Pendarus

I just bought a Metra Axxess XIA-DO1, with an Ipod cable and XM radio. The unit has 3 inputs (RCA, IPOD, Sat Radio). It connects to the AUX button and allows full control of the Ipod and Sat Radio from the HU with text.

They recommend disconnecting the battery before installation. Do I need to do this? The harness is plug and play with no wire cutting or splicing. I assume the radio is not powered with the key off.


Has anybody used this unit? Should I disconnect the battery during install?

I will try to get some pictures of my install. I plan to mount the XM antenna on the package tray under the felt. I have read here that reception is good and the channels in the steel are just big enough to hold the antenna. The Axxess module and XM receiver will get mounted with 3M velcro beside the HU in the center stack.


What is in the kit.
Ipod dock cable
XM Radio control and Audio Cable
XM Receiver by Terk W/ Antenna
Ford Mustang Radio Adapter Harness (Plug and Play)
Axxes Moudule

This is a picture of what came in the kit.

whs

Go ahead and disconnect the battery, it probably isn't necessary since you aren't going to be splicing any wires.

Do you haven an update? I'm interested in knowing how well this kit works out for you. I'll probably pick one up if you have good luck with it.

Pendarus

Well I started tonight and had to stop and put it back together. It got too dark....

I did disconnect the battery. I saw in a post the radio has a constant 12v source, and I did not want to chance damaging anything. I wish the negitive lead had more slack, I ended up placing a piece of cardboard over the battery to keep the negative cable from touching the terminal.

Good news is I now know how easy it is take apart the center stack!

I will restart on Sat. I have to work a little then I will do the install in the warehouse indoors.

nonstopred

keep us updated, I wanna get this!

Pendarus

I installed it on Saturday. Put the XM antenna under the package tray, ran the wire down the passenger side under the sill. I put the XM reciever on the right side of the center stack, and the Axxess box on top of the HU. I ran the Ipod cable under the center console into the storage compartment.

So far it works great! Sound quality is fantastic!

The XM is very easy to use. The Ipod integration is a bit complicated. The instructions are generic and list buttons not present on the Shaker. I will post more once I have figured it all out.

nonstopred

wait where is the package tray you speak of? is this the rear deck in between the 2 speakers?

whs

I believe that is what he is talking about, I found somewhere that someone hid theirs under the carpet.

Pendarus

Exactly! I took out the trim panel on top and put the antenna in a channel in the steel panel. Totaly stealth! Reception is great! I read somewhere that XM needs a large metal surface under the antenna to get the best reception. Something about a ground plane, if I remember right.....

Some pictures I stole from another thread. Thanks to whoever these belong to. I hope you don't mind me reusing them.

nonstopred

wow, so it works fine through the cardboard? my brothers is on top of the rear deck, Im suprised that it works through there. GREAT JOB!

Pendarus

There is a XM radio signal broadcast in most major cities and the XM can work with out the Sat. The real test will be a run to Vegas, when it is using the Sat only.

whs

I didn't have any problems running my XM antenna on the dash of either my Mustang or Trans Am. If the signal is strong enough to pass through the glass it shouldn't be degrade much by carpet or cloth.

presto

how hard is it to remove the carpet in that area?
that carpet looks like it has melted over where the xm antenna is....

whs

Have no idea about removing the carpet, I think it looks that way due to the print on the glass.

Currently I've got everything done except for the XM antenna installed under the carpet.

ShowGT

I also ran my antenna thru the car and using velcro, black/charcoal interior with the black turd as we call it is tight as a bug stuck in the rear window. No issues or problems.

Pendarus

Not too hard.... Take out rear seats, remove side trim, remove package tray. I think there are 3 fastners holding the side trim and 4 holding the package tray. I broke 2 and had to get some from my dealer.

Here is a PDF with the the exploded interior trim.

http://bradbarnett.net/service_man/B...loded_View.pdf

whs

Finally buttoned everything up tonight. I decided to cheat and ran the antenna through the square hole, it dropped down into the channel under the carpet. The antenna wire was ran through the holes in the body, through the passenger side trim to the tuner.

The tuner was mounted with superlock fasteners (kind of like a heavy duty velcro) to the console on the passenger side. The axxess box was also attached with the superlock fastener up above the radio. Ipod cable was fished through to the glovebox.

I had considered attaching both boxes to the radio but decided against it because of potential cooling issues. I also found an intersting installation kit at BestBuy that is made by bracetron, it employs a sliding lock mechanism. Installed the Ipod mount in the glovebox in the same location as the other Ipod adapter.

presto

I ended up just sticking the antennas(Sirius and XM) through the square hole w/o removing the carpet. When I looked at my rear window I realized that I was seeing the Carlite sticker on the window
Thanks for the PDF.

Pendarus

Identical to the way I mounted my XM tuner and Axxess box. Only difference, I ran the Ipod cable thru the center console to the armrest storage area.

Pendarus

The XM radio works like a regular radio so I will not post the instructions. The iPod instructions that come with the unit are all wrong and not for a Shaker 500.

Correct Instructions for iPod:

Corrections I made from my experience are in blue.


How do I control the iPOD from my Factory Radio?

1) Select the iPod by pressing the “AUX” button until iPod comes up. If you want to go to iPOD input (while in XM mode) just turn off the radio for 2 seconds and then turn it back on.

I found that pressing the "Aux" Button 3 times will switch between the connected inputs. No need to switch off radio.


2) Seek Up and Seek Down will track up or down within the folder you are in. At the end of the folder the track will start
from the beginning.

3) Press #6 to enter browse mode. To browse your iPOD from your factory radio buttons you will need to use the up (^) or down (v) buttons. These buttons will allow you to browse through your iPod through a variety of browse options. The options for browsing are Artists, Genres, Playlists and albums. For example, if you want to search Genres you will press the ^ button 2 times. Once you find the one you want then press the Preset #4 button. Now use the up (^) or down (v) buttons again to scroll thru the categories. Press the Preset #4 once again to make the selection. You can exit the Browse mode at anytime by pressing the preset #6 button.

4) Preset #1 will allow you to track backwards thru your playlists.

5)

Preset #2 will allow you to track forwards thru your playlists.

6) While not in browse mode, press the ^/v buttons to see more info about the song plays. You can press ^/v to scroll
thru the following categories of info on to be displayed on your radio. It will display this in line 2 of your factory radio
display.

The options are (in this order):

• Song Title
• Artist
• Genre
• Playlist

7) Pressing the Scan buttonwill play 10 seconds of each track on your iPOD until the button is pressed again.

8) Preset #5 will toggle (on/off) shuffle. It will shuffle the songs playing of the folder you are in

Can I still use the Buttons/Click Wheel on my iPOD with this interface?

This interface deactivates your iPOD rotary control for safe driving operation.

They added an option to use the click wheel. Unplug and re-plug the iPod while restarting the iPod with the "Menu-Play" combination. This will display "IPOD CNTRL" on the HU and you can select and play songs on the iPod using the click wheel.

mixedbreed02gt

i tried this on my 2002 Mustang GT, but it didn't work very well as my rear window was tinted at 5%, and having to go through the tint, and the microfiber rear deck was just too much for the signal.

so i ended up getting on Sirius' website, and a guy with a trans-am, suggested I put it in the cowl vent between the hood and the windshield.

this worked perfectly, and I get clear and perfect reception without any signal interruption.