Attempting to relocate the 12v charging port to the center console for phone charging, enabling me to close the veneer cover and not have to leave the ash tray open.

However, can't figure out how to separate the 12v port from the ash tray. Any ideas on how it can be removed?

 

Don't have one on the back of the console?


I'd hazard a guess the wiring is there for it. Just pick a socket up at the AutoSak and put it wherever you like using the spare wiring, if so. Can leave the ashtray-mounted version unmolested!

 

Nope, don't have one there. I'll look for the wiring.. good idea! thanks!

 

Ok, I do indeed have the wiring. This might be a dumb question (sorry) but there's 3 wires available, the OEM one in the ash tray uses all three.. but is the third some sort of trigger so it doesn't draw power with the car off?

I think I'll just need ground and hot when I hook up the new one, right?. Many thanks

 

I keep mine closed most of the time...so a little foggy here....but maybe I recall a lighted ring around it? third wire may be inst-light-switched. I think you'll find the +B wire is only hot with ign in "run" (Key Pos 2?)

I believe Al R or someone else was searching for an aft console panel with the power-plug hole in it to fit one where he didn't have it. Can't remember the exact thread now but there were pics - could be helpful. If you need "hot at all times" (ie. you have need to leave phone locked in car and charging) you have a battery bus and ground behind each heel-board panel directly under the back seat. That's the route I took to hard-wire a 400W inverter (w/5V usb port) perched on the rear-tray extension of the center console (not all models have this tray, though)

 

Yes, that's the ticket! There is a lighted ring. I"ll only need it on when the car is running, so this should be a simple plug-and-play operation with the existing wiring.

 

Yep, all XJRs (US spec anyway) do not have a rear fascia console cigar lighter. We simply have the blank wood fascia on the rear vent.

.... weird IMHO since the XJR is 'fully optioned" much like the VDP, but who am I to second guess Jaguar I guess they didn't expect the XJR to be like a limousine and not having a rear lighter made it appear 'sportier'? Wouldn't it be interesting to go back in time and hear that argument.

As an aside however, one could get the rear birds eye maple vent fascia WITH the cutout for the cigar lighter, and of course the vent assembly itself already has the mounting hole. And as you have discovered... the wiring is there already, tucked inside the console. AND I've seen a photo of an XJR equipped with a rear cigar lighter. So it is all weird to me, but perhaps one could special order the XJR with the rear lighter if one knew to do so

I am adding the power port, versus cigar lighter, from a later Jaguar to the rear of the console so that there is a power port back there for passengers. You can see where I am discussing that here:

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ighter-123392/


I now have the "cigar hole" rear birds eye fascia, and the power port, so I just need to wire it in.

To answer your two questions:

1) How does the cigar lighter come out: It just pops out, but it takes some pressure from the rear. The green plastic illumination ring has two tabs on either side that grip behind the hole in the mounting. If you squeeze them a bit it will pop right out, but be warned that this green translucent plastic gets very brittle over time (and heat too I imagine) and the tabs tend to break. You can find the green plastic part by itself sometimes, or from a wrecker, but new ones are expensive. So just take care.

2) What are the three wires: The two wires in the common connector power the outlet itself. The third small "lone" connector powers the lamp in the green illumination ring. That lamp uses the ground for the outlet itself to complete the circuit, so it only needs the one 12V supply wire. Hence the three wire combo you see.

I'll be adding another power port to the front area as well, but probably will run it up inside the console and hide it up under the passenger bolster. As your are thinking, another option may be to mount it inside the console armrest well, but I'm not sure if there is room inside the console itself. We'll see though. Either way, I'll be piggy-backing on that unused rear cigar lighter wiring just as you plan to do

If you do end up using a Jaguar power port, the connector is different, so be sure to get one with harness connector as well that you can graft onto your X300 cigar lighter wiring.

I've attached some photos of the later Jaguar power port that replaced the cigar lighter socket.

Here are two examples of the later Jaguar power port currently on eBay:

04 07 Jaguar XJ8 SWB Glove Box 12 Volt Power Suplly Outlet Trim Molding | eBay


2004 2007 Jaguar XJ8 L Glove Box 12 Volt Power Suplly Outlet Trim Molding | eBay



Hope that helps!


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As an option, when i added a new head unit, there was a USB port right in the front that carries plenty of power to charge my phone.

 

You'll want to verify that when you shop a specific make/model head unit as not all USBs are created equal when it comes to power delivery

 

I was originally planning on replacing my head unit, but have decided against it for now. Spent a little time cleaning the cassette deck, and popped in one of those aux-in/cassette adapters, and was quite pleased with the sound. The premium H/K system is fantastic, even with a tape. Sounds almost as good as the aux-in on my LR3 which has a similar H/K setup.

I also much prefer the look of the stock unit. One thing I will need to investigate is adding bluetooth, since IL is all hands free.

Still might get around to replacing it, but was following a post on here about replacing the head unit on the premium system while retaining the factory amp, and since I can't solder it looks like I'll need to have someone else do it for me.

 

I too, am partial to the aesthetics of the OEM head unit, if not to its operational idiosyncrasies.....and have been happily hands-free for several years now with the cassette adapter and a Ram-mount suction-cup mount on the gold-inlaid burled-elm plank covering the pax airbag......reports of better clarity from my callers than some BT units I've connected the same phone to.....

 

That's a good point.. I suppose I don't really need bluetooth, since the calls will come through the speakers anyway. And I've been told the microphone is pretty good on my new iPhone 6 plus. I'll give it a try.

Also, special shout out to aholbro1 and al_roethlisberger.. you guys have both been super helpful and prompt in responding to all of my recent posts on here. Much appreciated!!

 

I too am a fan of the OEM Alpine and HK system. Reports of poor audio quality from some owners to me indicates either a suboptimal function/malfunction of the system such as deteriorated/damaged speakers or some other defect..... or their expectations and hearing are much higher & better than mine

In my 97, I am apparently lucky enough that the sound quality is very high, very high. I do have the idiosyncrasies of weird power problems with the head unit that seem endemic with the OEM Alpine unit. But when it is cooperating, the sound is very good.

It doesn't get quiiiiite loud enough, and by that I mean dynamic headroom response, at maximum volume as compared to systems I've built for other cars. But it is just shy of painful decibel levels at full volume. So with that in mind, it probably is "loud enough". And of course, while the circa 1990s 6x9 "subwoofer" is not as impactful as a modern subwoofer solution would be, it actually does a reasonable job providing low end frequency fill if not "thump" performance. ...which the latter I care much less about these days.

I am absolutely certain that one can install an aftermarket system that sounds better, and in fact sounds significantly better, than the stock premium sound. But in my opinion a properly functioning X300 Premium Sound System sounds very good, esp circa 1997, but even as compared to contemporary systems.

...of course, "properly functioning" is key


So I have no plans to replace mine, especially if I can repair the intermittent power/functionality issues with the head unit.

I also am a fan of keeping the OEM look, and since it mostly works most of the time, I'll try to retain it. I would agree however that I wouldn't sacrifice form over function, and if the system just didn't work or sounded awful, I would replace it.

With regard to adding hands-free or importing outside music sources, my intent is to break into the M-Bus cable to the CD changer and use a double throw switch to allow an AUX jack function for a phone, iPod or even a Bluetooth receiver. It should be very easy. Then you just "select CD" and "flip the switch" and you can have CD or your phone/iPod.

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If you get around to this project, I would be very interested in doing it myself.. Keep us posted!!

 

Pretty sure there is a how-to here or over in the Audio section.... though it may be for us non-premium sound guys with the stripped-down VDP's. Don't recall if anyone's done an amplified version yet or not.

 

I saw the thread on swapping out the head unit for the premium set up, but searched and couldn't find anyone who had turned the CD changer into an aux-in, premium or standard system. Maybe I'm not searching the right keywords

 

There are a number of Alpine/HK OEM solutions for BMW, etc and some of them have done things like this, and I think I may have linked to one at some point.

I know if you Google M-Bus(Mbus) cable, or even "HK mod" (or similar) there are several pin breakouts posted variously elsewhere too.

But I don't think anyone has actually done it yet for the X300? Not sure.

But again, very simple in theory.

All you need to do is:

1) Get a M/F M-Bus extension cable that you can 'break'.
2) Identify the L/R/Common line source from the CD changer in that cable.
3) Insert a 3PDT (or maybe even a 2PDT would be sufficient since ground is common) switch on those wires, leave the rest of the cable conductors to carry through.
4) The poles on the switch go to head unit (common) switched between CD & "Aux".
5) On the "Aux" side, add a 1/8" stereo female jack for your phone cord, iPod, or Bluetooth receiver.

...that should be it. Then you just plug in your phone, iPod, Bluetooth... hit "CD" on the head unit, and flip the switch. Viola!




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Dangit!
It's like y'all have challenged me....I could swear I've read a complete write-up about hacking into the cd changer cable to fit an MP3 or Bluetooth module. But my quick search of the audio forum didn't turn it up. This may be of some help if you decide to do it: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/a...-advide-90585/
See the PDF linked in post #1. Meanwhile, I'll keep looking and post back a link when (ok... if) I find it.


Bob 5tafford clearly did it...but doesn't tell us how in this post before relating that he reached his threshold pain level with the OEM head-unit and changed it out: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-market-56004/
See post #6 here: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...ead-unit-4623/
Still not what I recall reading....but getting warm.