Installing Bluetooth mic

[Dustin_B]

I just purchased a Kenwood Excelon KDC-X896 from Crutchfield to replace the stock unit in my 2005 Toyota Corolla. I'm going to attempt to do the install myself to save the $65 that shops are quoting me. This will be my first install and I have a couple of questions. First I want to mount the supplied bluetooth mic in either the upper left corner or on the rearview mirror. How difficult is it to do this and which location do you recommend? It seems easy enough to install the receiver in the dash but running the mic through the dash, up the a-frame and possibly over to the rearview might be biting off more than I can chew. My second question is regarding how to run a rear input cable into my glove box. The unit comes with USB and Aux inputs in the front, but I'd like to have one additional input in the rear so that I can just leave my ipod locked up in my glove box. I believe this is possible with the unit I purchased but I'm wondering how difficult this is? Regardless of what I find out, I'll probably just dive right in and if I have any problems I might be looking to pay someone in the Seattle area to help me finish the install (specifically the two issues I just mentioned) in hopes of not paying a shop $65. Thanks for any advice!

Dustin

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[All_Logix 10+ year member]

Ahh Toyota, well when it comes to running wires in these IIRC its a headache. For the Bluetooth, simply find a way to run the wire from where the HU harness is under the dash (zip ties) through the side panel and up through the A pillar, tuck in the headliner and then station it up there wherer ever you like. Make sure you take any obstructions like the vizor into acount because it can affect the quality. As for the rear input, just do the same as the bluetooth, just toward the glove box. I am pretty sure that glove box will just drop down, open it and look for clips on the side you can push in and make it fold all the way out

 

[Dustin_B]

Thanks Civic, after some exhaustive internet research, including many youtube videos, many car audio forums, and a call to Crutchfiled I'm getting a good idea on how to install the receiver and mic. So it sounds like running the mic wire under the steering column is the way to go. That sounds lot easier than what I was envisioning in trying to run it behind the instrument panel or under the top of the dash. I guess my only question now is how I get the wire from under the dash (lower left) up through to the start of the A-frame. I think once I get the wire over to the A-frame I'll be all set as the rest sounds pretty straight forward. I'm probably not going to mess with the headliner and trying to run it over to the rear view. I'll just install at the top of the left A-frame.

And regarding the rear input, you are correct, I can just drop the wire straight down from the back of the unit into the glove box. The only problem there is my unit doesn't have rear input! Oh well.