[angryRotarian]

I could use some help with getting Sirius into my car. When I bought it, I had a commute that was 3 miles of driving, then all train and subway, so I didn't get the Sirius installed then. Now I'm driving 140+ miles a day, and I wish I had gotten Sirius.

I have a 2008.5 MS3 GT, and I'd like to know whether I should find the reciever and install it myself, or if I could get it from Mazda, and have them install it. I'm willing to pay the money for a good install, but I, like most people, prefer not to be screwed. I'm decent with my hands, and am good with electronics. I just don't feel like allowing them to void my warranty on the interior, its hard enough keeping them from doing so performance wise.

 

[jfoster]

Cant you get an external unit and them use the AUX jack to bring the sound into the MS3?

 

[Mark M3]

If you get the OEM Sirius module you should be able to install it yourself fairly easily. There's a forum where a guy gives a great walkthrough on how to install. I'll add it in here if I find the link. Basically as long as you have the SAT button, it just plugs into the HU unit in the bottom. The guy who gives the walkthrough recommended having the antenna dead centre of the dash up by the windshield so it has a great view of the sky. He just tucked the wire into the dash panels gaps using a plastic putty knife so he didn't cut it. I've seen the units on ebay for about 300 bucks.

Nm, found the link for the install:

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=119295

See what you think, if you have the time, could save quite a bit on install.

 

[angryRotarian]

[quote author=jfoster link=topic=133869.msg2878557#msg2878557 date=1232502300]
Cant you get an external unit and them use the AUX jack to bring the sound into the MS3?
[/quote]

I could, but I'd rather keep things integrated, and as I already have a sat button on my dash, I'd like to use that.

Mazda made me the offer of 420 or so for the unit and the installation. I'm thinking of going with them, as they get no chance to give me any warranty grief, and that might be worth the 150 in labor that it costs extra.

Also, I thought my stubby antenna on top of my car already has the antenna built in. Is this correct?

 

[jfoster]

All the cars that I've seen with Sat radio use an additional, proprietary antenna.

 

[galvatron]

[quote author=angryRotarian link=topic=133869.msg2879742#msg2879742 date=1232550910]
Also, I thought my stubby antenna on top of my car already has the antenna built in. Is this correct?
[/quote]

I wish, you have to add the Sirius antenna.

Be aware that the 08.5+ models use a different unit than 08-. I installed mine myself, the most time consuming part is getting all the interior panels off to route the antenna wire to the rear center of the roof. I honestly wouldn't want a dealer monkey ripping the interior apart, they are more likely to damage it and not put it back together well. I bought the receiver online, I think everything was under $300.

Edit: here's the receiver:

http://www.mazdaparts.org/mazda3-sirius-satellite-radio.html

 

[angryRotarian]

Thanks for the advice. Mazda is offering me the reciever and the adapter for 230 and 90 respectively, minus 20%. That puts me in the mid to high two's after taxes should I decide to do this on my own ( I think I will ).

Why did you go all the way to the back of the car? I saw a step by step on here where it was placed where the dash meets the windshield. Did you find better reception back there?

 

[galvatron]

[quote author=angryRotarian link=topic=133869.msg2880430#msg2880430 date=1232565950]
Why did you go all the way to the back of the car? I saw a step by step on here where it was placed where the dash meets the windshield. Did you find better reception back there?
[/quote]

Some of the rural areas I drive through often have a lot of tree cover, so I need the best reception I can get. I had the the antenna mounted inside the rear window on my old car, which worked well enough, but I wanted the best possible reception. It works really well up there and hardly ever drops out.

 

[kingpin748]

I wouldn't worry about reception mounting it on the dashboard. I'm way up North and don't have an issue with mine. Install is a breeze, the worst part is figuring out where to put all that extra wire Mazda loves to include with there stuff. Cheaper unit here:

http://mazdagear.com/satelliteradioreceiverkit-mazda3.aspx

 

[gkram]

Hey guys,

I just recently bought an '09 Mazda3. It didn't cme with the Sirius installed so I went ahead abd bought on to install myself. The '08.5+ have a different receiver and harness then pre-2008.5.

The install seemed to go along pretty well but now I am stumped at the last step (sigh....)

I am supposed to connect the electro-taps to the PJB J-04 connector. The CAN + connects to the terminal D (gray/violet) and the CAN - to terminal B (blue/white).

Now I am not colorblind. But unless I am totally looking at the wrong connectors (on the under side of the PJB, one is greeg and the other is orange, both 32pin), the wires don't match the wireing on the connector/nor the color coding??? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[galvatron]

It took me hours to find the right harness. Have you swung down the fuse block? Once you find the right harness, it does indeed have the correct colors. I don't recall which it is, but i think its towards the back the fuse block. That was the one part of the instructions that could have been a LOT clearer.

 

[speeedbump]

[quote author=gkram link=topic=133869.msg2990508#msg2990508 date=1236886213]
I am supposed to connect the electro-taps to the PJB J-04 connector. The CAN + connects to the terminal D (gray/violet) and the CAN - to terminal B (blue/white).

Now I am not colorblind. But unless I am totally looking at the wrong connectors (on the under side of the PJB, one is greeg and the other is orange, both 32pin), the wires don't match the wireing on the connector/nor the color coding???
[/quote]

I had this same problem when I installed my OEM iPod integration module (which also requires tapping into the CAN+/-). The colors were off, but it also showed the position of the wires in the harness, which was correct. I've got the instructions and I took a photo of the harness at home, so I should be able to point you in the right direction.

I'll try to update later tonight when I get home.

 

[angryRotarian]

In my car, I had the same problem. I almost cut the wrong wires.

Thank god for illegally downloading the service manual.

There should be three large blocks in the PJB. The one you need to pull out is all the way to the left, pretty much under the radio. It has the wires you need to tap.

There was a plastic latch that had to be lifted, then it came out.

Best of luck!

 

[speeedbump]

I tapped into the CAN wires in my 08.5 in the 12-pin information display connector that goes into the back of the HU.

When viewing from the harness side,

X X X X X X
L J X X X X

L=CAN(-) Blue/yellow
J=CAN(+) Green/yellow

This is what my connector looks like.

In this view, you'd tap the top two visible wires.


There's another pic of the connection to these wires in this post: http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=62624.msg2875225#msg2875225