similar and fitted the 2010 model Kenwood Navigation Unit (I got my hands on the genuine factory upgrade kit - to suit the XLS, ironically...) to my 2011 Touring. That included all the necessary wiring loom interfaces, microphone, dash parts etc. The wiring loom adapter wasn't "plug and play" due to the wiring differences between the 2010 Prestige and 2011 Touring (ie. Rockford Fosgate head unit with external amplifier vs mine with normal head unit and internal amplification.)

I didn't have to contend with adding the steering wheel controls - I just answer calls by using the head unit touch screen.

You'll have a lot of wiring ahead of you. Good luck.

[SamirD]

Awesome of you to share this wealth of knowledge!

[ms_enj]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

I have just uploaded another release of the main guide - Suzuki Kizashi Audio and Navigation Systems.pdf, with additional information on the pinouts and access to the RF audio amplifier and the circuit diagram of the steering wheel controls.

If there is any information any of you personally need, please request it in this thread and I'll do my best to find it for you.

Welcome Elyse.

I did something similar and fitted the 2010 model Kenwood Navigation Unit (I got my hands on the genuine factory upgrade kit to suit the XLS... ironically) to my 2011 Touring. That included all the necessary wiring loom interfaces, microphone, dash parts etc. The wiring loom adapter wasn't "plug and play" due to the wiring differences between the 2010 Prestige and 2011 Touring (ie. Rockford Fosgate head unit with external amplifier vs mine with normal head unit and internal amplification.)

I didn't have to contend with adding the steering wheel controls - I just answer calls by using the head unit touch screen.

You'll have a lot of wiring ahead of you. Good luck.

Thank you! Glad your install turned out OK. Fortunately, my XLS has almost everything I need already in it, even if it's unused for the Australian market. Up until the end of the 2012, there were only two audio system variants here, and I've only seen one or two with the Kenwood navigation system fitted.

For the 2013 model year, the Rockford Fosgate system was fitted to the the two lower models (replacing the previous non-amplified system on the base model) and the highest model comes with the Garmin navigation headunit but no external amplifier.

The extra wiring won't actually be that bad. I have passthrough harnesses to suit the amplified and non-amplified systems already, so I can modify them to suit my install. My biggest hurdle is sourcing the right connectors for the rear view camera and navigation control inputs... I haven't yet been able to find the originals at RS Components or Farnell, and I expect they'll cost a small fortune for single quantites.

Worse comes to worse, I'll just open up the Garmin unit and piggyback some generic connectors on to the existing ones, so I can retain plug and play ability. There's only four wires plus the reversing camera video cable to add... Everything else I'll need is already at the connectors behind the original headunit.

I can say empirically that the Rockford Fosgate headunits output line level signals only - I removed mine and popped the lid, and they don't have any form of internal amplification.

I intend on using a Scosche 4 channel adjustable speaker to line level converter between the new headunit and the RF amplifier. They use a transformer and loading resistors on each channel and are a considerable step up in quality from the simple voltage divider line level converters that Suzuki used to fit the Kenwood navigation systems (and the one used on the Scosche SI06B harness).

If I lose any sound quality, then the next step is to build some small buffer and line driver PCBs and add real line outputs to the Garmin unit.

The Kizashi's audio system is pretty straightforward compared to my last car - A Holden VE Commodore (known in the US as the Pontiac G8). Myself and a group of other enthusiasts actually had to take software dumps from the EEPROMs inside the head units, and work out how to modify them in order to change the VIN lockout and allow headunit swaps and upgrades between cars. The Kizashi stereos aren't even on the CAN bus, so they're basically just a nicer fitting aftermarket unit from an electronic perspective.

[sx4rocious]

you know your stuff!! glad to have you aboard!!

[murcod]

Can I suggest if you need to use a line level converter that something like this http://www.davidnavone.com/cat_adaptor_products.htm might be worthwhile looking at? I've never used one, but have read a lot of good things about the audio quality from his products, compared to other mass produced equivalents.

This place http://au.mouser.com/ might possibly have the type of plug you need. But the prices won't be cheap. Perhaps try searching wreckers too, that head unit has been out for a while now and I think is used in a few different Suzukis?

PS: Can I ask why you opted for the 2013 "standard fit" Navigation head unit instead of the optional Kenwood/ Eclipse units? The Kenwood and Eclipse wouldn't have any of the custom plug issues you're running into and they also have line level outputs standard. You'd also have a larger display with them.

[ms_enj]

Can I suggest if you need to use a line level converter that something like this http://www.davidnavone.com/cat_adaptor_products.htm might be worthwhile looking at? I've never used one, but have read a lot of good things about the audio quality from his products, compared to other mass produced equivalents.

This place http://au.mouser.com/ might possibly have the type of plug you need. But the prices won't be cheap.

That's always an option. If the LOC doesn't work well though, I'm more likely to just add real line outs to the head unit instead. Have done it to several OEM systems before without any issues.

PS: Can I ask why you opted for the 2013 "standard fit" Navigation head unit instead of the optional Kenwood/ Eclipse units? The Kenwood and Eclipse wouldn't have any of the custom plug issues you're running into and they also have line level outputs standard. You'd also have a larger display with them.

I don't really like the Kenwood units. The unit itself and the interface look aftermarket. I also couldn't find any other double din units from other manufacturers I liked, despite a lot of searching.

On the other hand, the Suzuki Garmin unit looks plain and OEM, it's got red button lighting, the user interface is black, white, and red to match the dash lighting, it's very responsive, and it's got a few other really nice features, like integrated bluetooth (meaning I can get rid of that dealer-fit cockroach on my windscreen), full voice control (which I had on the Parrot Asteroid system in my previous car) and an excellent iPod control interface, including a "Find Similar" button, which is something I've been chasing for years.

I don't really care much for the inability to watch DVDs or add rear screens, or anything like that. For me it's about having the things I use daily work well, and after playing with it, the Garmin unit manages to tick virtually every box for me.

The plug issue is really not much of an issue. I'm an electronics engineer, so I'll find ways around it easily enough.

[sx4rocious]

David Navone pretty much pioneered auto sound. His T-type Buick Regal set just about every sound challenge record there was in the late 80's early 90's. The guy really is amazing, so I couldn't imagine his products to be anything but. Look fairly inexpensive also...