XM Radio on your factory HU for $50

[1svtfan]

As the title says, you can do it for $50. Here's how:

The XM Direct kit XMDFDK is available from Amazon for $49.99. Below is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/Terk-Satellit...r_1/103-2264939-7204654?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

Now, I will tell you this kit is not without controversy. It is supposed to fit the 03/04 Cobra/Mach 1/GT with the MACH 460 Sound System, and in fact the owners manual is from an 04 Mach 1, complete with pictures.

Here's the kicker. It didn't work when I installed it. Turns out the 3rd party supplier of the intermediate harness put one wire in the wrong place. It takes about 30 seconds to put it in the right place. Then it works perfectly.

It took Terk/XM almost 2 years to figure this out. Anyway, below are the links to my install pictures. I just put it in an activated it. Works and sounds great, including channel ID, Artist name, and song title.

As for the wiring issue, IF your kit doesn't work out of the box, you need to take the double orange wire on the bottom of the 16 pin connector and move it to the open slot right next to the yellow wire in the top slot.

Sounds crazy, but as I said it's taken them almost 2 years to figure out why it wouldn't work, and I suspect that may be why the price is cut so drastically. They started at ~$250.

PM me if you have any questions.

Picture of what you get.
The Kit

The Connection to the Smart Adapter
The Plug with the Orange wire moved up and next to the yellow wire

The 04 Head Units Rear Panel
04 HU's Connectors

Showing the Channel
Channel

Showing the Artist
Artist

Showing the Song Title
Title

Sorry for the long A$$ post but I'm really excited to finally have XM in the Cobra.

Steve

There may still be hope
Got an 03' with the AUX button but still want Satellite Radio?

 

[blue4d]

nice

 

[Juruense]

So do you think this will work on an 03? What is your "radio code"?

 

[MY DREAM]

This needs to be added to the "How to" section. Great write up by the way! I would do this but I would like to install Siruis instead of XM.

James

 

[MY DREAM]

So all you have to do is purchase this $50 kit and subscribe to the XM service and you would be in buisness?

James

 

[BWH2003]

I will probably only work with an 04. The plugs are different on the 03

 

[TGO]

wow i'm so used to hearing people ask about hooking up sirius, not xm.

 

[03 TOPLESSSVT]

03 Cobra radios are not satellite ready. The 04's are.

 

[1svtfan]

So all you have to do is purchase this $50 kit and subscribe to the XM service and you would be in buisness?

James

Yep. It was delivered Friday and installed Saturday. Other than the research on the "plug" issue I mentioned above, the install is straight forward.

 

[1svtfan]

I will probably only work with an 04. The plugs are different on the 03

Not sure, but give me a sec and I'll post the picture of the plug on the back of the 04' head unit.

I don't know anyone with an 03', but if someone has a picture of the 03' head units' plugs maybe they can post them. I'm also not sure if Ford switched mid year.

I do know that the 03's had an AUX button and not a SAT button, and that all Ford radios with a SAT button use what Ford refers to as Phase 2 plugs. ie. 04 and up. Also, if you have an 03' with an AUX button you may still be able to add the factory Visteon Sirius kit. I've added an additional link above.



Added picture above. -Steve

 

[mblgjr]

Great write up!

Whats the general consensus of XM versus Sirius? Who's better at what?

 

[BWH2003]

You will not be able to add the factory kit if you have an 03. Trust me. My buddy has an 03 and the plugs on the back are completely different. Its quite the bummer for all 03 owners.

I personally like sirius but a lot like xm. I have two sirius accounts. One for the daily driver and one for the cobra. Anymore I hate riding in a car without it. Its great!

 

[1svtfan]

You will not be able to add the factory kit if you have an 03. Trust me. My buddy has an 03 and the plugs on the back are completely different. Its quite the bummer for all 03 owners.

I personally like sirius but a lot like xm. I have two sirius accounts. One for the daily driver and one for the cobra. Anymore I hate riding in a car without it. Its great!

Correct, if you buy the kit for the 04'. There is no "kit" for the 03', but the link above is for all the factory parts put together for you into a "kit" from a 3rd party, which will work in the 03' with the AUX button. You can call them with your HU part number to verify. As I said, I don't know if they made mid year changes in the harness from the factory.

 

[texaswrx]

Thanks again. Just ordered one. How easy is it to pull the radio to get to the harness?

Thanks again!

 

[BWH2003]

Very easy to pull the radio. You pull out the plastic piece surrounding the radio and four bolts later its out.

 

[1svtfan]

Thanks again. Just ordered one. How easy is it to pull the radio to get to the harness?

Thanks again!

Not bad at all. Pull the trim ring around the shifter, and then the bezel around the radio. Four small bolts hold the head unit in.

Once out the first thing to catch is the antenna wire. (orange) Pull it first to be able to get the radio out far enough to easily disconnect the (2) plugs from the back of the head unit. Its just a press fit.

I put the XM pieces together (see picture above) first, and plugged it into the car harness. Then I put the tuner unit down flush against the trans tunnel below the factory radio location. Then I put the smart digital adapter right on top of it. Its a snug fit, but just go slow. There is plenty of room.

Next I fished the antenna wire for the XM tuner up from the passenger side of the console by the passenger footwell. You can run the antenna up to the dash corner, or back to the package shelf. Whichever you choose know they both work equally well. I still haven't decided where mine will go long term, but have driven around with it in both locals with no issues.

Last I plugged the harness into the back of the head unit, plugged in the orange antenna wire, and pushed it into the dash.

The rest is just popping the bezels back on.

Figure it will take about an hour start to finish the first time, and then you could do it again in about 15 minutes. :coolman:

PM me if you have any problems. It's really straight forward. Don't forget the harness issue. Easier to check first then freak out when it says "No Sat" :rolling:

 

[texaswrx]

Got it. Thanks for the tips.

 

[JayB]

Well it guess with the merger of XM and Sirius programing will be shared, so the debate as to which is better is over.

I got a question. I have an 03 Cobra, and an 05 Expedition. The 05 has a sat button on the radio. So I was thinking can I switch the radio's, are the plugs compatible?

 

[BWH2003]

Well it guess with the merger of XM and Sirius programing will be shared, so the debate as to which is better is over.

I got a question. I have an 03 Cobra, and an 05 Expedition. The 05 has a sat button on the radio. So I was thinking can I switch the radio's, are the plugs compatible?

LOL I was going to post that same info about the merger. The debate is defintiely over. I really hope they dont try a new name and make a really stupid one. I think they should stick with sirius.

As far as I know the plugs will be completely different. If you had an 04 I would say go for it. The plugs on the back of the radio changed for 04 and after.

 

[B-O-B'03]

...

I do know that the 03's had an AUX button and not a SAT button, and that all Ford radios with a SAT button use what Ford refers to as Phase 2 plugs. ie. 04 and up. Also, if you have an 03' with an AUX button you may still be able to add the factory Visteon Sirius kit. I've added an additional link above.



Added picture above. -Steve

My '03 does not have an AUX button, it has a CD button where your SAT button is.

I bought the PIE XM5-FRDN adapter to add an XM standalone to my car.

Push the CD button and it switches between CDs and the XM radio, does not give any info from the XM, but I wonder if that could happen... the display changes to "DJ 1 TRK 1" when you switch to XM.

Sounds a lot better than listening to the XM through the FM tuner.

Pics of the result are Here.

Link to the PIE website is Here

I think I found it for $80 ($50 for the setup you have is a much better deal IMHO)

Great post BTW :thumbsup:

-Brian