Murphy5156

I recently purchased an iPod portable mp3 player. Anyone out there tried to "hard wire" on of these into a 2002 Maxima? I know some newer Head Units have an Aux Input in the back to plug such a device in to. Does this car have such a thing? I'd rather check before I start ripping out the dash looking for it. I could always use those lousy cassette adapters to list to it in my car, but I'd prefer to use an Aux Port if there is one. THANKS!!

studman

There is no aux input on either of the stock HUs in the 2002/2003 Max.

However, there is a hookup for a CD Changer on the BOSE system. To my knowledge, no one has attempted to tap the CD Changer's wires to the HU and see if they can get it to work. I've asked many dealers in my area and they said they didn't even know if the in-dash 6-disc changer would work if they added the "Nissan" CD Changer. They don't have the extra changers in-stock, and I'm not willing to spend $550+ for a CD Changer that may not work.

There is nothing in the ESM that says that they CAN'T, but there is also nothing that says they CAN. The ESM also doesn't state whether the external changer will work with the non-BOSE stock HU. There also is nothing in the owner's manual that states that you can use both.

Now, the following are ASSUMPTIONS. There is NO PROOF that this will work. But here's my THINKING...

If there was a way to utilize those CD Changer wires, I'd test them with the factory changer first to see if the HU would allow 2 changers to be used at the same time (and how to distinguish between the 2). Then I would go exploring with a volt-meter from there to identify what types of signals are travelling on the 3 data wires from the changer to the HU. I'd assume that it would be CD TEXT, track number/timer, etc coming from the changer to the HU. I'd also assume that it would be the "next track/previous track/play modes/disc change/etc" coming from the HU going back to the changer. I would check to see what happens if those signals are not present.

If those signals are required in order for the HU to identify the changer, then you'd have to somehow duplicate them as well.

If those signals are not required, then I'd play a little bit with the actual CD audio wires to see if the signal can be tapped.

Again, I'd assume that the HU would require the signals from the changer at all times, so you'll have to find out what data is being sent, and how it is sent (format, serial/parallel, voltage-based, etc) and try to emulate it. One the "luck" side of it all, you could wire up an aftermarket device to use the factory changer controls, display CD TEXT, and turn on/off the device. But the actual chances that Nissan/Clarion/BOSE took the time (in the design process) to specifically allow us to do something like that is SLIM. But I'm not for ruling it out completely. I'd love just to have 2 CD Changers in the car. 6 Discs is not enough.