Aux cable help

[Cov_Lee]

You definitely need resistance across the two outputs. The headunit doesn't display "AUX" now, and simply extending the pins with wires isn't going to signal the headunit to enable it; it checks for current across the two and if it's there, it enables the AUX output.

Trust me; I built my own cable the hard way

I just used that basic cable in the link - can't recall there being any resistors or the like when I fitted mine a couple of years ago. And that was to a 54-plate, July-2004 built 3.0i fitted with a later MP3-playing basic business headunit from a facelift Z4/X3. Works perfectly and AUX displays and was enabled.

I guess for an extra £2 it might be worth folk getting the extra doodahs just in case.

It sounds like you got lucky and your later head unit was 'aux enabled' already. Can you remember if you used to be able to select aux as an option before plugging in your cable?

The guy I spoke to seemed pretty knowledgeable and summed it up as:

If you can already select aux on the stereo then aux is enabled so you can just plug and play with that cable you posted (and my initial post in this thread).

If aux is not already a selectable option (e.g. it just goes radio --> CD) then you either need to get dealer to enable aux (£££) or perform the resistor bit sk93 is talking about, and then you can plug and play with that cable - otherwise you will plug it in and still not be able to select aux.

OR

If aux is not already a selectable option, you can get slightly different cable that takes basically pretends to be your CD changer, but instead goes into an aux cable. This method once connected then adds an extra option to select aux input (although might be called something different as it thinks it is CD changer) without needing dealer 'aux activation' or messing about with resistors.

This is BM3 on this page --> http://www.mt-audio.co.uk/index.php?p=13_4

This summarises what I was told, and hopefully helps those struggling with the options. I'm still yet to get my cable so could all be b*llocks if I can't get it to work!!

 

[a11y]

It sounds like you got lucky and your later head unit was 'aux enabled' already. Can you remember if you used to be able to select aux as an option before plugging in your cable?

Ah, does indeed sound like I got lucky

I couldn't say for sure if my headunit was aux-enabled previously as I didn't fit the cable to my original headunit. I bought a replacement headunit (an MP3-playing unit from an X3) via ebay and fitted it with an aux-in cable immediately, before installing it in my Z4. I guess I should thank the previous owner of the headunit for having it aux-enabled then as I got lucky!

I guess this probably means my original Z4 headunit won't be aux-enabled as I can't recall having the AUX as a selectable option.

 

[sk93]

Theirs no way the standard Z4 head units should have "aux" enabled without a cable connected - not unless they've been opened up and modified internally.
I've got a post-facelift Headunit in mine now (for the mp3 support) and on this one and the 2003 one, they both require bridging of the outputs.

Trust me - I've taken one apart to try and figure it out

 

[Stuart Truman]

Maybe yours was modded by the previous owner who tucked the cable out of site somewhere? Have you looked on the quad lock to see if there are wires on the relevant pins?


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