Metra/Axxess iPop Interface Install Directions

Superman TNT · June 13, 2005

Ok, I started a new thread here just dealing with the installation of the Metra GMIP-01 iPod interface adaptor. There is a separate thread that was started a long time ago dealing with other aspect of this adaptor.

What I write here is JUST MY EXPERIENCE. You follow these directions at your own risk. I do NOT assume any responsibility for people who choose to follow this. If you have any brain power at all I think these directions will help a great deal. But with today’s sue everyone for everything you can society I’m tell you right now to get a professional to do your install for you if you have any doubts what so ever about what you’re doing.

The Metra GMIP-01 is a digital interface adaptor that will interface an Apple iPod through your OEM head unit. You can control your iPod and see text and info from the music displayed on your OEM head unit. For more information see the other thread in the forum or www.metraonline.com

I am going to detail the experience I had with my truck. I have photos of the install that I’m willing to email to anyone if they want to post them here or if they just want them to use for their own install. I would also like to thank camaudio, BBSilverado and roden001 for all their help in figuring this out. I hope this write up will help someone else achieve the same results.

I have a 2004 Silverado 2500 HD with the Bose stereo, single CD, Cass, XM, and OnStar. In the instructions from Metra they suggest a few different install “modes”. I used the “XM tuner mode” that they provide. I wanted to access my iPod without loosing my XM.

What you need:

1) Metra GMIP-01, ok this is obvious but . . .

2) 1 – SPDT relay – ONLY if you’re doing the XM mode install. More on this later.

3) 16 or 18ga wire ? green, yellow, and orange if you want to use the correct colors.

4) insulated spade connectors (I like to use them)

5) ½” gromet

6) heat shrink, suggested for best install job but you could get away without it.

7) electrical tape

8) solder, flux

Ok, getting the relay, what a pain in the A$$! I called Metra and they said just go to a local auto parts store and get a “generic SPDT relay”. Ya right. I called several places and maybe it was just my bad luck but they were all clueless. I finally stopped into a few different auto parts stores and looked for the counter person that looked like they knew the most. I finally found one who knew what he was doing. He pulled out a Borg Warner catalog and looked up the relay section. There are a TON of auto relays that would work. I found several in the catalog that would work but he didn’t stock them. So I asked what he stocked and looked them up in the catalog instead. I have a background in electronics so to speak and was able to figure out what would work. I found a winner and bought it. As it turns out in Metra’s install directions they say to “connect” this line and that line up to “pin 30” or “pin 87a” of the relay. Turns out many of the Borg Warner relays have a common pin out for the SPDT relays which have these pin numbers. This was probably the hardest part of the install primarily because the tech line at Metra were arrogant and lacking in knowledge and most auto stores don’t understand it either. Metra should offer a relay directly and take the guess work out of it, especially at $150 for the kit!

Tools Required

1) Socket set (I think it was a 7mm socket with extension)

2) drill and ½” bit

3) wire strippers and crimps

4) utility knife

5) soldering iron

6) heat gun (if you have one for the heat shrink)

What I did

1) Add 18” – 24” of 16 or 18ga wire to the 2 yellow wires and one green wire on the main cable provided in the GMIP-01 kit. The green and yellow lines with the spades on them are no where near long enough for this installation. I cut the spades off and added the wire and a new set of spades.

2) Remove the dash bezel (I guess that is what it is called). It just clips out, no tools required. I had to shift out of park to remove it.

3) 3 screws removes the OEM head unit. Pull the unit forward and unplug the connectors. I left the antenna connected and just set the head unit on the dash.

4) 2 screws removes the thermal control unit (below the head unit). I just pulled it forward and just let it hang.

5) Remove the lighter/12v acc compartment. It also just snaps out. I unplugged the electrical connectors and removed it completely.

Now it kind on depends on where you want to install the iPod unit. You have to pick a place to put the iPod unit. I have the console with the bucket seats in my truck. You could mount the iPod on the dash, put it in the glove box, put it in the console compartment, pretty much where ever you want to. I put mine in the second “tray”, just under the lighter & 12v acc outlet.

6) Drill a ½” hole (I think it is actually a little bigger than ½”) in the back of the “second” tray.

7) Put the grommet on the white iPod interface cable (the one that plugs into the iPod), feed the barrel end through the hole from front to back, seat the grommet in the hole.

8) Remove the airbag switch assembly (the entire unit snaps out)

9) At this point I had to find the XM tuner. On my truck it was directly behind the glove box. Empty out the glove box, push in on the right hand side of the actual compartment and the glove box folds right out. No tools are necessary and I did not remove it any further, I just let it hand. This gives you great access to the XM tuner which is a flat looking module and 7” wide, 4.5” tall and 1.25” deep (as it is mounted).

10) Now I threaded the GMIP-01 main cable and wires through the dash. I put the plug that goes into the head unit in place and plugged the obvious OEM plug into the cable. I positioned the plug that goes into the digital interface module right behind the air bag switch compartment (this is where I chose to mount the digital interface module). I pulled the yellow and green relay lines down through to the XM digital tuner area.

11) I also pulled the yellow power line down through to the cigarette lighter. I spliced into the 12v power line feeding the lighter (orange wire).

12) I plugged in the 2 connectors to the digital interface module and mounted it right behind the air bag switch inside the dash. There is an air duct in there with a good amount of space. I did however cut off the screw mounting tabs on the unit and I used some Velcro to mount it. The screw mounting tabs a very large and makes it much more difficult to mount.

13) Next I plugged the head unit back in and put it back in the dash, same for the thermal controls.

14) When the lighter/12acc assembly is pushed back in the iPod interface cable will be pinched by the plastic in back of the assembly. So you should notch it or drill a hole to allow the iPod cable to flow freely in back of the assembly. Once you do that plug the lighter/12acc assembly back in and slide it back into the dash.

15) Now for the relay. There is an OEM cable/connector in the left hand side of the XM tuner. See the other thread in this forum if you want the exact pin out. The orange wire is the 12v to the unit. Try and get 1.5” – 2” of usable wire on each side and cut it. Strip the ends and tin them. At this point I added another 4” of orange wire onto each of these ends and terminated them with female spades that would fit on the relay ends.

16) At this point it is going to help if you know something about electronics or at least relays. Basically the green and yellow wires coming from the GMIP-01 cable are the control lines for the relay. I terminated them with female spades that would fit the relay. They have to be attached to the “coil” contacts on the relay. Most of the time it doesn’t matter which one is on which end of the coil. Connect the green and yellow lines to the coil contacts. Next connect the truck side of the 12v orange line to “common” terminal in the relay. Then connect the XM tuner side of the orange line to the Normally Connected (NC) contact of the relay. If you don’t understand relays this may sound complicated but it is really easy and I’ll help as much as I can if you contact me. Also, you ONLY have to do this if your head unit has XM and you want to keep it.

17) I again used some Velcro and stuck the relay to the XM tuner.

18) You are now set to try it out. You can plug your iPod in and give it a whirl or put everything back together and try it.

19) The XM band selects the iPod and if you press and hold the preset 6 on the XM band the relay will switch and select the XM feed

I could detail putting everything back together but I think it is pretty easy. Put all the screws back in, snap all the dash pieces back together. If you disconnected the truck battery reconnect it.

For what it is worth, I love this thing. I’ve had MP3 players for a long time now but never had a reason for an iPod. You can load and rank your entire music collection and take it with you anywhere. I don’t yet understand how it selects songs, goes from “disk” to “disk” but that is just a matter of figuring that out. This thing is really slick. My truck was the test case. I’ll be installing this in my significant others Grand Am now. The kit is insanely expensive in my opinion but what are you going to do. If you want it you’ll have to pay. If this thing becomes popular the price will drop like a rock in 6 - 12 months.

I probably forgot something. If anyone sees something I over looked or any questions that you ask I’ll update this thread.

Superman TNT · July 20, 2005

Here is an update from at least one person who contacted me for additional information.

Question asked

" My only concern is installing the relay. I ordered one off www.autotoys.com that they list with the GMIP-01. I saw how much trouble you had finding one so I figured this was the way to go. The relay came with a harness which has five wires coming off of it. I only see four in your picture. The 5th wire comes out of the middle of the relay and is black so I am assuming it is a ground??? Of the other 4 wires, 2 are small (probably 18 gauge) and the other two are a larger gauge wire. See pics. Looks like two of the wires on the relay go to the yellow and green wires from the GMIP-01. My question is which ones...the larger or smaller gauge? And the other two wires go to the 12v orange wire you cut on the XM tuner...right? Any detail you can provide in this area would be great."

My answer

The person sent me very good close up pics of the relay they bought. Theses were exactly what I needed to be able to id which relay pin connected to which wire in the installation. I saved the pics this person sent me and can send them to you if you have this same concern.

Basically I need pics of the top, bottom and some times one of the sides of the relay without any wiring harness on it. The bottom on the relay should have the pins marked on it. The "85, 86, 87, 87a, and 30" are the pin numbers.

The green and yellow wires get connected to pins 85 and 86. I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter which order, just connect the green and yellow to 85 and 86.

Then you need to attach the "car side" of the orange XM wire to pin (terminal) 30 and the XM radio side of the orange wire to pin (terminal) 87a.

Question asked

"what about the 5th terminal or wire coming off the relay, what does that get connected to?"

My answer

Nothing. There is an extra pin on the relay that is not used in this application. You only connect to 4 of the pins/terminals.

Hope this helps.

Ag96 · July 21, 2005

Hey TNT,

Thanks again for your help. I will try to install it this weekend. The pics you sent and your directions should really help out. I can post your pics and any additional I take after the install.

Also, I purchased the GMIP-01 unit off Ebay for $40. If you are looking at this unit you aren't going to find it anywhere cheaper. The relay was $15 shipped.

In the meantime, here are the pics of the relay I purchased that came with the harness.

GreatWhite · July 25, 2005

Great info,

Did you lose the XM preset when using the kit? I just bought it at CC and will install tomorrow. I'd love to keep my XM preset if possible.

Thanks,

Steve

GreatWhite · July 25, 2005

Finished the install and went for a little "test-listen". This thing is awesome. The hardest part of the project for me was to set-up (5) playlist for my iPod...! I never used any playlist, just searched for whatever song I was in the mood for.

I have an "05 Yukon Denali with Nav, (6) CD Changer, Bose, XM & OnStar. I used the "XM" set-up with the relay because I wanted to see the artist and song title on the display (nav screen).

The number 6 pre-set in XM 1 is the relay trigger to go from XM to iPod and vice-versa. I did lose the XM pre-set titles on positions 1, 2 & 6, as they are also used for iPod functions. However, the XM stations are still saved, so that's a small sacrifice to have access to 700+ songs.

Overall a great product, easy install and highly recommended. Don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions.

I predict this will only get better as I become a qualified iPod user.

Regards,

Steve

Ag96 · July 25, 2005

Glad the install went smoothly for you. I just installed mine yesterday, except for the relay. I ran out of time and bodily fluids....man it has been hot. Everything is ready though. I just have to cut the orange 12v power supply to the XM module, hook up a couple of spades and I will be done.

I have been pleased so far with the sound quality. I did notice that I sometimes (rarely) get interference...sounds like a station trying to play in the background while my iPod is playing. Will this go away once my relay is hooked up or do you think one of my connections is loose?

All in all, this is a great unit. Pics to follow.

Superman TNT · July 28, 2005

Hey Ag96,

Glad you posted those pics! I have tried to figure out posting pics but I just don't have the hang of it. Anyway the pics you showed of the relay and the wires are great and a big help to anyone else doing this.

BTW, I never hear anything in the background on mine. The music off the iPod is super clean. Not sure why you are hearing this.

Hey GreatWhite,

I am surprized that you lost the XM presets. I thought the when you were in iPod mode the presets would be programmed for the iPod and when in XM mode the presets would be in XM mode. I didn't think you would lose them for XM.

Like you I didn't know much (anything) about iPods before I did this install. However since then I have been learning a lot. The most important feature of the iPod is what they call "smart playlists". This is a powerful way of automatically generating playlists and updating them. Very quickly, you can input music to your iPod, rank it, add genre, grouping, date, etc... info. Then you can go in and create a play list based on your ranking, date of release, genre, etc... You tell it that you want all hard rock with 4 starts or better with dates between 1990 and 2000. Boom! It creates the playlist for you and finds all the music on your iPod that match that. It puts it in the playlist for you. If someday later you add music to your iPod that matches that criteria, it automatically updates that play list. WAY, WAY, too cool. For me, THAT is the power of iPod. It is amazing and easy.

I haul a camper, jet skies, snowmobiles, etc... usually long distances. After having the iPod I just don't think I could ever go back. I have a music collection of like 400 + Cds. We just got back from the NASCAR races and I had my iPod pluged into a home stereo system I keep in the camper (Carver amp w/ Polk speakers). While at the races I got it out and hook the iPod up to it. Played random Rock for a while and I very quickly became the camp DJ. Everyone kept coming over and asked me how I was playing so much good music without continously going back to change it. I played it for hours and hours. When security finally came over at midnight or so and shut me down everyone was yelling at them.

The iPod system rocks!

Enjoy!

Tom

GreatWhite · July 29, 2005

TNT,

I think I was a little vague in explaining my situtation...........let me try again. I didn't lose the actual XM presets - just the ability to "see" the preset on the Nav screen. In a nutchell, when you save a station on any band, the touchscreen Nav has (6) "soft" buttons to press to select that perticular preset station. However, now in XM1 mode, preset 1, 2, & 6 the buttons refer to iPod functions, ILO the actual preset titles. For example, preset 3 on XM1 shows "ESPNews".

Does that make sense...............?

I'll definetely have to investigate the smartlist on iPod. Incidentally, I never thanked-you for posting the instructions - they were extermely useful during my install...THANKS!

Steve

Ag96 · July 31, 2005

TNT,

I finally finished installing the relay and that solved my interference problems. The sound quality is awesome. Thanks again for all your help. I had a few differences in my installation since it is an '05. So, here is my experience. I just cut and pasted alot of yours and added my differences.

Installing:

1) Add 18” – 24” of 16 or 18ga wire to the 2 yellow wires and one green wire on the main cable provided in the GMIP-01 kit.

2) Disconnect your truck battery.

3) Remove the dash bezel. It just clips out, no tools required. Put on parking brake, shift into 1st gear, and tilt the steering wheel all the way down.

4) 3 screws removes the OEM head unit. Pull the unit forward and unplug the connectors. Leave the antenna connected and just set the head unit on the dash.

5) 2 screws removes the thermal control unit (below the head unit). I just pulled it forward and just let it hang.

6) Remove the lighter/12v acc compartment. It also just snaps out. You have to pull hard.

7) Remove the airbag switch assembly (‘04s and older). The ‘05s have a tray in this location that just pops out. The "Mod Monkey" is in this location in the first pic.

8) At this point I had to find the XM tuner. On my truck it was directly behind the glove box. Empty out the glove box, push in on the right hand side of the actual compartment and the glove box folds down. No tools are necessary and I did not remove it any further, I just let it hang. This gives you great access to the XM tuner which is a flat looking module and 7” wide, 4.5” tall and 1.25” deep (as it is mounted).

GLOVE BOX TAB

9) Now I threaded the GMIP-01 main cable and wires through the dash. I put the plug that goes into the head unit in place and plugged the obvious OEM plug into the interface harness. I pulled the yellow and green relay lines down through to the XM tuner area.

10) I also pulled the yellow power line down through to the cigarette lighter. I spliced into the 12v power line feeding the lighter (orange wire).

11) I plugged in the 2 connectors to the digital interface module and mounted, using Velcro, right behind the air bag switch inside the dash (just a tray in the ‘05s). There is an air duct in there with a good amount of space. The interface module is the black and white box.

12) I ran the iPod wires from the interface down into the area below the cupholders. The cupholder section just pulls out. I had to drill a hole in the area behind the cigarette lighters to feed the cable through. I figured this is a good place that thieves wouldn’t look if my truck were broken into.

13) Next I plugged the head unit back in and put it back in the dash, same for thermal controls and cigarette lighter section.

14) Now for the relay. You only do this step if you have XM and want to keep it. There is an OEM cable/connector in the left hand side of the XM tuner. The orange wire is the 12v to the unit. Try and get 1.5” – 2” of usable wire on each side and cut it. Strip the ends and tin them. At this point I added another 4” of orange wire onto each of these ends and terminated them with female spades that would fit on the relay ends.

15) The bottom on the relay should have the pins marked on it. 85, 86, 87, 87a, and 30 are the pin numbers. That is how you tell them apart on the bottom. On the relay I purchased it came with a wire harness. The green and yellow wires from the interface harness get connected to pins 85 and 86 (brown and blue wires on the relay harness). It doesn't matter which order just connect the green and yellow to 85 and 86.

Then you need to attach the "car side" of the orange XM wire to pin terminal 30 (yellow relay wire) and the XM tuner side of the orange wire to pin terminal 87a (black relay wire). Terminal 87 (red relay wire) does not get used.

RELAY

RELAY HARNESS

INSTALLED

16) I again used some Velcro and stuck the relay to the XM tuner.

17) After everything is plugged in you can try it out before you put everything back together.

Again you can find the Axxess Interface on Ebay for alot cheaper. Here is the link to the autotoys relay.

Autotoys Relay

Superman TNT · August 8, 2005

Hey Greatwhite,

I got it now. I didn't connect with the fact you had the NAV unit. I don't have NAV in my truck. I understand now what you were saying about the presets.

Hey Ag96,

I'm glad you were able to post the pics. That was a big help I think for everyone who follows our trail.

I'm glad both of you found my install directions helpful. I have received a lot of help from people on this forum and was glad to return the favor to someone else. I plan on doing the same thing on my BlueTooth phone interface once I do the install on that.

TNT

r8rs4lf · December 16, 2005

I know this is an old thread and sorry for digging it up, but I was just told of this interface post and it seems like the very thing I want. I do have a couple questions though.

BTW: I have an 04 Silverado SS with XM, Bose, and the 6 disk in dash cd changer. I don't have OnStar

- People have stated they have lost presets 1, 2, and 6 for XM. Is that just for XM1 mode? Does XM2 mode have all the desired preset locations still available along with 3, 4, and 5 on XM1 mode?

-Will this interface work with a 5th generation (video) iPod?

-Also, can someone explain how the harness is hooked up for this? Is it ran in line with the XM harness on the back of the head unit?

-Can someone direct me to where you got the relay from?

I found a pic and really can't figure it out.

TIA

Late- Alex

r8rs4lf · December 23, 2005

Anyone?

Superman TNT · December 27, 2005

Hey Alex (r8rs4lf),

I don't know what you are talking about with losing the XM presets. To my knowledge you don't lose any, either XM1 or XM2. My truck is equipt with XM but I don't have it turned on right now. However I can switch back and forth between the iPod and XM just fine. When I'm on XM I hear the "please sign up" commercial.

Yes I believe this interface will work just fine with a 5th gen Video iPod. I don't know why it wouldn't. Mine is the version jst before the vide version.

Concerning the harness . . . if you read the directions above and have some specific question I'll try and answer it. However You'll be hard pressed to find a more detailed set of install directions for this (or anything else) than what is already posted here.

As I mentioned in the post above (please read it before asking the same questions over and over) you can get the relay from a good auto parts store.

Again, if you can't follow the directions in this post for installing the Metra kit . . . you should probably get someone else (professional) to do it for you. The directions, which now include some great pics from Ag96 and Roden, are as clear as you'll ever get.

Tom

r8rs4lf · December 28, 2005

Hey Alex (r8rs4lf),

I don't know what you are talking about with losing the XM presets. To my knowledge you don't lose any, either XM1 or XM2. My truck is equipt with XM but I don't have it turned on right now. However I can switch back and forth between the iPod and XM just fine. When I'm on XM I hear the "please sign up" commercial.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The number 6 pre-set in XM 1 is the relay trigger to go from XM to iPod and vice-versa. I did lose the XM pre-set titles on positions 1, 2 & 6, as they are also used for iPod functions. However, the XM stations are still saved, so that's a small sacrifice to have access to 700+ songs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now that I look at that, it said "titles" and not presets. I guess that means whatever station he had saved on presets 1, 2, and 6, the "title" for that station doesn't come on anymore, but the preset is still saved correct?

Late- Alex

TallB · December 29, 2005

Would this piece allow me to hard wire a new video ipod to my 2005 Bose In-dash Changer Radio. I don't mind losing XM completely, but I would like to keep the option for resale value. Having steering wheel controls and a visual on my radio is a must too. Let me know if this system would work for me and my new Ipod. Thanks in advance.

Hey Alex (r8rs4lf),

I don't know what you are talking about with losing the XM presets. To my knowledge you don't lose any, either XM1 or XM2. My truck is equipt with XM but I don't have it turned on right now. However I can switch back and forth between the iPod and XM just fine. When I'm on XM I hear the "please sign up" commercial.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The number 6 pre-set in XM 1 is the relay trigger to go from XM to iPod and vice-versa. I did lose the XM pre-set titles on positions 1, 2 & 6, as they are also used for iPod functions. However, the XM stations are still saved, so that's a small sacrifice to have access to 700+ songs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now that I look at that, it said "titles" and not presets. I guess that means whatever station he had saved on presets 1, 2, and 6, the "title" for that station doesn't come on anymore, but the preset is still saved correct?

Late- Alex

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>