Stereo/DVD: Add Bluetooth to XC90 for 15 EUR - How I did it

[SwissXC90]

Hi fellow music lovers

I decided I wanted to add Bluetooth to my My2009 XC90

This car has a AUX-IN port which I was connecting my iPhone to via a cable
But I wanted Bluetooth for more convienience.

I have the fixed car phone installed ex factory, so my Bluetooh demands were for music and for receiving calls on my iPhone. I can make calls on my car phone using the directory in the car phone.

Much research revealed either expensive Parrot interfaces which did not appeal to me, or expensive interfaces to the MOST system, which also did not appeal.

I decided to take a punt with a the modern cheap Chinese made Bluetooth interface which connects to the AUX-IN port.
There are a few ugly ones that run on internal rechargeable batteries, I didn't want that, because batteries do go flat. I wanted one powered by the car's 12V port, always ready to use.

I settled on this for EUR 9.45 including shipping to Europe:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/381747749362...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
It arrived around 2 weeks later in my mailbox, in a bubble bag.

I immediately tried it out and noted that it generated a ground loop (connected AUX-IN ground to the 12V Port ground) which caused a lot of noise. Far too much. Awful.

OK, so I need an audio isolation transformer to break the ground loop.
Back to eBay, and I bought one of these for around EUR 4.60 delivered:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252462221440...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Another 10 days later and it arrived in my mailbox.

So back to the garage and try it out straight away.
Success!
No more alternator whine or other noise on the AUX-IN port. Just a hiss when you crank the volume to max, but that's normal.

The ground loop isolator connects via 3.5mm audio connectors, and comes with a male-male connector cable. Perfect to go between the Bluetooth interface and the AUX-IN port.

Here's my experience of the first few days of use:
1. The iPhone reconnects automatically everytime the car is turned on, great.
2. The iPhone does not start playing automatically - you must hit the Play button on the interface. That's an iPhone feature.
3. The Bluetooth interface tells you it is ready for pairing, and that pairing is successful. This via a female voice with chinese-accented English and bad grammar: "The Bluetooh device is connected as successfully". To avoid listening to this, have the radio off for a few seconds after turning on the car, or switch to FM or CD.
4. Because the Bluetooth is on the AUX-IN port, all or the audio system functions work correctly: Nav voice blending, parking sensor beeps, fixed phone functions, steering wheel volume controls, etc.
5. As the Bluetooth audio is on the AUX-IN port, there are no controls over the prev/next track, play/pause etc. These are on the little round Bluetooth controller.
6. The little round Bluetooth controller is temporarily sitting nicely beside my gear shifter. It fits there nicely.
7. Phone calls work, callers report my voice is clear, but they do hear their own voice a bit as well. No sophisticated suppression of the caller's voice, but OK for the price paid
8. Music audio quality is pretty good. Switching from Bluetooth to AUX-IN cable back and forth does show a sound quality difference. This is partly to native Bluetooth music compression and a little tiny bit due to the audio transformers. BUT extremely little difference and in a normal world not noticable. Again, for 15 EUR I cannot complain.

Downsides:
1. The blue LEDs in the controller are rather too bright.
2. No steering wheel track controls (obviously).
3. No controls to search for contacts when you want to make a phone call. But I didn't need that.

Upsides:
1. Cheap, total costs including shipping for all the hardware I needed was 15 EUR.
2. Very easy DIY install, no diassembly or wiring required.
3. You can remove it at any time and transfer to the next vehicle if desired.
4. No Siri activation that I can see (but if the iPhone is stitting in the radio cubby hole you can use the HOME button on the iPhone and Siri works via the Bluetooth microphone)

I will now consider where I will fit the ground loop isolator box and hide the cables. I like a clean clear dash.
Ideas:

• Fit a 12V socket under the console, connected in parallel to the rear 12V socket, at the terminals where the removable center console comes off
• Hide the ground loop isolator under the center console (side panels come off easy for access)
• Potentially hard wire in the AUX-IN cable to the bottom of the AUX-IN socket, leaving just the controller in view

Overall, if you are looking for cheap and easy Bluetooth in an XC90, I recommend this type of interface

[HiFlyer437]

Thanks for the review. I've been toying with something like this for my Saab. I fitted a Pioneer unit but would prefer to return to the OEM unit as it just looks better. Might pick one (or similar) up in Singapore next week.