Jump to content
Do Not Sell My Personal Information


Guide To Installing The Ford Usb Music Box


Petar
 Share

Recommended Posts

This guide was originally written by me for the Dutch Focus Club forum but I figured it will be helpful to re-post it here as well. Enjoy!

What is the Ford USB music Box?

Read here: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=35755

A separate website for the product itself is here:http://www.ford-musicbox.eu/

From this site you can download also the user manual. Here's a direct link to that: http://www.ford-musicbox.eu/documents/UserManual%20MBX01.pdf

Price: I bought mine in the Netherlands from an official dealer for 99EUR (see more below). Installation costs were obviously not included. The price quoted for the USB music Box + installation was ~170EUR.

DISCLAIMER

You are in no way obligated to follow these instructions. Following this manual will require you to disassemble elements from your interior and work with some electrical connections. If you're not confident you can do it - leave it to someone else. Follow this at your own risk (and don't hold me responsible if you mess up ).

The package and what's inside

My package was already opened by the dealer so maybe that's why I got it for 99EUR. Another dealer quoted 130EUR for the unit without installation costs.

Below you can see the package itself, the FINIS number, as well as what it contains.

fmb_hwt_001.jpg

fmb_hwt_002.jpg

STEP 1 - Disconnect the battery of your car. Note: Make sure you have your radio code ready.

STEP 2 - Remove the radio cover and the radio itself

fmb_hwt_003.jpg

STEP 3 - Connect the cables where they belong. It's also shown on the installation sheet. Frankly, they can only be connected one way, so there's little to go wrong.

fmb_hwt_005.jpg

Once you've connected the cables, just slide in your radio back into the hole for now. Later you'll take it out and properly arrange all the cables, etc. so that it all fits nicely.

I already had an AUX 3.5" stereo jack connected to my radio. If you ask the dealers most will tell that you can only have either one. That's not really true, because the splitter cable delivers the same connections as the radio has originally. So, at the moment I have both connections and both work independently. I didn't try both at the same time, but my guess is that the sound will simply overlap.

STEP 4 - Figure where you want to have the USB connection and the USB box itself

I have a 2005 Focus with a 2008 facelift center console (the one with the extendable armrest). I decided to place my USB cable into the armrest compartment.

I decided to put my USB Box on the side of the glove compartment. It simply didn't fit under the radio.

STEP 5 - Placing the USB Box

To do this you need to remove the glove compartment first. This is fairly easy - just open it, unscrew the screws marked on the image and pull it out.

fmb_hwt_011.jpg

Once you've removed the glove compartment you can easily reach into the hole where the radio sits from the passenger side. Feed the cable through the side and connect it with the USB Box on the side of the glove compartment.

fmb_hwt_012.jpg

Now you have several options for mounting the USB Box so it doesn't make noises when you drive or put tension on the cables.

I took the easy option and used a plastic cable tie to hold the USB box (number 2 on the image above) to the cables on the side (number 1 on the image). It's pretty sturdy and isn't going anywhere. Thanks to the cables it doesn't touch any metal/plastic parts, so it can't rattle either.

Another option would be to use double-sided tape to mount the USB Box on the inside area of where number 3 is on the image. I didn't have any such tape at hand so I didn't do that.

Here's my box secured:

fmb_hwt_013.jpg

STEP 6 - Feed the USB cable to the center console compartment.

That's probably the most fiddly job. You need to remove the side panel of the console (where the feet of the passenger are), remove the gearstick knob, unclick and lift up the handbrake sleeve+plastic, remove the top part of the console itself. Then you feed the cable under the console and into the compartment (the compartment has a hole on the bottom). The supplied USB cable is long enough.

Some photos of the process:

First, remove the handbrake sleeve+plastic. You'll need to unscrew these two screws at the top and then simply pull it up from the side of the screws. The handbrake must be engaged in its uppermost position (pull it all the way up).

fmb_hwt_006.jpg

Then unclick the leather sleeve of the gearstick knob. You do this by gently lifting it together with the plastic surrounding. Once it's up you simply unscrew the knob from the shift stick.

fmb_hwt_007.jpg

Then you'll need to pull out the 12V plug and disconnect its cable. Now you can proceed to pulling up the top part of the center console. You pull it up from the back where it ends in a small area. Once the back and the middle are unclicked you can pull it backward (toward the back seat) and lift it up. There's a couple of latches at the front which will unclick as you pull it backward.

You need to end up with something like this:

fmb_hwt_009.jpg

You can proceed to removing the side panel. That's one screw and three latches. Unscrew the screw and pull the panel outward and to the front of the car. It unclicks very easily.

Click here to see the image

Now you have plenty of room to feed the cable to the back side of the console. I also used a few cable ties along the way to make sure it won't get in the way of the gearstick or the airbag module which is mounted on the floor.

As you run the cable down from the USB Box, give it some spare and tie it with a cable tie against other cables, so that it doesn't pull the USB Box down. This way it won't put any unnecessary tension on the plug of the USB Box itself. These two plugs seemed rather flimsy to me. I think they could have built the box more sturdy, but it should be fine as long as you don't pull/tension the cables too much.

At the end you should have something like this:

Click here to see the image

And here comes the bonus - when the radio is ON the blue LED from the USB cable goes ON as well, whether you have something plugged in or not. This means that now you have a nice light in your center console compartment:

Click here to see the image

I quite like the way the box works. It's simple and quick. Could have used a few fancier features, but now at least I don't have to turn on and off my MP3 player all the time. It doesn't need to be re-charged as other portable players, etc. etc.

My main complaint is about the fact that it doesn't really have a stop button. If you play MP3s off the box itself and then decide to switch to the radio (AM/FM button) the USB stick still indicates that a data transfer is being made. Not a big fuss but it's a waste - why read when nobody's listening... Perhaps this will be fixed with a software/hardware update later on or in future versions. My box is software version 1.0 and hardware version 1.0.

Another thing they could have done is make it read the MP3 tags and display them on the radio screen (ie. name of song, artist, etc.). That doesn't bother me much, however, since I usually hit play, enjoy the music and drive. Also, I know all the songs I have in my library... But still, for that price they could have tried harder.

Hope this has been helpful and it gives you a better idea of what this product offers and what it takes to install it yourself (and save a good 70EUR).

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Jane, I don't think the USB music Box is available anywhere online yet (it just came to the dealers on January 2nd). I'm pretty sure, however, that if you stop by an official Ford dealer they'll be able to order it for you. Delivery time shouldn't be more than a week (at least here in NL it's like that).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice Guide,

This USB socket may be of use to people installing this modification, because it sits flush on the dash and can be mounted Click Here

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is good news.... Hopefully it will come to the UK fairly soon...

Shame about the ipod.iphone connectivity tho,

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Thanks Lenny! The USB socket linked above could be plugged into the female USB cable from the music Box... Looks like a plug-and-play solution!

Had I known of this USB socket earlier I would have done just that. For now I'll enjoy the extra LED inside my center console. :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've just emailed the parts people at my local dealer... i'll let you know what they all say!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Suggested by Ford RRP abt 84 quid including VAT, but some dealers charge 80 quid plus VAT.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thts not a bad price i guess.. Ill have to see if i can wangle any discount ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ordered one for £82.99 Inc VAT

It just comes up as a "cable assembly" on my dealers microcat, however they have said if its wrong they won't charge me the handling fee...

Just awaiting its delivery! They had no idea of availability at the time i ordered it, so its just sit and wait!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rumour has it, my box has arrived at my local dealer... I am picking it up on my next day off, probably tuesday!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, the USB box comes up as "cable" or "cable assembly" on the receipt/Microcat.

If you're listening to music off the USB Box and then switch to the FM radio the USB Box keeps playing the music. So when you switch back you won't be at where you left it off... Other than turning the radio OFF entirely there's no way to 'pause'. The MODE button on the steering column remote could easily have been utilized as 'play'/'pause' when pressed quickly, imho.

It's useful to know that the USB box does not truly support hot-plug. If your radio is ON when you plug in a USB drive and switch to AUX it won't work (or at least not at all times). You need to turn the radio OFF and back ON to get it to work. Also, if you're listening to the AUX then change the source to RADIO and turn the engine off, the next time you start your car and switch to AUX it won't work either.

Basically, you always need to have the radio on AUX when it's switched OFF to get the USB Box to properly recognize your USB drive next time you start it.

Given the price they could have tried harder, but it still remains a good alternative to aftermarket radios or pricier versions of the Ford units which have native USB support. Either way, none of the aforementioned items has bothered me or my wife. Since I installed the kit in the beginning of the month the only FM radio we've listened to has been the traffic announcements. :D I also noticed that the quality of the sound is much greater than this through the AUX cable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The more I read about USB Box the less I like it. Looks like it still needs a lot of improvements.

I have been suggested an alternative for USB music Box - Parrot 9100. This is HF with USB mp3 player. As far as I know it uses AUX to play the music, mp3 tags are displayed on parrot display. The price is highter - possible to get for abt 115 quid, but you get 2 in 1.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

bearing in mind its only just come out... who knows what they have planned...

I already have BTHF in my stereo, so i wouldnt need that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The more I read about USB Box the less I like it....

Yes, unfortunately few aftermarket kits are very good and certainly none is perfect. :) For me the biggest plus with the USB music Box was that it's totally hidden. At first when I read through the manual I also was put off a bit by the limitations but to be honest - apart from scrolling from one song to another and adjusting the volume I haven't done anything else in the past month that I've had the unit in my car. Displaying the MP3 tags would have been very nice but what to do...

A while back I almost bought the Parrot 9100 but I came across some negative reviews online and all the separate pieces of the kit were too much for me.

Speaking of what they might be coming out with soon... http://www.ford-musicbox.eu/index.php?page=products&group=1

I see MBX02 and MBX03 - I can imagine higher prices for the features missing in the current MBX01. I certainly don't see myself upgrading to any of them unless they offer a deal for buying in my old one for the price I paid (which is very unlikely). :D

Anyway, I hope that Dave gets his installed soon so he can also give some feedback on the everyday use. I'll shut up for now. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites


From what I could find the 02 and 03 were for different cars, not upgrades... I believe the 02 is for the new fiesta and new focus for example...

Yeah I'll get it installed and try do a fairly well organised playlist.. Advantage being I can select all the music I like! And once I've learnt the order it'll be easy!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Installed...

Working, Plays all sorts of music, and I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised!

So far its played, MP3's, MP4's and WAV's can't comment on any other files as yet!

The hardest bit about the installation for me was finding a place to stuff the harness adaptor behind the radio, as there is little room... First couple of tries resulted in the fascia being slightly too far to the right, and fouling the hazard light switch, but its all fixed now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok.. Have a bit more time to explain now..

Pictures will follow!

Started by removing the trim around the radio, starting at the bottom. It takes a bit of a firm tug to get it off!

Once this is out my radio is simply removed by 4 screws! I see ford don't worry about security with standard head units lol!

Once the head unit was out I removed the glove box. I kept the tray handy as instead of putting the cable in the centre console, I want it in my glovebox.

With the headunit out, I removed the connector block, and quite simply... Put the split lead in... Then I ran the music box lead through to the glovebox area, clearly the newer wiring harnesses are a lot shorter, I had to cable tie my music box to the metal support of the airbag.

With this is place I plugged in the harness and the USB lead.

At this point I tested it all worked... Nothing worse than putting everything back and finding it doesn't!!

Once I had enjoyed some high quality mp3's it was time to put it back properly.

I now drilled a hole in the back of my glove box tray, an cut it square with a scalpel. I pushed the USB connector through, and put the tray in place. It all fitted great!

Now for the bit that took an hour to sort!!!

There is... What can only be described as... sod all space behind the headunit! I struggled to find a decent place to put the extra connector block and cable, eventually I managed to squeeze it into the top right hand corner near the clocks... It was tight!

I put the headunit back in, cover back in place, and then found the hazard light button would then Stick in... So the fascia off, radio came out, and back in, fascia on.... Then fascia off, back out, and back in fascia on..... And so on an so on about another 4 times... Until eventually I got the radio and harness and fascia all in the right place... (seriously brain surgery would have been easier!!!)

I now enjoy some great tunes, on a 16gb memory stick, PC World, £18.99! Bargain!

Works a treat, I'm well happy with it!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Hi there,

Firstly sorry for dragging an old(ish) post up.

Just read through this with interest, and remembered that I'd seen a flush fitting USB socket on eBay, this one.... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CD-DVD-Players-USB-interface-modification-Panel-Ford-Focus-05-11-Black-/320894469311?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item4ab6cd04bf

The socket is available in black or silver (just check his store page) and, as shown in the photos, sits flush next to the rear screen de-mister button.

Now I know it is mini USB on the inside but that can be overcome by an adaptor, something like this.... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-2-0-Male-Mini-USB-B-5-Pin-Female-Adapter-/200679294592?pt=UK_Computing_USB_Cables&hash=item2eb96b0680

I thought someone who reads this thread might find this usefull.

Best regards,

Dave

BTW - I have no affiliation with either of the eBay sellers on the links above :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Do the MP3 tags appear on the Sony head unit display ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nope, they don't (although this is yet to bother me :) ). Toward the end of the guide (1st page):

"Another thing they could have done is make it read the MP3 tags and display them on the radio screen (ie. name of song, artist, etc.). That doesn't bother me much, however, since I usually hit play, enjoy the music and drive. Also, I know all the songs I have in my library... But still, for that price they could have tried harder."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its a pity that really, would have gone for one if it did. Maybe Ford will add the feature in the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Hi, a quick question on this.. I am keen and thinking of getting one...

Does the ford radio need keys for removal? I know the plastic trim needs to come off (radio cover). But does the head unit in the images need those slim metal keys for it to be released?

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On your car you just unclip the radio fascia and the radio is held in with 4 screws.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On your car you just unclip the radio fascia and the radio is held in with 4 screws.

Oh that is much better. THanks for your post!

I am in a quandry as to whether I should get this little box or replace the entire head unit. The ford unit is fine for me, just a pain regarding playing mp3s etc. Seems a little extravagant to go and replace the head unit just so I can play a few Mp3s, althou some of the head units people have suggested on this forum look very snazzy and do all sorts of extra things, but then I would need a new radio cover to go on the dash for it to fit into.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share




×
×
  • Create New...

Forums


News


Membership