09 SL Murano Real story for IPOD connections

[aillon]

Hello Everyone, I am new here. I pick up my 09 Murano tomorrow.

So the only thing NISSAN screwed up with is not making the IPOD connection available in the SL. This is not a hard thing to include.

So what is the real story with IPOD connections? Can I put one in myself so that I can use the screen to browse and select songs? I know I can just plug in the analog jack, but that kinda stinks.

Does anyone know 1) Where I can find a cable 2)Simple way to plug in a digital adapter with out ripping apart the console? I understand the early models you could use the XM plug, thanks for your help.

[KJSmitty]

Well,You will definitely be able to plug your IPOD into your SL yet it wont have the functionality of the LE connection/controls. Then again, some aftermarket company may find the correct harness etc. where the LE connection could be duplicated... One never knows.

I know my wife and I were not IPOD fans, yet I specifically purchased her the 80gb classic just to sit in the glove compartment/09LE center console. I loaded it with 45gb of our music and she has never been happier. Between FM, XM, and the IPOD she is never short of her listening desires.

Cheers

[alloveru]

i am picking up my 09 sl next week, have you found any further information on an IPod connector for the SL models. I am sure i am going to find it annoying having a long cable running to the back of my center console!

[jayhawk]

I have been looking into the same issue myself for the 2009 SL AWD we purchased a few days ago. I emailed an outfit called Nissanipod.com, who has IPOD adapters for Muranos but their products use a satellite radio connector on systems without the XM satellite radio. His response:

"Ok, the Ipod adapter that we sell is essentially a Satellite Radio Emulator.Since it attaches at the satellite radio input on the radio, the radio would need a SAT Input.Now the vehicles that have the ability to have NAVTRAFFIC do not have a normal Nissan Radio, their Satellite Radios are BUILT IN to the radio, so there is no Physical Sat input, because the Satellite is already built into the radio. So the answer to your question is No we can not add the ipod adapter to your vehicle, and the ipod adapter that is available on the Murano LE version is actually built into the Music Box setup, so it would not be the same."

I'm guessing the 2009 Murano SL IPOD integration market is too small right now to justify an effort by Nissanipod to dig deeper.

I also note that most other Nissan and Infiniti vehicles that have the Hard Drive/Music Box system all seem to include the IPOD integration with that option, and not as a separate part of another package, much less trim level.

So I'm wondering if the NAV/Music Box system on our SLs don't have a connector that you could just plug in the plug/harness from an LE....I would not be surprised if our systems have the exact same code on them as the LE's (and other Nissan/Infiniti cars with the Hard Drive) since software companies do NOT like to support multiple code bases of a system. But maybe there is some separate hardware modules too.

(As an aside, I found this post on the MyG37 forums where one owner has really dug into the NAV/Music Box system: http://www.myg37.com/forums/sh...84567 , but he was not looking for IPOD connections)

Anyone know an LE owner willing to take apart his car to see what the IPOD cabling looks like??? ...:-)

Anyone willing to take apart their SL w/NAV to see if there are any mysterious open connectors on the hard drive/music box system? Hmmm....

It is probably too much to hope that all we would need would be a few connectors and some wiring, but I'd sure like to find out more.

I'm trying to get registered on http://www.nissanhelp.com where it appears they have Service Manuals for download, but I'm having problems getting the registration confirmation email from them. Looks like a great site for info about maintenance on our vehicles.

--J

[Timmbo]

Your information is exactly correct. The '08 & '09 Nissans WITH Navigation have an XM tuner that is literally built into the AV Controller. Models that DO NOT have navigation have the head unit, then a separate tuner. The iPOD cable would then plug into where the satellite radio tuner would plug in. I guess it leaves us to wonder if there is a way to integrate the iPOD into models with Navigation. I know on my '08 Armada, there is an AUX input, that simply allows music to be played from an iPOD or an MP3 player, technically not integration, but none the less, you can connect the iPOD.

[jayhawk]

Well, there clearly is a way to integrate iPod into models with Navigation, since the Murano LE does that, as does all the other Nissan and Infiniti models that have this Hard Drive/Music Box system.

Today I downloaded a 2009 Murano Service Manual, and it shows a small box underneath the center console called the IPOD Adapter. Other parts of the Service Manual indicate it connects to the "A/V Control Unit".

Makes me wonder if the wiring harness is the same on the SL and LE, and if so, is there a connector already in place under the center console for the adapter that is wired to the A/V Control Unit. Hmmm.......
Modified by jayhawk at 9:52 AM 12/11/2008

[KJSmitty]

Jayhawk,Remove the sliding drawer on the back of the center console and look inside with a flashlight. You will be able to see up into that area where the power adapter plug is. My LE has the ipod connector/harness there as well. If it's there in your SL you will find it. :-)

[jayhawk]

KJSmitty. Thanks! that was very interesting. I'd post pictures, but don't know how to do that on this forum. There is no control box in that area in my SL, although there is an unused electrical connector.

However, the Service Manual shows the "IPOD Adapter" as being mounted just forward and below the shifter mechanism, and you can only see to the back of the shifter area from the back of the console. (its about 29" from the back of the console to the area where the Service Manual says the adapter is located, but you can only see 19" into the console, then there is a wide metal bracket which I cannot see past).

That's not to say the Service Manual is always correct, of course. Especially for a new model.

Does your Murano have the DVD system and if so, could you be seeing some of that equipment? (or could you see any markings or part number on your box?)

I found an online Illustrated Parts Breakdown at Courtesy Nissan's site, and am studying that too.

--J

[KJSmitty]

J,

The IPOD connection within the center console is at the front on the bottom of the storage area left (drivers) side. I just went out and pulled the drawer. The IPOD wiring harness/connector that plugs into the lower storage connector is only about 10 inches within the drawer area etc. Literally at about the depth of the drawer the IPOD wiring harness comes up from the floor on the drivers side within the console and connects to the bottom of the storage box.

Below is the harness bundle all terminating at a white connector etc..

10 wires total:

2 White wires2 Red wires1 Lite Green wire1 Dark Green wire1 Blue wire1 Black w/silver dashed wire1 Red w/silver dashed wire1 Brown w/silver dashed wire

No other control module associated with the harness in that area.

- Our LE does not have the navi and the overhead DVD/screen is an Alpine/aftermarket that I installed myself - we wanted the navi yet didn't want the sunroof :-( Damn you Nissan for packaging the two together :-)

Hope you get lucky!

Happy Holidays

Smitty

[jayhawk]

OK, I think we are talking about two different elements of the iPod integration system here. The consumer's iPod Nano/Shuffle/Touch/Classic connects to a cable supplied by Nissan that then attaches to the "IPOD connector" (as it is called in the Service Manual) in the floor of the console (at the front on the drivers side). the IPOD connector is attached on the underside to wires/cabling that go presumably to the "IPOD Adapter" which is a small metal box (looks about 3"x3"x1") mounted just forward and below of the shift lever. And then from the IPOD Adapter box, some kind of cable/wire harness to the audio head unit (A/V Control Unit?) up in the dash.

My Murano SL does not have the IPOD connector, as I expected, and I doubt it has the IPOD Adapter box, although I have not had the courage to take apart the covers around the shift lever to find out. But I'm hoping the cable/wire harness IS there so that all I might have to do is buy the IPOD Adapter and IPOD connector, plug everything together (maybe cut a hole in the Console storage area), and hope the audio system then "sees" the iPod is there, just like the Murano LE does.

That's what I'm hoping for, of course.... I'm going to see if a Nissan dealer can investigate all this and advise what might be the case. And if all else fails, follow the instructions in the Service Manual and start removing covers around the shift lever....

I hear you on Nissan's "Package" scheme. I wanted iPod, but did not want to spring for an LE, and I did not want the moonroof (its cost, mainly) just to get NAV/Music Box. And I wanted NAV, but am appalled at the cost, especially compared with the very effective $140 Tom Tom I bought last year.

But the integration of the whole system was so nice, I bit the bullet and bought the loaded SL with NAV/Leather etc. (mostly because 0% financing over 3 years was so good, I splurged on the features). And my wife deserved a little luxury after driving our '96 Dodge Minivan for 238,000 trouble free miles.... (great vehicle - will keep it a couple of years more for it fabulous hauling capacity.)

--Jayhawk

[KJSmitty]

Correct J,

What I described above was just the IPOD integration wiring harness portion of the vehicle wiring harness, routed to the bottom of the storage area.

Like you mentioned, if the wiring harness was the same and all you had to do was install the control unit/"adapter" etc it should be doable...

Good luck

[Timmbo]

One thing to keep in mind here, the LE WITHOUT Navigation has a separate XM tuner mounted near the spare tire, this is the way KJSmitty's Murano is set up. Jayhawk's Murano has Navigation, and therefore has the Audio Control unit with the integrated XM tuner, which is the problem. The other drawback to the integrated unit is if you have Navigation, you DO NOT get the song info displayed on the default screen. You have to hit the "text" button on the screen. This is only for XM, not the music box, or cd, or even iPOD, just XM. If you have a Murano with XM and no Nav, you get the song info by default on the screen. It is a very strange, and the thing that is puzzling is that on my '08 Armada I have the same setup, XM and Navigation, and the Audio Control Unit with the integrated XM tuner.......and guess what, I do have the song info on the default screen. The only difference between my Armada and Murano is the fact that the Murano has the iPOD connection (which displays the song info and controls the iPOD). So, this leads me to believe that somewhere inside of the Audio Control Unit there is only so many things that can be displayed as far as song info (just my guess here), and they gave up the XM info in favor of having the iPOD info on the screen. I don't know much about electronics, but that is what I know so far!!!

[jayhawk]

Interesting about the XM tuner. I had assumed that all the Bose based audio systems were basically the same, with the NAV/hard drive/Music Box just an add on to the base Bose/XM/ capability (replacing the 6 CD changer with the Hard Drive and Nav electronics.

Since I do not plan on using the XM radio (I'm paying ENOUGH monthly services for cell phones/cable/landline/internet!) I would not have a problem giving up XM capabilities.

But I wonder how the GTR display works when they add the "dealer installed" iPod connector option that super car has. Hmm, I think I go find a GTR forum and ask.

--Jayhawk

[jayhawk]

from the 2009 Murano Service Manual, page AV-555. Item 21 is described as "IPOD Adapter"


Modified by jayhawk at 11:41 PM 12/19/2008

[MsMurano]

Hello:

I am a new owner of a 2009 Nissan Murano SL AWD and was excited when I heard that the vehicle had compatibility for Ipod/MP3. I have the Navigation System, Music Box, Satellite Radio, Compact Flash drive.

Well, I don't know what the heck I am doing, but I thought there was some type of auxiliary jack input in the dash under the Tuning button on the Stereo? There is nothing there. Then, I opened up the center console storage compartment between the 2 front seats, and there is nothing inside that storage area (which I read there is in some models.)

My husband purchased me an Ipod so that I could use with this new vehicle, Ugh. I did find on the exterior of the center console storage compartment at the back (facing towards the back seats), a small door that flips up and inside there are 3 jack holes? Is there some type of cable I should purchase that would not only hook up my Ipod, but that I would be able to work the Ipod from the Touch Screen Monitor in the front Dash? Thanks!

[teammcw]

Hello:I did find on the exterior of the center console storage compartment at the back (facing towards the back seats), a small door that flips up and inside there are 3 jack holes? Is there some type of cable I should purchase that would not only hook up my Ipod, but that I would be able to work the Ipod from the Touch Screen Monitor in the front Dash? Thanks!

Those RCA jacks are AV-input jacks (like you would find on a television). You can use the Yellow (Video), Red (Right Audio), and White (Left Audio) with your iPod - however, you will not be able to control it via the front touch panel display.

Also, the video connection will STOP working if the parking brake is dis-engaged, and you're not in Park (for safety reasons). You can, however, continue to listen to audio that is being played back over the RCA jack connections.

Basically it turns your front touch panel into a small television display.

[MsMurano]

Thanks so much. I see the Apple store sells cables for the Ipd (Apple Composite AV Cable).

While I am at Apple, I will find out about the Compact Flash Drive and see if they have them and that that whole thing works.

Thanks again.

[Timmbo]

Thanks so much. I see the Apple store sells cables for the Ipd (Apple Composite AV Cable).

While I am at Apple, I will find out about the Compact Flash Drive and see if they have them and that that whole thing works.

Thanks again.

You can get the Compact Flash Card at Wal-Mart or Best Buy. Get a 2gb only and I would suggest the SanDisk brand.

[dsc13]

If you have your AUX In port available, you might consider the Harmon Kardon Drive and Play..only $26 through amazon right now.

http://www.amazon.com/Harman-K...r=8-1

You can have the Ipod user interface that you are used to on a dedicated display screen and control knob. There is also their 2nd generation version, but it is quite a bit more money!

[h666]

So now that Nissan is offering this 360 package that includes an ipod connector in the sl..... does that mean that its just a part that can go into sl's, and how can someone get their hands on one.. anybody have the same thought...

[h666]

Bueller, Bueller.............

[Timmbo]

You would think that it is possible to add after the fact, but I don't think anyone knows at this point, good question for a Nissan dealer.

[jayhawk]

(thanks to KJSmitty for his photos showing how to open up the 2009 Murano console!)

Well, I have just opened up my 2009 SL center console to look at the connectors on the AV Control Unit for the Bose audio system (that comes with the Premium Package). The 2009 Murano Service Manual shows that 2009 SLs with the Premium Bose package, with or without Navigation, DO have pin connections on the AV Control Unit for wiring from the Nissan iPod Adapter (the small box in the LE and other Nissans that connect the iPod to the AV Control Unit). (see the wiring diagrams on page AV-155 and AV-714 and related connector diagrams) However, my inspection today shows that there are NO wires to those pins in the connectors on the AV Control Unit. Which means that there is no convenient connector in the wiring harness to simply plug the Nissan iPod Adapter into. (the GTR DOES have such a connector and the iPod Adapter is a dealer installed option on those cars.)

I would presume that cars with the new "360" package have a wiring harness different than our SLs. One that does have wires to those pin locations on the AV Control Unit. And certainly the 360 vehicles will have the iPod Adapter mounted somewhere also.

Someone will have to create the wiring to connect an iPod Adapter to the individual pins on the connectors on the AV Control Unit. (If the 360 package is a dealer installed option, rather than a factory package, then maybe that wiring kit exists, but I think the 360 is a factory package.)

--jayhawk

[Andreakat01]

Hi-I'm a new member and am trying to make sense out of all these posts. I was greatly misled and BS'ed by my salesman and have yet to find out what can or can not be accommodated in my 09 Murano SL AWD with XM and Bose, NO Nav, no bluetooth. I know I can add an Ipod adapter with no on screen functionality but after reading here, it looks like there may be connections available that will give me this function? Yes or NO?

I'm also hoping I can add some sort of Navigation system and Bluetooth although I have external devices that do this just fine, just a little bit ridiculous with all the accessories on the dash and such. My dealer led me to believe I couldn't get the specific features I wanted without others that I didn't want and at great extra cost, so here I am. Trying hard to achieve my dream car!

Thanks so much for any help/advice you're all able to give
Modified by Andreakat01 at 2:26 PM 7/29/2009

[Bunshaw]

Andreakat01, short answer is no.

As far as I've seen no one has identified a 3rd party iPod solution that displays songs and allows control via the built-in screen. So basically if you didn't purchase the 09 LE there isn't a way to have your iPod connect other than through an FM or line-in adapter. Neither of those display song data on the screen. Control and display is done on the iPod itself.

I'm sorry to hear your salesman BS'd you but it sounds like you opted out of the Technology package. Instead of giving you BS your salesman should have pointed out the benefits of the Intelligent Key system. I am not sure if you have visited the NissanUSA.com site or not but the way Nissan packaged the options it may very well have been the truth that you would need to accept other options/accessories to get the ones that you wanted....and yes, at great cost like you mentioned. None of the option packages are cheap at the SL level and many of them have interdependencies further raising the cost.

[Tommy122]

Hello Everyone, I am new here. I pick up my 09 Murano tomorrow.

So the only thing NISSAN screwed up with is not making the IPOD connection available in the SL. This is not a hard thing to include.

I just bought a SL last week and it does have the iPod connector at the bottom of the console (inside). I plugged in my iPhone using the supplied cord and it worked fine. I can control it with the Murano controls. The display shows albums, artists, songs, etc. just like the phone. The only thing it doesn't do is show the album art on the screen.

[Bunshaw]

Your 09 SL has the 360 package then. It's a limited run option package Nissan came up with at the end of the 09 model run that includes the iPod connector among other things. The 360 package must be added at the factory however. It cannot be added post-build by the dealer.

[Andreakat01]

How do I determine that my vehicle has the 360 package? I'd look on the spec sheet except the dealer took it off.

Thanks, Andrea

[Bunshaw]

By your own admission you do not have the 360 package. Unless you received your information from the dealer and he misinformed you? Checking for the 360 package is simple enough. Verify that you have all of these options installed on your SL.

It includes the following options (from the Nissan site):

■18" x 7.5" 6-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels with metallic finish■Dual Panel Moonroof■Silver accented roof rails■Nissan Intelligent Key™ keyless entry and ignition system■Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System■Interface System for iPod® [1]

This package requires Leather Package.

[onceajrzgrl]

Hi-

I have an SL as well and all I did was buy an aftermarket A/V composite cable that hooks up to the back of the center console and run my iPhone through the AUX...granted you can't utilize the touch screen which is no big deal for me...i just control my unit manually...the cables aren't in the way because they store in the drawer underneath...I can still view my stored videos and movies on my phone which is great.