Microphone in Dash

[yellowlemon]

I want to install my aftermarket Bluetooth kit microphone in the "proper" spot located in the dash instrument cluster. (This is for a RHD Boxster 2004) What is the best way to route the wiring to the little dummy microphone insert? Will I have to remove the whole instrument cluster? Or where does that hole lead, can I access perhaps the footwell directly through the hole using fish wire?

Thanks for any experience or advice!

Edited April 1, 2009 by yellowlemon

[kbrandsma]

You will need to remove the instrument cluster. There are only 2 torx screws holding it in place. One behind the four way flasher. The flasher just pulls straight off and the other behind the stock microphone circular grill. Take an upholstery pry bar and remove the grill. Use some small shop towels to place under the cluster as it will scratch your dash if you are not careful. Let me know if you need photos. The microphone when installed sounds like you are in a tunnel and you may have to experiment with some various material behind the mic like a piece of foam to get it sounding right.

Edited April 2, 2009 by kbrandsma

[yellowlemon]

You will need to remove the instrument cluster. Let me know if you need photos.

Okay so I will have to remove the instrument cluster, no problem.. but what then? Will I have to take the actual instrument cluster apart , or can I route the microphone wire around the bulk of the cluster somehow?

[whall]

Once the instrument cluster is removed, you will see there is plenty of room - around the back of the instrument cluster - to run your micophone wire to the grill. Just leave a little slack in the wire to enable you to easily remove the grill, if needed in the future.

Removing the hazard warning light can be a little fiddly:

"Press hazard-warning button so it projects out. The button can be pulled off by hand. If needed, a small common screwdriver can be used to help remove the button. With the button removed, access to the switch is available. On either side of the switch there are two locking tabs. With thumb and forefinger squeeze the tabs and simultaneously pull the switch out using the long nosed pliers. Behind the switch is one of the two cluster mounting screws."

By the way, nice car. It is the mirror image of mine, i.e., LHD.

Bill

[yellowlemon]

By the way, nice car. It is the mirror image of mine, i.e., LHD.

Why thank you! :D On your dash on the passenger side there is a funny little vent the shape of a headlight switch, where my actual headlight switch is in my car!

Anyway I will give the microphone routing a try.... in the meantime I found this great website blog entry on the topic, complete with sharp pictures of the whole process:

http://kriswillis.com/index.php/2007/12/27...or-the-porsche/

Wish me luck!

[70Sixter]

This might be helpful.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...p;hl=microphone

[yellowlemon]

Thanks for the link I missed that one in my search!

It seems like quite a few people now have said that the stock microphone location is sub-optimal... hmmmmmmmmmm. Maybe I should go for the A pillar instead.. but... ugliness... I don't know :help:

[70Sixter]

Don't know how big your mic is, but I've considered building a mount for my radar detector. You can put fingers between the windshield and the trim piece that runs across the w/s.

You might be able to rig it there and even press fit it. Should not be as obvious there as on the A pillar.

[yellowlemon]

I successfully installed the microphone from an aftermarket Parrot Bluetooth Kit (CK3000 Evolution Black Edition) into the OEM microphone spot on the dash of a 2004 Boxster - the install was easy - remove the 2 screws behind the switch and microphone cover as described in this thread - then lift the whole dash unit a little. I didn't have to disconnect any of the dashboard harness connectors (hence no fault reports in memory) A wire can now be fed behind the dash into the driver's side footwell. There is heaps of room behind the microphone cover for wire connectors etc.

I used a whole lot of hot glue to stick the little electret microphone insert from my bluetooth kit into the OEM cover - perfect fit! Since these little 10mm electret microphones are standard in electronics, I'm sure they are all the same anyway - "directionality" and "noise-cancelling" all happens inside the unit's brain I believe.

Thanks for your help everyone!

[RaisedOnPorsches]

How did the sounds quality turnout?

[yellowlemon]

How did the sounds quality turnout?

I sent my brother to drive in the car with my phone inside - then called him - I could understand him well except sometimes the sound cut out completely and I missed bits of words making him difficult to understand sometime. When I could hear voice, it was clear though - not boomy or hollow anything. Note I filled the microphone cover cavity around the mic insert with hot glue. I think the clipping may be due to echo cancellation circuitry. My brother said he could hear me fine in the Boxster thru the speakers.

[Andrew McD]

Does anybody know if you can splice the porsche microphone onto the Parrot kit?

Thanks, Andrew.