How to install Parrot Bluetooth on a CTS Bose

[JimmyH]

I originally ordered the Parrot CK3000 and a Kram adapter cable to install.
The adapter cable did not work. Well, it worked, but the volume was too low.

I decided at that point to just try plugging the parrot kit directly into the radio.
I tried this on the V (albeit in the trunk where the audio goes into the amp) and
I was treated to plenty of popping and static on the radio.

In this case, it was quite contrary. It works perfectly. Almost. The sound is
crystal clear. Two different callers told me it sounded like I was on my handset,
not a speaker phone, and even at higher volumes, they reported no echo.
With the volume on the parrot turned up to maximum, the volume output is
just about the same as the radio.

So what's the catch? The radio has to be on to hear it. Since the Parrot does not
interface with the radio or the amp, and it's audio goes through the amp, the amp
must be powered on, and that means the radio must be on. If you turn the radio off,
the call volume will be inaudible. But, my radio is on almost all the time anyway.
And when a call comes in, the parrot will block the audio from the radio, and insert
the audio from the phone.

It took me five hours total. But that included screwing around with the Kram cable.
From the point where I decided to do the Parrot direct, I think it was about an hour.
I took pictures all along the way, so take advantage of my experience. I think the
procedure would be the same for a non-bose CTS. But I do not know for certain.

Some weekend, if I have time, I might try setting up the V this way to see if it
works with the NAV system.

[JimmyH]

Step 1

Remove the HVAC bezels. You have to be careful, because you can
pull the bezel off of the underlying plastic.

Use a putty knife as shown below, and just work it free until
you get your fingers in there.

If it is really stuck, use a screwdriver between the bezel
and the putty knife.

There is one connector for the Hazard button on the top bezel.



The bottom bezel is the same technique, but first you have to
remove the faux ashtray, and there is a 8mm hex head screw to remove.

Unscrew it and then use pliers to get it out. If you drop it,
it will fall down behind the console and you will never get it.
Not a big loss, as I never bother to put it back in either of my CTSs.
The clips hold the bezel on just fine.

After you pry the lower bezel off, there are two connectors. The one
below for the lighter socket is a little tricky. Open the ashtray
compartment, and first pry the black clip off in the direction indicated
below. Then pry the grey connector off as indicated. Then close the
ashtray compartment and snake the thing out. There is a clip holding
the wire in place you will have to cut.




To remove the HVAC connector, first you have to remove the two grey
retainers by prying all the little tabs out and pulling the retainer
out. After that the blue connector just slides out.




Alternatively, you could leave both connectors in place, and just
let the whole bezel hang in the driver footwell. It will probably
get in your way later though.

Step 2

Remove the radio. There are four 10mm hex head screws holding the
radio in place. Remove them and the radio will slide out. There
are no clips.






Once you get the radio out, there are the two ISO connectors (brown
for the audio, grey for the power) and a yellow/green/blue data
connector. Disconnect those and the antenna.






Step 3

Switched power. We need to acquire an ignition sense 12v+ lead.
The radio does not have one. The HVAC does. First we need to make
a jumper. You will need a foot or so of wire, a splice connector,
and a bullet (or spade) connector. Strip one end as shown, and
then crimp on the bullet connector.






Next, we tap into the 12V ignition lead on the HVAC loom. CHECK
WITH A MULTIMETER OR VOLTAGE TESTER TO SEE IF THIS IS INDEED 12V+!!!

All CTSs should be the same in theory. But car manufacturers like
to change things at any given time, for no apparent reason.

On mine, it is the brown wire as shown on the connector below.
Tap into this wire anywhere on the loom (I chose to do it further
back as shown) using the wire tap and the jumper you just made.
It would be a good idea to test the continuity between the bullet
connector and the hvac connector to make sure your wire tap is
connected correctly. This will save you aggravation later in the
case that it is not.






Step 4

Prepare the Parrot kit. Below shows how all the connectors are
plugged in. There is no need at this point to plug in the mike
or button pad.

To get our switched power correctly, you need to cut the orange
wire shown below between the grey female ISO connector, and the
fuse holder.

Tape off the end from the ISO (shown by the green arrow) as it
is not needed. Add a bullet connector (opposite gender of whatever
you used on the jumper wire) to the orange wire coming from
the fuse holder.

That leaves three bullet connectors (shown by the red arrows)
that will not be used. These are for mute leads. The CTS radio
does not have phone mute in. You can cut these off, wrap them
up, or leave them hanging at your discretion.




I like things neat, so I wrapped everything up. This will also
protect the wires a little from abrasion.






Step 5 (optional)

Depending on where you choose to locate the button pad, you may
need to extend the plug for that connector. I like my control up
above the mirror. Most people just mount them on the dash or
console. If you are one of those people, your button pad cable
will be long enough and you can skip this step.

To extend the plug, cut off the 4 pin connector that is attached
via four wires to the universal plug adaptor (the 10 pin connector
that plugs into the blue box below.)

Simply get about 6 ft of 4-lead wire (or 12 ft of 2-lead wire and
twist them together as I have done) and solder the ends to each
end of the 4 wires you cut (blue, red, yellow, and black.)

[JimmyH]

Step 6

Running the wires. This is also at your discretion depending on
where you mount things. I had to run the button pad cable,
obviously. And the microphone really should be up by the headliner
for optimal sound pickup. You could mount the mic on the dash,
but I have tried this before, and it increases the likelihood
of feedback on your caller's end.

First remove the A-pillar finisher. Pop off the little tab that
says airbag. There is a philips head screw to remove. The finisher
will then come off. There are no clips.





Remove the driver door sill cover. There are four clips holding it.
Pull up on the three, then pull the upper one towards you.



Remove the plastic wire cover above the mirror. You can route the
wire for the button pad through there. (Skip this if you are dash
mounting it.) Then, using the smaller of the two microphone clips,
stick the wires into the clip (to hold them in place) and slide
the clip onto the headliner.





Tuck the wires into the headliner. Then run the wires down the
A pillar, and tie them to the cable that is there.







Next remove the two screws holding the lower dash cover in place.
There are two more screws if you want to completely remove it, but
it is not necessary. The cover will hang down enough as shown to
tuck the wires in.







Next, run the button pad wire extension through as shown.
(skip again if you are dash mounting.)







Tuck the microphone wire and run it as shown. Run the button
extension wire in the opposite direction and plug it into the button pad.

Run the microphone wire into the radio compartment, opposite of
what is shown above.







Step 7

Making the connections. Plug the jumper for the switched power into
the orange wire on the parrot cable. Plug the parrots ISO connectors
into the two ISO connectors you earlier unplugged from the radio.
Don't worry about getting them wrong. The tabs on the connectors make
pretty much impossible to plug in the wrong ones. (Unless you break
off the tabs.) All the ISO connectors are only going to plug in one
way, and only into the proper places. Then plug your mic and button
pad wires into the blue box along with the 10 pin connector and the
white 4-pin power connector.









Step 8

Replace the radio. Plug the two ISO connectors from the parrot into
the back of the radio. Plug in the colored data connector. Now would
be a good time to turn your car on (to the RUN position, it will not
work in accessory due to the switched power coming from the HVAC)
and make sure everything works. At this point the radio should play.
If you press one of the buttons on the parrot control pad, it should
interrupt the audio from the radio, and ask you to pair a phone or
make a language selection. I forget which comes first.

After you verify it works, you can put the radio back. Tucking the
wires in is tricky, because you have alot of additional cables now,
and there is not alot of room. I tried below the radio, that did not
work too well. I ended stuffing the iso connectors to the left, and
the blue box and mute box to the right. That interfered with the glove
box, so I had to remove the glove box bezel and tape the blue box to
it. Now it does not interfere.




Tuck the wires in, plug in all the connectors (DONT FORGET THE ANTENNA,
it is easy to overlook) screw the radio back in, replace the HVAC bezels,

and you are done!









Right out of the box, the volume level of the parrot should closely match
the radio. You can adjust the volume using the knob on the button pad
during a call, and also using the radio volume knob.

As an alternative to getting switched power from the HVAC, you can get
it from the lighter socket. From the factory, the lighter sockets are
set to always have power, even when the car is off. You can change this
by going under the hood to the fuse panel. There are two fuses highlighted
below. The yellow one changes the front console lighter from battery to
Retained Accessory Power. The green one is for the rear seat lighter.
When you change it to RAP, the power to the outlet will cut 10 minutes
after you turn off the car. This is unlike the windows and radio, as
those will cease functioning when you open a door. The lighters will
retain power for 10 minutes regardless of whether you open or lock the
doors. Ignore the relay installed below, that is only for the CTS-V.

[JimmyH]

Here is the HTML version if anyone wants it:

http://cooleywire.com/jimmyh/parrot.htm

[static_k]

Great Howto!

I wonder if there is a way you can use the mic from the onstar as opposed to using the parrot one.

[JimmyH]

You could if you tapped into the Onstar voice wires. They are in the trunk. It has been tried (not with a Parrot) and the sound was horrible. Plus you would likely lose echo cancellation, as the parrot mic is optimized for it. Plus it would probably screw up Onstar (if you use it.)

[bracester]

man that is one slick write up...nice work!

[kfx]

holy bat sh**t robin, nice documentation!

[-=AlexXx=-]

that is awsome, looks like an awful lot of work. But looks like u did a great job and know exactly what your doing, ill make sure to book mark this becuase i was thinkin about getting bluetooth eventually.

[JimmyH]

It looks harder than it is, really. On a non-amp car, with one of the plug&play harnesses, I can install one 30 minutes tops. I have probably done 20 cars already.