iPod Car Adapter - How To Install An iPod Into Your C5

The forward shift console of the C5 must be removed for this installation, and this starts by popping off the two plastic covers to expose the two 10mm armrest console mounting nuts beneath them at the rear of the console. You can use a nut driver or socket and ratchet to remove these nuts. As always, put all removed hardware in a safe place, as you'll need it again for reassembly.

Lift up and remove the traction control cover, unsnap the wire connector, and put the cover in a safe place. Disconnect the connector from the rear of the auxiliary 12V power outlet at this time as well. Then remove the two 10mm nuts that hold the front of the armrest console in place.

You'll find that it makes life much easier if you remove the lid of the armrest console; this is done by using a Philips screwdriver to remove the four lid hinge screws. Put the lid in a safe place for now.

Pry off the cover next to the ignition switch to reveal the Torx screw and remove it.

Two Torx screws are also found under the flip-up cover to the ashtray/lighter compartment-one is next to the lighter and the other is behind the ashtray-remove both of these Torx screws. When these are out, put the gear lever in drive (or Second if it's a stick), push back on the armrest console as far as it will go, and lift the tail of the console up and back; unsnap the electrical connector attached to the cigarette lighter and continue to lift and remove the console. Slip it over the gear shifter and get it out of the way. This takes a bit of doing, as it is a tight fit and it can be stubborn. Just take your time, have perseverance and patience, and, eventually, it will come out.

Remove the two 7mm screws that hold the radio in place. Once they're out, pull the radio out to gain access to the antenna cable at its rear and unplug it.

If you wish, you can power the Drive+Play unit with the cigarette lighter cable supplied, or you can hard-wire it directly to a 12V power source, which is the way I opted to go. The C5 fuses are located under a removable panel on the passenger-side floor. On the inside of the panel cover, the fuse layout is listed along with a location diagram. Two electrical feeds are required: a constant 12v to retain programming, settings, and preference memory for the Drive+Play brain (I used fuse No. 7-the cigarette lighter), and a switched 12v feed that turns off when the ignition is switched off (I used fuse No. 10-windshield wipers); it's this latter connection that actually powers the Drive+Play unit. I connected the black ground wire to the metal frame superstructure of the console assembly.

With these connections made, you can plug the antenna cable and the power connector into the D+P brain unit, which you can see resting at the lower left of the console. Notice that all surplus wiring has been coiled and bound with cable ties-all this will be stuffed into the lower portion of the console structure to get it out of the way. The brain itself will reside on the left side of the console frame, a few inches above its current location, and it will be hidden from view when the console is back in place.

The C5 radio uses a mini-antenna jack, so you'll need an adapter cable like this one. Plug the mini-plug into the radio, then plug either the wired FM adapter cable or the Drive+Play antenna cable into the socket on the adapter. If you're going the wired FM route, then plug the Drive+Play antenna cable into the wired FM adapter. Route the cable down the back of the radio into the bottom of the console compartment, slide the radio back into position, and replace the two 7mm screws to secure it.