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AUX installation on XC90 2006

105K views 138 replies 39 participants last post by  Hong Kong 
#1 · (Edited)
Dear friends today I install cheapest solution for all XC 90 and similar
cars without AUX input as Volvo didnt up to my car 06.2006 installing
AUX and also we cant play MP3 CD discs in our units or CD changers
as well.

You need only to sold 2 audio wires cable and ground together on
main radio unit (find it on back roof trunk side) and all photos
is here.

When you need to listen phone music just put radio mode on AM
or FM and voila. When you wont to listen radio just pull plug out
of your mobile phone.

I install this today and its work fine. Now I will just pull one long cable
audio to middle box or you can put also wireless small modules cheap
on ebay.

Enjoy finaly long music from your phones, MP3 Players ect...
 
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#59 ·
Im really happy if you found usefull what I learnt and done diy all this years and many really many problems with my xc but very common as you can found it on any worldwide volvo forum allways the same bad quality parts made for Volvo house by others...

Anyway if you live in usa if my idea is too complicated for your experience with soldering im suggesting you to purchase simple module mentioned before in some posts here...I dont remember now name but other members can help quickly...its plug and play behind radio unit. If no one reply with name I will soon. Regards.

Sent from Casio Data Bank 128 Kb 93'
 
#63 ·
Im really happy if you found usefull what I learnt and done diy all this years and many really many problems with my xc but very common as you can found it on any worldwide volvo forum allways the same bad quality parts made for Volvo house by others...

Anyway if you live in usa if my idea is too complicated for your experience with soldering im suggesting you to purchase simple module mentioned before in some posts here...I dont remember now name but other members can help quickly...its plug and play behind radio unit. If no one reply with name I will soon. Regards.

Sent from Casio Data Bank 128 Kb 93'
Thanks again, I did just end up buying a lead and plugged it directly from my Ipad into the socket on the central console then set the sound system to Aux, it was just that simple!! Now I have good quality sound listening to anything I want through Andora :p
 
#60 ·
Problems With My Radio

Hey guys sorry to bring up such an old thread but I was hoping someone could give me some advice here.
So about a month ago I attempted to add the aux cord to my car. Everything was going well until I attempted to put everything back together. I decided I should test it out first before putting everything together. I had a friend hold up the antenna with it completely plugged in. When I turned on the car the radio unit would not turn on at all. After some fidgeting with the positioning of the antenna I was able to get the initial screen showing that it had turned on. However, the screen would go black and no sound would come out. Only the menus would work. Also when I attempted to change the volume the meter would show up but no bar showing where it was as. I decided that I had probably messed up so I went online and bought a whole new antenna unit. Same Problems.
After some reaseach it seems that people have similar problems when their ICM was broken or there was problems with a fiber optic cable around the ICM. Because I never went around the ICM I assume that it is probably a problem with some fiber optic cable around the antenna. What I'm wondering is if there are any ideas out there about what the problem may be? and if so what I can do about it?
Thanks a ton in advance and sorry for the long winded statement.
 
#64 · (Edited)
audio suddenly disconnects

I was able to follow your tutorial and was successful. However, I was wondering if anyone else has encountered this problem. In many occasions, while listening to music from my phone, the audio suddenly stops and in order to make it work again, I have to physically disconnect the aux cable from the phone and plug it in again for it to work. Perhaps the solution could be found if one understands what takes place when connecting the aux line to the phone for music. Does it have to do with some type of impedance and if so, what to do to allow for a constant connection.

Any thoughts?

Thank you.
 
#65 ·
No its happened bcs CEM is sending OFF signal to many modules as Radio, Bluetooth MUTE AEM module for example I have and the same happened to me. For Volvo this is normal. Many times happened only on Bluetooth sound. I have AEM module original VOlvo installed for audio alarm mute remote control access ect...
 
#67 ·
A lot of noise coming from AUX in

Hi HK, thank you for your time in writing this awesome write-up. I have done this mod and am able to get the music playing thru AM, with R9 cut.

My setup i as follows:
- Shielded mic cable, about 6 meters long, soldered to REAN gold plate connectors, female at FM tuner at back of car, male to female to center console.
- Belkin Car Connect bluetooth kit.

Without anything plugged in, I am getting good FM and no AM, which was expected.

When plugged into Belkin Car Connect, I can hear bad noise thru FM and AM. Sounds like high pitch noise that i faint in the background which you can hear when music gets softer. This noise is louder when i turn up the volume on the head unit. I get this noise with both engine running and also when engine is off. When engine is running, i will also hear an additional noise that follows rpm of car.

Did I do something wrong, or is there anything else that i should ground to eliminate these noise?

Any help is appreciated!
 
#68 · (Edited)
No you did right installation like I know over 30 installed like this.

Problem is charging unit for phone or MP3 players in your cases Belkin. Cheap CHinese crap without proper
filtration of DC doing this sound. Try with few chargers or find someone who can built
in electronic better noise suppresion but there is not so much space in cigarette lighter
chargers. I tried with original Samsung for S7 and its better. Only this is reason.
There is also car noise supression filters you can find it in cars shops too. But remember
only problem is power chargers or supply to Phone, Belkin or bluettoth units.

If you attaching mobile phone without charger you must have clear sound without Belkin.
 
#70 ·
No you did right installation like I know over 30 installed like this.

Problem is charging unit for phone or MP3 players in your cases Belkin. Cheap CHinese crap without proper
filtration of DC doing this sound. Try with few chargers or find someone who can built
in electronic better noise suppresion but there is not so much space in cigarette lighter
chargers. I tried with original Samsung for S7 and its better. Only this is reason.
There is also car noise supression filters you can find it in cars shops too. But remember
only problem is power chargers or supply to Phone, Belkin or bluettoth units.

If you attaching mobile phone without charger you must have clear sound without Belkin.
Thanks HK, yes i think the problem is with the Belkin. I tried plugging in directly to a phone, there is not buzz when no charger is plugged in. When i plug into my Amazon basic 2.1amps charger, I hear the same buzz i have on Belkin. I am thinking of building a ground loop isolator, using 2 transformers, or get one. What do you think?

Also, is there a way to keep the 3.5mm jack plugged in and not interfere with FM and the radio take 3.5mm feed only in AM mode?
 
#71 ·
Points where I soldered 2 audio Left and right is Input in complete Chip audio amplifier and
sorry its not possible to separate FM from AM only by buttons on Radio unit.
Try to buy nice radio interference filter and make better filter. Cheap chargers dont have.
You will need to ground middle trafo on car and test point if there or in some other points
on filter will eleiminate buzz.
 
#73 · (Edited)
If you were a master solder you could cut the R9 and solder shielded pair wire, run it to the center console to a push button switch. This will give you the control over your AM function. Basically on/off function. If you were really rambunctious you could create a whole new mini board and tie the 3.5 jack and new AM switch together. This means when plugging in the 3.5 jack into your phone or player it auto trips a relay to turn off the AM function.

Of course don't forget to use shielded wire and if your super worried about RF interference you could also wrap crimped or soldered connections with copper tape. This means cover connection with either electrical tape or heat shrink tubing then after wire has been isolated wrap with copper tape. Do not cover bare wires with copper tape....bad juju if you do.

I think I'll be trying this soon after I do the R brake upgrade. (not the new board but the switch and already excellently described 3.5 plug mod).
 
#74 · (Edited)
thanks for this very informative post and really well documented instruction hong kong. i did the mod with my farther in law who is an electronics enthusiast.

we seemed to be successful but we are haveing a very strange bug:
aux plays on AM but on the right channel sound only comes from the tweeters. no mids, no bass.
FM and cd play completely fine out of all speakers.

if i reverse left and right on the aux cables (before the 3.5mm jack) it doesn't change anything. still left side plays full range. right side only through the tweeters.

any explanation what possibly could have gone wrong? we have no explanation for this.

the car is a x90 2.5T 09/2004 with high performance sound with singe cd-deck only.
 
#75 · (Edited)
You made the mod by breaking the AM audio path and one channel is odd. On the un-modded audio path, everything works fine. When you flip the connections, the problem channel follows. I have had this mod in my car for a few years now, no issue. You'll logically need to re-check the connection on the radio board itself for the affected channel.
 
#77 ·
ok cables seem not to be the cause of the problem.
did some further checks yesterday and found out that not only the mids and bass are dead on one channel (right) but also that i get background sound in FM mode from the new aux when the connected player is still running.
so my wild guess is that we have ****ed up the r9 bridge somehow. can someone confirm that? how can i check if the cut of the r9 bridge was done correctly?

i won't be able to open the radio unit before the weekend, so i want to gather more infor until then to understand that mod a bit better.
 
#78 ·
Me, I would PM Hong Kong to see if he's available and ask for some additional information and/or visuals. He seems to have had a great handle on the details behind making the connections and I followed his instructions when doing my car a couple of years ago.

Can also see http://forums.swedespeed.com/showth...stalling-an-Aux-In-to-XC90-stock-Radio-System (assume you have already viewed this). Hong Kong posted in there as well.

Good luck!
 
#79 ·
Hi I already replied to PM. As I know until now over 20 people installed by this instructions and just few of them had isuee. One is different board but was easy to get on photo
where is both condensator and where to solder left and right chanell and of course ground more close to them. R9 works fine to all people and to me also
years. Please check your amplifier also but remember if you remove any connector under the seats or removing front panel radio unit lower connector
you will receive AIR BAG message and you can cancel it only in volvo service or if you have VIda.
Before working remove key from ignition than negative cable on battery first. When you finish all work first place key in position II. than place back negative
cable on battery. Like this no any messages and all modules will get proper logical state before start.

Remember if you remove any connector dont forget to place it back.

Your isuee must be somehting else if you soldered all good. Please check with nice big lens soldering place if maybe touching el.condensator body...this can produce
same efect...I repeat using small soldering head.
 
#80 ·
thanks for your answers also via pm.
well my farther in law used a small tip on his soldering iron and a light with a big lens, but you never know...

i will recheck everything with my brother who is an audio engineer. i will take pictures and send them to yoo for recheck if we don't find the bug. will also check the cable.

i don't believe the amp has a bug since all other sources still play perfectly fine. i'll let you guys know after the weekend...
 
#82 ·
Im glad to hear that you solved soldering problemm. Yes I wrote many times that here need to be right small head and check
all twice with optical lens. Remember for good power try to find good adapter as many chinese dont have almost any RF filtration
or feritte rings ect...
 
#83 ·
I did this yesterday. I ran the wires down the D-pillar corner, along the 3rd row seat, tucked it under the rocker trim, and fed them through the bottom of the dash to the passenger's side, for now, until I get a drill bit to install the flush mount AUX port.

Has anyone found a good solution to filter out the noise from chargers, or found a good charger and can share a link to buy one? I'm using mine with a Bluetooth kit, and it's my primary reason for doing this. If it weren't for this terrible noise, it would sound excellent... better than CDs, even.
 
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#84 ·
I ordered a 3.5mm ground loop isolator after a lot of research. This seemed to be a pretty common issue with earlier car AUX ports, so there is a lot of info out there. The consensus is this will cure the problem. I'll update my findings as soon as it arrives.
 
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#85 ·
I wonder if using a cable with ferrites on either end would do the trick. I remember having problems with the picture cutting out and getting corrupted when using my Roku in the house until I switched to an HDMI cable that had them. When I get around to doing this project I'll make sure the cable I use has them and report back!
 
#86 ·
So, the 3.5mm ground loop isolator came today. It solves the problem, but creates a new problem...

Now the FM stations can be heard, pretty clearly, but faintly, when using the AUX. Any quieter parts of music, or the silence between songs, and the radio is clearly heard. Since I cut the R9 on the board, it works great on AM mode, but now I lose Dolby Pro Logic/surround sound.

So, Hong Kong... do you know how to cut the FM frequency similar to the R9 for AM? I really don't have any need for FM radio, so it's not a problem for me to lose it.
 
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