CD Changer

Make yourself familiar with where things go.

Begin the installation process by clearing out the front trunk. It is also necessary to remove the spare tire. Next, remove the battery cover and both side covers. Make a note of how these slip into the cowling area as it will make reinstalling everything a lot easier.

Take a moment to look around the battery area and familiarize yourself with what will be done. The battery hold-down is on the left side of the battery. On the wall between the trunk and battery, to the left of the battery, is the lug that you will be using for the ground wire (already attached in this photo). Below the ground lug is a rubber plug that the CD Changer wires will be passed through.

To the right of the battery, on the back firewall, is yet another rubber plug. The CD Changer wires, just installed, can be seen passing through the plug in the right hand photo.

You are now ready to begin the installation.

Step 1. Slide the battery over.
Remove the battery hold-down. After removing the hold-down set it aside and slide the battery over to the left. Doing this will make it much easier to run the wires from the head unit to the CD Changer.

Step 2. Move to the interior of the car.
After moving the battery, the most straightforward progression is to start with the interior of the car by removing both the driver's side carpeted panel and the head unit. After removing the head unit the keys may be removed. This is done by pressing on the blue retention lever while extracting the key. It's a two handed operation.

Caution! There is no need to remove the existing connectors from the radio. Should you accidentally remove power it will be necessary for you to enter the radio code in order to complete the installation process.

Step 3. Running the wires.
First, route the radio end of the supplied cable up to the now empty radio slot in the front console. The dual width connector can be plugged in without removing the existing connector. Note that the new connector can only be plugged in one way.

After plugging the connector into the radio DO NOT reinstall the radio. We will do that later. This helps to make sure that there is enough slack to remove the head unit at a later time.

Step 4. Continue routing the wires.
Route the other end of the cable out the rubber plug. To do this take an X-Acto knife or similar tool and cut a small X from the trunk side. Be careful as this plug may push all of the way through the firewall. If it does it's not a big problem so don't get too concerned if it does happen. After cutting the X take a screwdriver or similar object and poke it through the plug and into the footwell area. Look under the dash and locate where the tool sticks through. Pass the 3 free connectors through this location. Be sure to run BEHIND the gas cable. On my car there was a black Tie Wrap with enough clearance to act as a guide. Once all the free ends are passed through go to the trunk and pull all of the remaining cable through. Again, use caution or you may pull the rubber plug free. For now, leave all of the excess wire laying in the trunk.

OOPS. OK, you didn't listen and the rubber plug either pushed all the way in or got pulled all the way out. What we did during the group install when this happened was to push the entire plug all the way through to the inside. Then, someone from the inside of the car presses it flat against the firewall through the insulation while a helper goes around the outside of the plug to work at locking it back into place. It only takes a minute or so to get it re-installed.

Step 5. Install the ground wire to the firewall.
First, remove the nut on the grounding lug identified earlier using the 13mm socket. Then, locate the brown grounding wire supplied with the CD Changer. This wire has a spade connector on each end. The smaller of the two spade connectors gets attached to the changer. The other gets grounded to the vehicle. The problem here is that the hole in the spade connector is too small.

The simplest way to deal with this is to take wire cutters and make a single cut in the center at a point opposite the wire. Next take a pair of needle nose pliers and spread the opening apart just a little bit. After removing the nut on the grounding post the connector may be pushed on. If it is still too tight it may be 'persuaded' by using the 13mm socket to press it on (the socket will slide over the post while pressing on the spade connector). The nut may then be replaced. Rotate the connector so that the wire is aimed in a downward direction prior to tightening the nut.

Step 6. Loosen the back wall carpet.
It is now necessary to partially remove the carpeting running along the firewall where the CD Changer will mount. Take a large flat-blade screwdriver or similar tool and work it down behind the carpet next to the larger plugs on the rear wall. Pry these plugs out. There is no need to worry if these larger filler plugs break as they will be discarded.

Note: Carefully remove and set aside the smaller plug as this will be needed later.

Step 7. Continue running the cable.
With the carpet pulled away from the wall cut an X in the rubber plug identified earlier. Pass the ground wire as well as about 10 inches of the CD Changer cable through this opening.

There is a pre-cut slot located below the leftmost carpet plug. Pass the ground wire and about 6 inches of cable through this opening. Route the remaining cable in front of the battery. Wind up all of the excess and use a Tie Wrap or similar item to neatly bundle the excess wire in the open area to the left of the battery.

Step 8. Secure the battery.
Slide the battery back over to the right and re-install and tighten the hold down. Replace the carpet under the weather strip. Also, replace the carpet plug that was set aside earlier.

Step 9. Install bracket attachments.
Locate the 2 small U-Clamps. Although it may not be readily apparent there is a proper orientation to these. One side has a set of notches while the other side is smooth. The notched side is what gets placed in the front set of small slots at the edge of the CD Shelf.

The front edge where the bracket goes has two slots while the back edge has 3 slots. Place the clips in the front two slots. The open end should be facing up and towards the front of the car.

If the carpet is too tight to do this easily then take the X-Acto knife and cut a small lengthwise slice at each edge at the front of the opening.

Step 10. Prepare to attach the changer to the bracket.
We are almost ready to attach the CD Changer to the bracket. If the label on the bracket will be visible you may remove it if desired. Acetone (nail polish remover) should help in this task. Remove the green shipping tape from the changer as it is easier to do this now instead of after attaching the changer. Also, rotate both arrowed indicators located on the sides of the changer to point toward to front (soon to be the top) of the changer. Finally, remove the 2 shipping screws located on the side that fits against the bracket.

Step 11. Attach changer to the bracket.
Locate the 6 small hex bolts. Four of these bolts go through the bottom of the bracket and into the changer. The remaining bolts go through the left side of the bracket and replace the shipping screws that were just removed. Place the ground wire over one of these last two bolts prior to installing and tightening it.

Step 12. Attach the changer to the vehicle.
Locate 2 of the captive press nuts and place them in the openings in the carpet and into the wall. Plug in the changer to the audio and control wires paying attention to the color match and orientation.

Slide the wires underneath the bracket while at the same time placing the front edge of the bracket into the U-Clamps. Press the bracket down firmly in the front to make sure it is fully seated in the U-Clamps.

Take 2 of the hex bolts and finish installing the bracket by bolting it in place using the captive press nuts. You may have to press hard to get the holes to line up.

WARNING: If you have a car equipped with PSM then the bracket must be modified by cutting away the part that would rub on the hydraulic lines. It is also necessary to remove portions of the plastic that serves to cover and protect these lines. Though most of the areas to be cut are readily apparent please use due caution when doing so.

Step 13. Almost Done!
Re-install the head unit in the front console. Also, re-install the carpeted side panel. On the trunk side make sure you haven't forgotten to tighten everything back up that needs to be. Re-install the two side cowl covers and lastly the battery cover.

Ready to test.
Place one or more of your favorite CD's in the cartridge, printed side down. Open the CD Changer door and insert the cartridge. Turn on the radio and use the 'S' button to select the CD Changer (identified as CDC.) At this point the changer should be working. If not, go back and make sure everything is plugged in and has power. If it's all working just install the spare tire and enjoy your new CD Changer!