Wiring for sub....

[Bluemazda3-S]

Hey everyone... I know how to wire a system.. my main concern is taking off the necessary trim. I will need to remove the back door panels, and the drivers and passengers side sil plates (the piece that your feet hit when you come into the car :P ) I am going to run the power wire on the drivers side, and I have to remove the two door panels so I can splice in to the speaker wires and run extra wire to the back to hook into my high inputs in my amp. Questions.... Does the factory deck (i think its the base deck with no changer) have a power antenna or remote turn on output to hook up to the amp? OR Does the MTX amps sense a signal through the high inputs and turn itself on? Other then that, all should be straight forward.

We'll be getting that box that plugs into the changer input so we can use a USB drive for mp3 playback.

[Ex-Rolla]

the wire to use would be Yellow with silver dots. (for a 2005 mazda3 anyway). That is the acc wire. Unfortunately (or fortunately) our cars don't have power antenna's so the ACC would be the only one to use.

When i was installing my system and doing the research for it, that was the only option.

[Bluemazda3-S]

actually... I JUST checked the MTX website and got the manual for my amp and it has "smart engage" technology that DOES turn the amp on when it senses a signal through the high inputs.. so all is good there :D yay.. my job just got easier.

[Bluemazda3-S]

I'm installing the sub this week between work and sleep.. LOL.. so if anyone has any pointers on removing interior panels (cil plates, pillar between front and rear doors) that are in the way of running wires to the hatch area. I need to run the power wire from the battery to the back and I want to run this along the side of the car under the carpet/plastic trim plate. And I also have to run speaker wires from the rear speakers to the hatch for the high inputs in the amp, also going to run these along the sides under the carpet/trim. So, any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

[TheProfessor]

I've torn apart qutie a few Mazda3's now and can tell you that it's super easy. On each door you have to unscrew two screws before trying to pop the door panel off. One screw is located where the lever is to open the door and the other is just under the big plastic handle. For the one by the lever, once the screw is out you have to pull the plastic trim piece out, though be sure not to pull too hard as it's connected for power to the locks. Once it's out, you can disconnect the power via the clip. Once that's out just start prying the door panel off, starting at the bottom and working your way up. There are a series of clips holding it on so there'll be a bunch of loud snapping sounds, don't worry, you're not breaking them.

The front doors are the same as the rear except that before you start you have to pop out the triangular trim piece first (where the factory tweeter is located).

To be honest taking the whole car apart is really quite simple, once you start you'll figure things out quickly. The side sills pop off with a bit of force, and once those are off you can start removing the adjacent pieces. Once you have one whole side done you'll see a cavity running along the entire length of the car to run all of your wiring. I ran the power and signal wire down the drivers side and the RCA's down the passenger side.

Good luck.

[Bluemazda3-S]

Awesome!! Thanks Prof!! Theres are ups and downs to using clips.. up... super easy to take apart... down.. plastic breaks.. LOL. Anywho, thanks again, I just wanted some reassurance. Sounds about the same amount of work as my Sunfire was to take apart.

[TheProfessor]

FYI, I removed the doors in our MZ3 at least four times and not once did even one clip ever break. I've also removed the trim in the car at least three times and also never broke a clip. Just be smart, if the panel isn't 'giving' odds are there is a screw or something similar holding it in place.

[sudz]

I have 1 or 2 broken white "clips" for the door panels. I roate them to fit in with the most friction and put them back on. No rattles or anything. Anyone know where you can pick more of these up? Do they make universal ones or am i going to have to call joe when i break enough of em? :-P

[S.F.W.]

I have 1 or 2 broken white "clips" for the door panels. I roate them to fit in with the most friction and put them back on. No rattles or anything. Anyone know where you can pick more of these up? Do they make universal ones or am i going to have to call joe when i break enough of em? :-P

I'd be curious as well, if the door clips can be replaced. The shop that originally installed my system broke two of my clips.

[sudz]

If i find out i'll let you know. I also need the screw/clips for the cover over the intake/batterybox vent.

[nicker]

are you using a LOC? I just finished my sub amp install a week ago and you don't even have to remove the moldings. I just tucked my wires under the door sils and the back panels. Very easy and you can't see a thing. Brought my power wire through via the hold for the hood release. I used a LOC at the deck and tapped into the rear speakers and ran my RCAs down the pass side again just tucked them under the trim very easy. I was surprised at how easy it all was. Took out my trays in my hatch and used the rear seat bolt as my ground.

Its easier then you think, the hardest part was finding a spot to run the power and getting that through, once that was done it was a peice of cake.

[TheProfessor]

For those of you with broken or missing clips/screws, you should be able to get them from Joe. You'd really have to pull the door panel off on a bad angle to break them though, they're very robust IMO.

[Bluemazda3-S]

I'm in the middle of doing the wiring now... I have the panels out, easy like the prof said.. I am now about to cut the speakers wires to tap into them.. need to find the wire designation for positive and negative so I wire them up right... I have it at my house, but I'm house sitting for the g/f parents and doing the work in their garage... I'll find it somewhere.

[mit-gee-mui]

I'm a little (heh heh!) late, but is this what you were looking for?


TOP

White/Black – left front +
Gray/Black – left front –
White/Red – right front +
Gray/Red – right front –
White/Purple – left rear +
Gray/White – left rear –
White – rear right +
Gray – rear right –

BOTTOM

Orange/Black – 12v constant
Orange/Black with silver dots – 12v illumination
Yellow with silver dots – 12v ignition
Black/Green – Chassis ground
Source: http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=237910&postcount=11

[KenYork]

The rear seat comes out quite easily and that may help with extra space if you're gonna go under the carpet.

[Bluemazda3-S]

Thanks guys... I actually searched last night and found that post :) I'm not going un der the carpet... I have the speaker wires run, that wasn't too bad... now just the power wire.

[Bluemazda3-S]

Alright.. got everything installed.. and it sounds great!!! One problem, which is more annoying than anything.. when you turn the car off, the sub makes this humming sound that fades away. But while playing music, the sound is clean and clear... I used the High Level inputs connected to the rear speakers. Anyone have any ideas what is causing this noise?

[--StayFly--]

+1 mines does that too sometimes

[TheProfessor]

Since this never happened to me or any of my friends with the MZ3, I'd have to say it's a function/problem with your MTX amps (it appears as though you both have MTX amps so correct me if I'm wrong).

[Bluemazda3-S]

yup... i have the mtx amp as well... I tried looking on the mtx website for FAQ's and trouble shooting and came up empty handed in relation to my problem. It's almost like a capacitor discharges when the car shuts done. It only does it when shutting the car off, not when you shut the deck off.... weird man

[Bluemazda3-S]

so no one with any ideas? I'm going to double check the polarity of the speaker inputs (wires from the rear speakers into the high inputs of amp) if thats right, it has to be the amp, cause everything else is proper.

[Ex-Rolla]

I had the thump (mainly from my subs). After i installed my aftermarket deck and using the "proper" remote turn on, everything is perfect.

I know it doesn't help you much, but my guess is there is not much you can do.

[TheProfessor]

so no one with any ideas? I'm going to double check the polarity of the speaker inputs (wires from the rear speakers into the high inputs of amp) if thats right, it has to be the amp, cause everything else is proper.

Why not e-mail MTX and ask them? Make sure to give them all of the info (i.e. car, inputs used, etc.)

[Bluemazda3-S]

Thats my next step... I went to future shop because that is where we bought the sub/amp/box combo. They said because its a newer car, it has a "data system" radio... which I have no idea what that means. They said I can't get away from that happening because of this style of radio. So I will e-mail or even call MTX tomorrow and see what they say

[TheProfessor]

Thats my next step... I went to future shop because that is where we bought the sub/amp/box combo. They said because its a newer car, it has a "data system" radio... which I have no idea what that means. They said I can't get away from that happening because of this style of radio. So I will e-mail or even call MTX tomorrow and see what they say

While I have no idea what they heck they're talking about, why isn't the problem happening to all the none MTX owners out there?

[Bluemazda3-S]

maybe the convertor gets rid of this problem...

[TheProfessor]

maybe the convertor gets rid of this problem...


If you mean Line Out Converter I doubt it. I had a JL amp wired first with high level inputs (i.e. speaker wire and no LOC) and never had this type of problem. I later switched to low level (RCA's) simply for convenience and there was no difference.

[el squid]

my old setup used to hum when i turned the deck off, but it was because i had my switch on for the amp wired to an ignition on switch, so if the car was on, the amp was on, regardless of what the deck was doing. i found turning down the gain on the amp a little, it went away.

i have my amp in the mazda wired to the cigarette lighter for switch on. it's still always on when the car is, but i dont get a hum when the HU is off.