How to get an iPod to work in my 2007 non-Sport Honda Fit?

January 21, 2010 7:59 AM

I have a non-Sport 2007 Honda Fit with a factory radio. It has an Auxiliary-in button on the controls, but no physical aux-input (unlike the Sport, which does). How can I best get my iPod to play through my Honda stereo (with an FM Modulator as a last resort)?

I went to a local stereo installation store this morning to check into installing some method of connecting an iPod to my stereo, but the only option they could find in their database of compatible systems costs $179! And this doesn't consider the cost of labor!

I also have an after-market XM satellite radio box that is hard-wired via FM Modulator directly to the antenna (I think that's how it goes) so an iPod FM Modulator box might not work, and in my experience, they're lousy quality anyway (I had bought a cheap one previously, and you had to place it in a certain position or else the static was unbearable).

So, please, wise hive-mind... does anyone have any suggestions? Is there a workaround for the auxiliary input conundrum? Or might there be a better quality FM modulator that wouldn't have me clawing at my eardrums? I mainly just want to listen to podcasts when I travel, and am tiring of how many commercials are on my "commercial free" SiriusXM channels of choice.

posted by newfers to Technology (14 answers total)

Does your factory radio have a tape deck (very unlikely, but maybe you might get lucky)? There are cassette adapters that you can either make yourself or buy off the internet. In my experience, the quality is only slightly better than those FM adapters, but it's a lot more consistent - no drop-outs or interference.
posted by muddgirl at 8:18 AM on January 21, 2010

Best answer: I am guessing that the stereo store was talking about the Honda Music Link. It is expensive but it's designed to solve this problem with the best sound quality you're going to find. Is there any chance you could install it yourself and save that cost? Check out the install instructions here.

In general, you should get yourself over to the FitFreak forums. There are a ton of threads about this and alot of very knowledgeable people.
posted by cabingirl at 8:19 AM on January 21, 2010

This article documents my installation of an auxiliary audio jack in my 2007 Honda Fit is the first hit on a Google for "connecting an aux-in to a 2007 honda fit non-sport". It sounds quite involves and the author says "As I said earlier, don't do this."
posted by iknowizbirfmark at 8:20 AM on January 21, 2010

You can certainly buy an aftermarket stereo with front AUX inputs for less than $100. Crutchfield has a pretty detailed stereo selector that lets you select from a bunch of different options, including built-in iPod controls.
posted by electroboy at 8:31 AM on January 21, 2010

This USASpec adapter looks promising, and apparently can be installed without the work of removing the head unit.

I'd second checking out fitfreak.net.
posted by RecalcitrantYouth at 8:37 AM on January 21, 2010

Can you not plug the cable going to the XM radio into your iPod?
posted by General Malaise at 8:49 AM on January 21, 2010 [1 favorite]

I installed a USA Spec adaptor in my Toyota Matrix a few years ago. I did have to pull out the factory installed radio, plug in a cord into the back, and snake the cord down the side of the car to the adaptor box that I tucked just underneath the plastic shield on the left side of the passenger seat leghole, and then push the radio back in. It was actually pretty easy; I got good written instructions from Crutchfield (and a replacement one in 2 days when the first one had a crushed input hole; the replacement one has worked like a champ for four years.), and they were available on the phone to walk me through it if I ran into trouble. I had never done anything like that with a car radio before.

The USA Spec adaptors often have two output places for cables; I've hooked up cords for my ipod and my xm Roady, and ran them up the side of the passenger leg room hole and up to where my xm and ipod sit when in use. My adaptor and car are a few years old, so all I can do is use the car stereo to switch between XM, ipod, the cd player, and very occasionally local radio - but it's much nicer than having to plug and unplug cords to change input media; as a bonus, they seem to be able to pass data/control back and forth now. The quality of the sound is much much better than a FM modulator.
posted by julen at 9:15 AM on January 21, 2010

I have the same model of Fit from 2007 and there's a music link (jack-in) right below the console, in front of the cup holders. Does your Fit not have this?
posted by KokuRyu at 9:21 AM on January 21, 2010

Best answer: Last year I installed an auxiliary input in my car using a wired FM modulator, presumably similar to the one you have for your XM radio. Wired modulators are miles better than wireless ones, since they can disconnect the antenna from the car radio when you are playing auxiliary audio through them, thus eliminating any interference. I have absolutely no complaints with my setup -- no interference, no distortion, and to my relatively picky ears everything sounds great. Since you already have the wired modulator in your car, I'd say that you just need to figure out a way to take advantage of it. Perhaps you could install an audio switcher on the input to that modulator so that you could switch back and forth between your XM radio and your iPod.
posted by Nothlit at 9:24 AM on January 21, 2010

KokuRyu: there's no Aux jack on the base US version of the Fit. It's only on the Sport model. (Which is why I bought a Sport; the base model wasn't much cheaper and you got a lot more with the Sport)
posted by zsazsa at 9:39 AM on January 21, 2010

Response by poster: "Can you not plug the cable going to the XM radio into your iPod?"

No, it's an entirely different sort of cable...but I need to research whether there is some sort of adapter...
posted by newfers at 10:00 AM on January 21, 2010

Response by poster: "I have the same model of Fit from 2007 and there's a music link (jack-in) right below the console, in front of the cup holders. Does your Fit not have this?"

Mine has the same spot for a jack-in, but there's no actual jack there... my wife has the Sport model, and she has a working jack. My non-Sport fit does not.
posted by newfers at 10:02 AM on January 21, 2010

Hunh, who would have thought there would be that big of a difference between US and Canadian models.

I love my Fit, though.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:29 AM on January 21, 2010

Response by poster: We love our Fits also... I'll love it more when it's paid off next year :)
posted by newfers at 11:34 AM on January 21, 2010