Cheap Mod: DIY AUX Input in a 2005-2008 Factory Head Unit

Just wanted to say thanks for the details on this mod, OP! I have the non-JBL changer and I was able to follow along and make this work! Well, mostly.

I've tried 4 devices with varying results. I tried a Zune HD and it flat out rocked! I had a tiny amount of "bleed thru" from the CD that was playing, only enough to hear between tracks. I recorded a CD-R with just a "silent song" and it's perfect. Sound was clean and clear with it; no static nor hiss. Then I tried a Samsung Intensity. It came through very static like. I had it's volume cranked, along with the HU as well. I was using a little 2.5/3.5 adapter. Next I tried a Nook Color. Nothing, nada, zip. Decided to try my laptop and it played just like the Zune. Now, each of those devices plays fine w/a set of powered speakers inside the house. They also play fine over a small set of headphones. I just assume that the Intensity and Nook just don't have enough power to play well.

Just odd, as I'd expect it to have worked for all devices. Regardless, for a couple feet of wire and a dab of solder, this was a nice Sunday afternoon mod! I did have to buy a stereo jack, which I mounted on the back of the small tray to the right of the steering column. Makes it clean as I can stick the Zune and the cable in there still connected, easily out of sight.

Edit: Picked up a little Sansa Clip Zip player for $40, for running and listening in the truck. Plugged it in and it rocks! Even with an audio CD "playing", all I hear is the Sansa - even on the dead quiet parts. (I'll retry the Zune as well, as I swear I heard some bleed through.) With the Sansa, I can stick the whole thing in the coin tray and it's totally out of sight. I'm currently thinking how to install a mount for it to clip to. I'll post up pics when I get that figured out.

For anyone attempting this who's not much into soldering, tin your leads! Take your stripped wire and twist it nicely and heat it w/the iron while applying the solder to the wire. I usually heat the wire from below and apply solder at the top. Done right, the solder will just melt into the wire for a nice clean lead. That makes it much easier to get a clean connection w/o a giant blob. There's good videos on YT to show how. The key is not to use too much. Practice before you work on the real deal. Old VCR's, computers, etc all have plenty of practice ops.

 

Just did this mod and it works great. I had a little static at first but it was from a sub-par solder job on the ground wire. After I added some more solder, it works almost perfectly. The only imperfection is that if I intentionally shake the aux cord between the port and my phone, it makes a static noise... I doubt driving conditions would ever shake the cord as much I did but it bothers me a little. Does anyone know if this is most likely the cord I'm using, the port, or the soldering or am I overtesting?

I just found an aux port from a 2009+ tacoma and retrofit it into the coin tray underneath the steering wheel. It looks like it's always been there and works great.

 

Most likely from the cord. Mine start doing that when they are about to go out.

 

So did this mod on a 2006 JBL head unit. Felt like I did it perfectly, all the solder points were good, and everything went smooth. Plugged in my phone and it is VERY quite. In order to not max out the input I have to have the phone at about half volume and the head unit MAXED out. Also I noticed the sub not really getting a signal or maybe it was just very very low, but I couldn't turn anything up anymore. Tried it on 2 different Samsung phones and had the same luck.

Could I have connected something wrong? Has anyone else has this problem?

Thanks,
Dan

 

I run my iPhone at max volume and my head unit around 15 to 30 depending on if I am alone or not in my truck. I have noticed that one click up on my phone is about the same a 5 clicks up on the HU, so to keep the HU volume low, I max out the phone volume. Not sure if this will solve your issue, but I do the same thing with my wife's factory installed aux line in on her Honda CR-V, and I have experienced this in several rental cars with factory set ups in them. Max out the phone/ipod player volume and leave the HU at about 1/2 volume and adjust only the HU.

 

I can't max out the volume without out the signal getting distorted, at about half volume is when the distortion levels are minimized. Then I have to crank the head unit just to hear it.

Does anyone know if this mod works like a headphone input, or more like a line-in input.

Dan

 

Put this mod in last weekend, and it works great!! Me and my buddy spent a few hours on this (with a pizza break in there) and once we got it all wired and put back together, plugged in the music, and sat there speechless. He told me later that he had no idea it would work, considering how awful of a soldering job it was. But hey, it works now!

 

I just did this mod... I thought I messed up the terminal by getting it too hot, but I re-soldiered to the board anyways and put everything back together and it works! Sound is perfect too! I'll post a pic tomorrow of how and where I mounted the jack. Thanks again for the write up!

 

Not that it matters to anyone on here but, if you want a good ground brown wire in the radio harness is ground for the radio I tested it and hooked my ground up there. All you have to do is splice it in. I will post pics and how to do it when I get a chance. What ever works is good I suppose.

 

I might try that if i ever take my radio out again.

 

Gave this ago tonight! Works like an F-ing dream. Thanks for the excellent write up. Took me about three hours but I used a POS coldheat solder iron. Which is a absolutely horrid solder iron for this. Saved me the bucks on a new stereo. Certainly hopes it holds up. I uh had a few screws left over, but I am pretty sure there are redundant. Pics below

 

Here's a pic of where I mounted mine. Since the double cab has the airbag sensors in the seats, that spot is empty.

 

Just wanted to say thank u guys so much. I just bought my truck and I was in need of this mod. Works excellent no problems so far.

 

Good to hear, and welcome to Tacoma World!

 

so i noticed that there is static coming from my passenger side speaker. what could the problem be? any suggestions on wat the problem could be ans how to fix this? thanks again

 

.

 

I know that some people have said they get sound from the CD that might appear to be static. If that is the case you might try burning a cd with no sound and using it instead. I think you just have to google "silent tracks" and you should be able to find something you can burn.

Keep us posted...

 

No I am using my htc rezound phone and Idk if it is the cd cuz I pause the music on my phone and I dnt hear any static and wen I star bumping again there it is again. The louder the music the more I hear it.and it's weird cuz my drivers side works perfect and the only static I hear is from my passenger side speaker. Maybe it could be the soldering? I could post pics of everything if necessery

 

But I will definately try the blank cd thing tho. Thanks

 

If you download a silent track, make sure to fill the CD so that it doesn't cycle often, as you'll hear that sound. I just recorded my own silent track - a single one to fill the entire CD. I disabled my mic in Windows by right clicking the audio icon and selecting recording devices, then disable. Then I opened sound recorder and started it. 74 minutes later, I stopped and saved the file; that was the limit for the disc I had. I then burned it as an audio disc. Good to go.