How To: Install Mazda3 Factory Sirius Satellite Radio Tuner

[RedRaptor]

Guide Removed By Author.

[ahhh]

how much did the whole sha-bang run you?

[bluntman]

Good work RR! Thanks for the write-up!

[OT]Majic has an \'05?

[majic]

good write up bro.. and a nice setup.. waaaaaaaaay better than FM and lol.. so many hick stations.. :D

umm what\'s with the club .. are ya gonna whack someone with it or was that for entertainment purposes ;)

blunt, yah.. mine is an \'05.. got it in nov of 2004

[SourcE]

is it possible to get it for 04 models without the SAT button?

[majic]

afaik, no.. it\'s what\'s behind the SAT button (and how it\'s programmed internally).. this was teh whole purpose of swapping the HUs

at least now i don\'t have that useless \'SAT\' button on mine.. :D

[wtom]

Awesome write-up and congrats on the gains, RedneckRaptor :p

[wab8611]

so what was the total cost????

[Illmatic]

Nice! I\'ve been seriously thinking about satellite for quite a while now!

Anyone else out there with an \'05 head unit who might want to swap for an \'04 and cash?

[wtom]

Guys all you pay for is the Satellite Radio Tuner, which per this link (http://www.finishlineperformance.com/cgi-bin/shopper?preadd=action&key=MAZ31051) is U$338. If you have an \'04 model 3, there may be extra cost when swapping the head unit with an \'05 owner.

[RedRaptor]

wtom is right. If you have a 2005 Mazda3 you are already Sirius \"Ready\". You can find the factory Sirius tuner at Trussville Mazda for $312 USD here (http://www.trussvillemazda.com/PartsStore/index.cfm/results/Parts/2005/Mazda/Mazda).

Then you can do the install yourself and follow my guide or you can take it to Lockdown for the install. My advice is to save yourself some money and install it yourself.

The best part is that all Sirius tuner (OEM or aftermarket) is like a cell phone that has a unique ESN/Sirius ID. If someone steals your Sirius tuner, all you do is call up Sirius and tell them its stolen and that tuner will be disabled forever. So its useless for someone to steal your Sirius tuner.

Red

[rktsci]

RR.....how did you run the antenna to the top of the dash? That\'s the only thing that I can\'t figure out from your pictures....or will it be pretty obvious when I open things up?

[BIG AL]

I\'ve been trying to get this info for weeks. No one has been able to tell how to do this. Great job RR.

[m_a_t_r_i_x]

redraptor, how much is the monthly subscription?

[MAZDA Kitten]

I was told at FutureShop that Sirius will be available in Canada in fall \'05 and monthly subscriptions will be 9.99$ if I remember correctly... then again its FutureShop Audio so sometimes they are not too reliable.... :sarc

[RedRaptor]

I\'m currently working on writing the How-To for mounting the antenna since a lot of people have asked for it.

Subscription for Sirius (US service) is $12.95 USD a month. If you convert it back to CDN, thats about $15-$16 a month depending on the conversion rate.

MK: Yes it is true that both Sirius and XM are coming to Canada this fall/winter. Sat radio tuners for cars and home should be available as soon as Oct/Nov 2005. The advertised price for the \"Canadian version\" of XM and Sirius is $9.99 CDN + tax. However, the \"Canadian version\" is NOT the same as the US service. It will have CBC stations, about 5 stations of French programming(which is A LOT since Sirius US only has 3 spanish stations and we all know how many Spanish people there are in the US) and it will NOT include the full US service line up. Sirius Canada will probably censor out stations like Stern\'s stations which is coming in 2006. I don\'t know about you guys but the last thing I need is the CRTC telling me what I can listen to and what I can\'t. My person opinion is, boycott Sirius Canada and subscribe to Sirius US.

Red.

[BIG AL]

Raptor is right. Canadian Sirius will have 80 stations (8 Canadian and 72 US) versus 120 in the US with more being added later this year and next year. All Canadian stations will be availlable in the US but not all US stations will be available in Canada. The CRTC has given licenses for XM and Sirius on the condition that they must provide one Canadian station for every nine US stations. Once again the Canadian government is trying to control your access to information and entertainment. Remember that the next time you vote. If you want real satellite radio get the US version and vote with your wallet. All you need is a US address and a credit card.

[SoopaBanana]

Huh? I wasn\'t even aware that there\'s Canadian Sirius... I used an US address...

Btw what are your likes and dislikes of Sirius?

[swales]

Originally posted by SoopaBanana


Huh? I wasn\'t even aware that there\'s Canadian Sirius... I used an US address...

Btw what are your likes and dislikes of Sirius?

Well really there isn\'t yet. They\'ve been given the green light to go ahead with the service but it won\'t be available until around Dec.

[BIG AL]

I picked up my \'06 M3 Sport GT (Copper Red Mica) last night and I would like to have the Mazda Sirius Satellite system installed as soon as possible. The part number Raptor listed is for the \'05. I contacted a dealer in the US to order one, they told me that they would not gaurentee compatibility with the \'06 model and there is no part number available yet for the \'06. Has anyone had one of these systems installed in an \'06?

[RedRaptor]

Part 2: Sirius Antenna Placement

Here is how I ran the antenna wire and placed the antenna on the dashboard.

http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/5660/satradio217ey.jpg

http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/1011/satradio206jr.jpg

http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/3446/satradio229zh.jpg

http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/452/satradio235vq.jpg

http://img384.imageshack.us/img384/8219/satradio246rf.jpg

[RedRaptor]

Originally posted by BIG AL
I picked up my \'06 M3 Sport GT (Copper Red Mica) last night and I would like to have the Mazda Sirius Satellite system installed as soon as possible. The part number Raptor listed is for the \'05. I contacted a dealer in the US to order one, they told me that they would not gaurentee compatibility with the \'06 model and there is no part number available yet for the \'06. Has anyone had one of these systems installed in an \'06?

I doubt anyone can help you with that right now. Most of us don\'t even own a 2006 Mazda3, nevermind own a possible 06 OEM Sirius Sat radio kit. The 06 has a different HU so I wouldn\'t be surprised that it requires a different Sirius Kit, although my guess is that the existing kit should work fine on the 06 HU.

You can be the pioneer on this and report back to us when you\'ve found out more.

[BIG AL]

I\'ll post the details as soon as I can confirm the information.

[BIG AL]

I contacted Mazda North American Operations in Irvine CA. They confirmed over the phone that the Satellite Kit for the \'06 is the same as the \'05. I ordered the kit from Trussville Mazda in Alabama as per RedRaptor\'s link. A friend of mine in the US will deliver it to me next week. (NO PST, NO GST, NO DUTY). I will arrange with Jeff at Lockdown to install it next Friday. I\'ll let everybody know how it goes after the installation is complete.

[RedRaptor]

Originally posted by BIG AL
I contacted Mazda North American Operations in Irvine CA. They confirmed over the phone that the Satellite Kit for the \'06 is the same as the \'05. I ordered the kit from Trussville Mazda in Alabama as per RedRaptor\'s link. A friend of mine in the US will deliver it to me next week. (NO PST, NO GST, NO DUTY). I will arrange with Jeff at Lockdown to install it next Friday. I\'ll let everybody know how it goes after the installation is complete.

I am sure all 06 owners will be happy to read this. However, not to take business away from Lockdown any other company, but why not install it yourself? You\'ll save some cash and you\'ll learn so much more about your car.

[BIG AL]

Hey Raptor,

your point is well taken. Unfortunately for me, I am not a technical person. I have never been good at mechanical or electronic work. Lucky for me there are lots of people who are good at these things. I was very impressed with how you installed the Satellite kit yourself but I would never try anything like that because I would be too afraid to screw it up. I tend to break things rather than fix them, especially when things aren\'t going well. I have anger management issues.

[BIG AL]

I received my satellite radio kit today however the dealer (Trussville Mazda in Birmingham, Alabama) sent the wrong installation kit. They sent the kit for the RX-8 (0000-81-K02 instead of 0000-81-K02A). I have all the hardware needed but not the installation guide. Thanks to Raptor that\'s not a problem. I downloaded the install manual that he provided. The only thing I don\'t have is the owner\'s manual for the radio operation. I\'m sure I\'ll manage but it would be nice to have a copy if Raptor would post it. I\'ll be at Lockdown tomorrow at 10:00am for the installation which I\'m sure (I hope) will go smoothly.

[RedRaptor]

It is now 7:30PM on Thursday night and I am still at work. Sorry Big Al but I am not expected to be done until past 10:00PM so I can\'t help you out on this one. Especially if you need it tomorrow. I can get you a copy of it this weekend if you like.

Red.

[BIG AL]

Hey Raptor,

that\'s great. This weekend fine.

[BIG AL]

The installation of my satellite radio is now complete. Jeff and the crew at Lockdown completed the installation Friday morning with no problems. The installation was extremely well done. I was very impressed with the professionalism of everyone at Lockdown. Customer service was first class and the work was done quickly and cleanly. Jeff even figured out a way to install the unit without removing the dash. My radio works great and I highly recommend Sirius satellite radio. Once you turn it on you\'ll forget about regular radio. If you plan on purchasing a satellite radio kit save yourself the cost of the installation kit. It\'s not necessary. Download the installation guide that RedRaptor posted. That\'s all you\'ll need. You won\'t have an owner\'s manual so you\'ll have to figure out how to use the radio controls on your own. That should take about two minutes. If you\'re concerned about the fact that you don\'t have a US address don\'t worry about it, you can make one up. Sirius does not check your address they just want your money. Some people think paying for radio doesn\'t make sense. That\'s not true. It costs the same as about one CD per month and the music is better than anything you\'ll hear on free radio. Once you listen to satellite you\'ll understand.

[RedRaptor]

Congrats on getting Sirius. :) Why don\'t you post some pics of Lockdown\'s install for the rest of us to see. I would love to see and know how they installed the unit without removing the dash. Maybe a set of pictures and a quick how to for your install would be a great way to give back to the coummunity. :D

Guess you don\'t need the owner\'s manual. Everything is pretty easy to figure out on the OEM Sirius Unit.

Enjoy.
Red.

[BIG AL]

Unfortunately I didn\'t take any pictures of the install but I will ask Jeff to explain how he ran the satellite cable without removing the dash. I\'m very happy with the installation and I think if it can be done without removing the dash than there is a time savings as well as avoiding potential problems associated with dash re-and-re like squeaks and rattles.

[RedRaptor]

So where was your radio tuner mounted? Behind the glove box or by the gas tank as on the Mazda installation guide? If the tuner was installed behind the glove box I don\'t see how the glovebox wasn\'t removed, but I\'m interested to finding out. :) How is the antenna cable routed?

[BIG AL]

The installation was done more or less as shown in the installation guide. The receiver is mounted in the wheel well and the cable runs under the kick plates on the passenger side. The antenna is mounted exactly as shown in the instructions. Although I didn\'t do the installation myself it seemed fairly easy for someone who knows what their doing. There were no problems during the installation, everything went smoothly. The installation is very clean and all cables are out of site under the panels.

[LOCKDOWN-P5]

Hello Everyone

Thank you to Big AL for the positive feedback, much appreciated!

We followed the instructions pretty much to a tee in terms of installation of this radio, thereby guaranteeing that if there ever was a problem (extremely unlikely) that Mazda would be aware that it was done according to their specs. The removal of the glovebox was one thing we did not have to do, due to our knowledge of the Mazda3 from previous vehicles we have done. We routed the cable from the rear fo the radio down the side of the centre consol (footwell area) and ran the cable under the carpet then down the doorsills area to the rear of the vehicle. This eliminated the need to remove the glove box.

The tuner box was mounted in the passenge rear quarter panel, so all the panelling back there was removed to allow the tuner box to be mounted. The antenna was placed on the rear of the vehicle, in the factory recommended location near the third brake light. All in all it was a pretty standard installation, and would be an easy DIY job for somebody who has some tools and a general knowledge of how to remove/re-install the panels in their car.

I agree whole heartedly with Big Al when he says that Satellite Radio is totally worth the money! The convenience factor of always having good music on hand, seeing all the artist names, song title, and sports scores, and the abscence of commercials is a HUGE plus in favour of Satellite Radio!!

A definite MUST HAVE for any music or sports fans out there, not to mention HOWARD STERN fans as of January 2006!!

Regards

Jeff Bates
LOCKDOWN Enterprises Inc.

[SABIO]

Maybe someone can tell us what it really costs.

I want-would like Sat. radio. How much... parts and installed?

And whats this about a US address... just pick one out of a phone book?

[swales]

Originally posted by SABIO


Maybe someone can tell us what it really costs.

I want-would like Sat. radio. How much... parts and installed?

And whats this about a US address... just pick one out of a phone book?

Cost of the parts depends on if you want oem or aftermarket parts. I would say go for aftermarket (I did) as the oem parts are way to expensive and are outdated. The oem parts are going to cost you around $300usd while most aftermarket Sat units won\'t cost you anymore then $149usd (but can be had for cheaper depending on features etc, I think Jeff has some $99 cdn units). The monthly subscription fee is $12.95/month.

For the US address, you can just pick ANY address and pay with a Canadian credit card. Don\'t worry, they don\'t send any personel info to the address, just promo material. Also, when it comes to picking a US address, pick one that doesn\'t charge tax, like NY, Montana, Oregon etc so your monthly fee won\'t be taxed ;)

[BIG AL]

I have to disagree with swales about the oem satellite units. Granted, the aftermarkets units have some features that the oem units don\'t but the eom units also have some advantages. I like the fact that my satellite radio is fully integrated with my in-dash radio and I don\'t have a second radio control unit. It\'s easier to operate one unit vs two when you\'re driving. I also like the fact that the radio control functions on my steering wheel are fully operational with the satellite band on the radio. If you mount the third party control unit on the dash or console it may get in the way and it doesn\'t look good. If you don\'t mount it than it gets tossed around in the car when you\'re driving. You have to think about what appeals to you about either option and make the choice that suits you best. There are advantages and disadvantages with both choices. One thing is for sure. Once you have satellite radio you\'ll forget about am and fm. You can\'t loose.

[swales]

I agree Big Al, the oem set-up is nice because of the steering wheel controls etc, but the set-up Mazda is using is outdated and the fact that only 1 line of info is available on the screen is pathetic. If the oem set-up had a screen like in other cars (GM, Ford etc) I would be all over the oem version. I have my unit installed in my ashtray compartment and I have no problems switching channels etc, as it has 30 presets so it\'s just a push of a button, and the volume still works with the steering wheel functions so it\'s all good. I think for less then half the price of the oem unit, I would give up one feature...steering wheel station control and at the same time gain many other useful features.

I do agree though, no matter what unit people get, they\'ll love Sat radio :D

[cyber]

Originally posted by swales


I agree Big Al, the oem set-up is nice because of the steering wheel controls etc, but the set-up Mazda is using is outdated and the fact that only 1 line of info is available on the screen is pathetic. If the oem set-up had a screen like in other cars (GM, Ford etc) I would be all over the oem version. I have my unit installed in my ashtray compartment and I have no problems switching channels etc, as it has 30 presets so it\'s just a push of a button, and the volume still works with the steering wheel functions so it\'s all good. I think for less then half the price of the oem unit, I would give up one feature...steering wheel station control and at the same time gain many other useful features.

I do agree though, no matter what unit people get, they\'ll love Sat radio :D

Do you have any pics of how your Sat radio is setup?

I would be interested in seeing how it is mounted and how you were able to get the volume control on the steering wheel. PIcs would be great thanks in advance!

[vasco]

whats the part number and if i order it from a canadian deler can i still activate it for american chanells?

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Originally posted by cyber



Originally posted by swales


I agree Big Al, the oem set-up is nice because of the steering wheel controls etc, but the set-up Mazda is using is outdated and the fact that only 1 line of info is available on the screen is pathetic. If the oem set-up had a screen like in other cars (GM, Ford etc) I would be all over the oem version. I have my unit installed in my ashtray compartment and I have no problems switching channels etc, as it has 30 presets so it\'s just a push of a button, and the volume still works with the steering wheel functions so it\'s all good. I think for less then half the price of the oem unit, I would give up one feature...steering wheel station control and at the same time gain many other useful features.

I do agree though, no matter what unit people get, they\'ll love Sat radio :D

Do you have any pics of how your Sat radio is setup?

I would be interested in seeing how it is mounted and how you were able to get the volume control on the steering wheel. PIcs would be great thanks in advance!

both swales and i have the sirius starbase. you can check out my installation here - Sirius Starbase Install (http://www.siriusbackstage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=27763)

in that link, i\'m using the FM transmitter that plays through a radio station. the volume is controlled the same way as all the other inputs - either through the steering wheel or the volume knob.

if you choose to install the aftermarket satellite unit through an aux input (either the AUX-MOD which goes through the TAPE/MEDIA button, or the PIE mod which goes through the CD Changer input), the volume is still controlled the same way.

[MicroDude]

hey i\'m from quebec and i\' planning on getting sirius also but what i\'m wondering is can we still get the US signal since sirius canada is here? we can only get it if we activate online? which staes have no tax? does california have a tax i have family there so i would use there address..

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Originally posted by MicroDude


hey i\'m from quebec and i\' planning on getting sirius also but what i\'m wondering is can we still get the US signal since sirius canada is here? we can only get it if we activate online? which staes have no tax? does california have a tax i have family there so i would use there address..

the Sirius signal is \"north america wide\" via the 3 satellites in orbit. what determines the channels you get (i.e. Canadian vs. USA) is where you buy the radio.

Canadian-bought radios have the firmware for the CDN channels (the firmware they get is based on the SID of the radio).

US-bought radios have the firmware for the US channels plus 5 out of the 10 Canadian channels.


SIRIUS is proud to announce the launch of SIRIUS Canada, broadcasting 100 channels of the best music, sports, news and entertainment to our neighbors to the north.

As a result, SIRIUS listeners in the U.S. will have five new channels to enjoy:

* Bande ÃÂÂ* part // Ch. 93 - A unique, cutting-edge perspective on the emerging French-language music scene.

* CBC Radio 3 // Ch. 94 - The place to hear the best in new Canadian music first.

* Iceberg Radio // Ch. 95 – An eclectic blend of adult alternative Canadian music.

* CBC Radio One // Ch. 137 - National and international news and award-winning documentaries that spotlight Canada’s cultural, social, political and regional diversity.

* Première Plus // Ch. 138 – Thought-provoking news covering current affairs at home and abroad. - source: www.sirius.com

Canadian channels (contains the other 5 that the USA doesn\'t get (http://siriuscanada.ca/chan_can-e.htm)

Note that there are 5 USA channels that Sirius Canada doesn\'t get (i.e. Love, BackSpin, Hot Jamz, don\'t know the other 2) AND the Howard 100 and 101.

The beauty of having Sirius in Canada is that the ground repeaters are up and running and, in areas where the satellite signal would dropout before, the radio seamlessly switches to the ground repeaters. (helpful for users who are running the US service).

all other info can be found somewhere on www.siriusbackstage.com

[Xenon]

This is a question that TheBiz or FLIPSPEED can answer:

Now that satellite radio is in Canada, and has been for a few months, are the 2007 or even the 2006\'s have the option of getting the OEM satellite radio with their car? or how about as an accessory?

If I do go through my plan to upgrade my car in 2008, it would be nice to know that I can get satellite radio right off the lot, with the OEM reciever and antanna already in the car.

[RedRaptor]

Xenon,

The OEM Sirius Radio unit is an accessory right now in the USA. All you have to do is order it from a US dealer/retailer (www.onlinemazdaparts.com) and have them ship it to you. It comes with full instructions on installation so you can take it to Lockdown or a Mazda dealership for the install.

What is so hard about this?

But I guess since you\'re getting a new car in 2008 anyways, you will want to ask the dealership to include a $300 USD accessory + at least $100 of labour for the install, then goodluck.