I got the specified connector and pins to connect to the rear AUX input. I crimped the pins to 3 wires and installed them in housing per the diagram posted here earlier. I soldered the 3 wires to a 3.5mm female jack per a standard sterio wiring diagram. I moved the XM audio cable from the front AUX to the rear and turned everything on. In the set-up menue I enabled the rear Aux port and sure enough I had XM. However, it didn't sound right. When I ajusted the balance control to the right, I got everything to the right. Going the other way it was muted and the sound seemed to come from just the center speaker on the dash.

Also, the entire display was blank except when i changed volume. Then a small display would show indicating the level. It would disapear after a few seconds of inactivity.
The whole thing was rather disapointing.

Sounds like you have a wiring error.

As to the rear aux thing... mine either says rear aux or a blank screen. The reason for the blank screen is that it it looking for a video input (for something like a back up camera)

If the wiring diagram for the radio's connector is right then the 3.5mm sterio jack they sent me is wrong or defective. The connections between the two are wired correctly.

Even if it does work, I'm bummed by the blank screen. No clock, no temp, no A/C display. It looks like the Aux input was more for A/V use not just audio.

The Sterio jack i bought turned out to be mono even though the bag said sterio. Just got the right one and will try again.

yeah... that actualy makes sense... of course you shold have noticed that the plug only had two wires instead of three.. *g*

Acutally it had 3. It was a closed circuit type where 2 contacts are shorted together when there is no pin pushed in.

Anyway, the new jack lets the XM work correctly and balance and sound are normal.
The front of the radio looks cleaner with no cable plugged in and now that jack is available for other portable devices.

As for the blank screen, it is blank when the car is not moving but shows settings and adjustment if you tweak them. It also displays normally ( "rear Aux" across the display) if the car is moving. If it stops moving, in gear or not, the display blanks.
I don't know if it is displaying what is on the Aux video input (nothing) when stopped but reverts to std display when moving or what. I didn't check to see what it does in revearse if you are going slow, like if you had a rear camera.

Acutally it had 3. It was a closed circuit type where 2 contacts are shorted together when there is no pin pushed in.

Anyway, the new jack lets the XM work correctly and balance and sound are normal.
The front of the radio looks cleaner with no cable plugged in and now that jack is available for other portable devices.

As for the blank screen, it is blank when the car is not moving but shows settings and adjustment if you tweak them. It also displays normally ( "rear Aux" across the display) if the car is moving. If it stops moving, in gear or not, the display blanks.
I don't know if it is displaying what is on the Aux video input (nothing) when stopped but reverts to std display when moving or what. I didn't check to see what it does in revearse if you are going slow, like if you had a rear camera.

There was rather a debate about video in motion on the american vs asutralin head unit.

One of the few consensuses was that the video input works if you are below 5 mph, but does not if you are above.

Mine is blank, like displying the non-existant video in if I'm below 5 mph or so but displays the noral radio and control stuff above that speed.

I did mine from the front aux jack. The sound is poor quality and it reduced the bass to nothing. I would consider it flat with no bass and the treble is not very good either. The bass bothers me the most. It just sound like a very cheap radio now.

why not do your direct connection through the fm antenna i did mine this way and it sounds perfect ..

G8V8... how is the sound quality/volume on the rear vs the front line in?

You have to turn it up a bunch compared to normal settings on fm or cd. Sorry, that would be the front aux I'm speaking of.

Ghouse, did you buy a kit for connection? Explain please.
thanks

I had matched the XM volume to the other sources so that not an issue. Front and rear volume was the same. I think sound quality was about the same. I've tweaked the EQ to add some depth to it so overall it is not too bad. I don't know if it is the XM or the front and rear AUX inputs that seem somewhat frequency limited. I wish I had gotten a more upscale XM unit than the Express EZ. I need to plug something else into the front AUX jack to see what it sounds like to know if it is the source or the AUX input.

You have to turn it up a bunch compared to normal settings on fm or cd. Sorry, that would be the front aux I'm speaking of.

My XM has a sound level adjustment in its set-up screen so I could match the volume of XM, FM, CD, etc.

Can you post some pictures of your install?

I'll start another thread so it will be easy for others to find if they are interested.

its called an fm direct adapter there for sirius and xm you can get them anywhere circuit city bestbuy there 30 dollars and they hook inline with your fm antenna . very easy to install you will also have to get antenna adapters there 50 bucks . but the sound quality is perfect !!

its called an fm direct adapter there for sirius and xm you can get them anywhere circuit city bestbuy there 30 dollars and they hook inline with your fm antenna . very easy to install you will also have to get antenna adapters there 50 bucks . but the sound quality is perfect !!

$50 bucks for the antenna adapters? Wow, they're only $15-20 online! I had the wrong ones and need to go get the correct ones so I hope they're not that much......

I was under the impression that the sound quality from FM modulators, even the direct plug-in kind, was inferior to aux connection. Is this not accurate?

That's certainly been my experience. My trip to work has several places where FM transmitters get overwhelmed by local interference and local stations. Plus, it just doesn't sound as good to me compared to connecting to the Aux jack.

I was under the impression that the sound quality from FM modulators, even the direct plug-in kind, was inferior to aux connection. Is this not accurate?

That is very true.

Yes that is generally true... but this car has a crap connector. Direct FM usually will not be overpowered by FM transmission.

wreckwriter fm modulators suck that is the lazy mans way of doing it. fm direct through the fm antenna have great sound with NO static of any kind i did mine its been done for 2 weeks and i ws very impressed with it. aux is very good too but i wanted that open to plug in ipod every now and then

wreckwriter fm modulators suck that is the lazy mans way of doing it. fm direct through the fm antenna have great sound with NO static of any kind i did mine its been done for 2 weeks and i ws very impressed with it. aux is very good too but i wanted that open to plug in ipod every now and then

wen he said plug in modulator he was talking about the wire in kind you are talking about... they are better than the other ones but still not amazing.

OK, Dumb me for asking but I have two questions.

1--where is the antenna connected to on the radio and what typer of adapter is needed?

2--can someone post the link to the thread where the pin out diagram is for rear aux??

Thanks all, Dave