Route a wire from center speaker to the fuse box

AndreyT · 10-25-2011, 04:01 PM

I need to route a wire (or a pair of wires) from under the center speaker panel to the fuse box area. (My car has no center speaker, BTW). I'd appreciate if someone could suggest the best/shortest path to take? (Preferably one that would not require a trained mongoose to pull the wire through.)

cole92 · 10-25-2011, 04:33 PM

Coat hanger would be the easiest since you probably don't have pulling tools. Remove center speaker cover, and the cover under the dash. Use a flash light to help guide the hanger and attach wire and pull through.

Depending on draw of the device, make sure you run the right gauge wire and fuse appropriately. I would suggest to hit power at the cig lighter or ignition.

AndreyT · 10-25-2011, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cole92

Coat hanger would be the easiest since you probably don't have pulling tools. Remove center speaker cover, and the cover under the dash. Use a flash light to help guide the hanger and attach wire and pull through.

Depending on draw of the device, make sure you run the right gauge wire and fuse appropriately. I would suggest to hit power at the cig lighter or ignition.

Great, thanks. I'm aiming for the cig lighter or, maybe, the ever popular HomeLink fuse. But again, what would be the best direction to take? Where exactly should I push the coat hanger wire through? Should I try going straight from the center speaker to the fuse/glove box area?

One variant I was considering is to go "backwards" first: towards the dash vents and then turn right and go along the dash trim all the way to the glove box.

Is there a straighter path?

(BTW, what specific "cover under the dash" are you referring to?)

cole92 · 10-25-2011, 04:42 PM

You have to remove the wood trim, the panel around the climate control and everything in that general area. Remove the cover under the dash and things will be pretty clear. There's like .5" gap towards the DKP.

EDIT: now that I think of it, you may not even have to remove the climate control. Though the trim that holds the vents above it is a pain in the ass to remove. You need to actually have panel tools or be very gently with a flat head to remove the pops across the panel. I believe the last part of the panel, towards the passenger side is not a pop but slides to the driver side to remove.

Hopefully someone who did it recently can confirm.

AndreyT · 10-25-2011, 04:51 PM

I did remove the dash wood trim in my car recently. A butter knife works well, as long as one's being careful not to scratch anything. Indeed, the be best way to disengage the rightmost attachment point is to slide it to the left after pulling out all other points. It is possible to successfully pull the last one straight out by "brute force", but it is highly not recommended.

However, removing the wood trim alone did not make things much clearer. I get access into the center vent area, but I don't immediately see the path from there to the glove box area.

(Again, what "cover under the dash" am I supposed to remove? Where exactly is that .5" gap you are mentioning?)

cole92 · 10-25-2011, 04:54 PM

My car has a cover under the dash that allows me to see up into the steering column. You may in fact have to remove the climate control in order to see things. That's why I said to use a flashlight (bright as you can get) and shine it from the driver side up towards the climate control. You can then see the very little room you have.

But again, might have to remove the climate control. It's been a long time since I took the dash apart.

AndreyT · 10-25-2011, 04:59 PM

OK, got it. So, that cover would be on the drivers side under the dash, while I'm thinking about working the wire through to the passenger side. (I'd gladly consider alternative connection points though.)

You mention "DKP" above. What's DKP?

cole92 · 10-25-2011, 05:01 PM

Sorry, driver kick panel. You could do it from the passenger side as well

cdgatti · 10-25-2011, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndreyT

I need to route a wire (or a pair of wires) from under the center speaker panel to the fuse box area. (My car has no center speaker, BTW). I'd appreciate if someone could suggest the best/shortest path to take? (Preferably one that would not require a trained mongoose to pull the wire through.)

Remove the center speaker cover, the passenger kick panel (underneath the glovebox), the glove box itself and it will be obvious how to route the wire.

AndreyT · 10-25-2011, 08:39 PM

For the passenger kick panel removal: is there any know-how? Or is it just a matter of removing these screws right under the glove box?

cdgatti · 10-26-2011, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndreyT

For the passenger kick panel removal: is there any know-how? Or is it just a matter of removing these screws right under the glove box?

Yea just remove the screws (20 or 25 torx) then unhook the little light fixture.

10-25-2011, 04:01 PM	#1
AndreyT Major 57 Rep 1,038 Posts Drives: 2011 335i Sedan, Sport Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northern California iTrader: (0)	Route a wire from center speaker to the fuse box I need to route a wire (or a pair of wires) from under the center speaker panel to the fuse box area. (My car has no center speaker, BTW). I'd appreciate if someone could suggest the best/shortest path to take? (Preferably one that would not require a trained mongoose to pull the wire through.)
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

10-25-2011, 04:33 PM	#2
cole92 Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 270 Posts Drives: too much Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: SoFlo / Tri-state / Mid-Atlantic iTrader: (0)	Coat hanger would be the easiest since you probably don't have pulling tools. Remove center speaker cover, and the cover under the dash. Use a flash light to help guide the hanger and attach wire and pull through. Depending on draw of the device, make sure you run the right gauge wire and fuse appropriately. I would suggest to hit power at the cig lighter or ignition.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-25-2011, 04:42 PM	#4
cole92 Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 270 Posts Drives: too much Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: SoFlo / Tri-state / Mid-Atlantic iTrader: (0)	You have to remove the wood trim, the panel around the climate control and everything in that general area. Remove the cover under the dash and things will be pretty clear. There's like .5" gap towards the DKP. EDIT: now that I think of it, you may not even have to remove the climate control. Though the trim that holds the vents above it is a pain in the ass to remove. You need to actually have panel tools or be very gently with a flat head to remove the pops across the panel. I believe the last part of the panel, towards the passenger side is not a pop but slides to the driver side to remove. Hopefully someone who did it recently can confirm.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-25-2011, 04:51 PM	#5
AndreyT Major 57 Rep 1,038 Posts Drives: 2011 335i Sedan, Sport Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northern California iTrader: (0)	I did remove the dash wood trim in my car recently. A butter knife works well, as long as one's being careful not to scratch anything. Indeed, the be best way to disengage the rightmost attachment point is to slide it to the left after pulling out all other points. It is possible to successfully pull the last one straight out by "brute force", but it is highly not recommended. However, removing the wood trim alone did not make things much clearer. I get access into the center vent area, but I don't immediately see the path from there to the glove box area. (Again, what "cover under the dash" am I supposed to remove? Where exactly is that .5" gap you are mentioning?) Last edited by AndreyT; 10-25-2011 at 04:56 PM..
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-25-2011, 04:54 PM	#6
cole92 Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 270 Posts Drives: too much Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: SoFlo / Tri-state / Mid-Atlantic iTrader: (0)	My car has a cover under the dash that allows me to see up into the steering column. You may in fact have to remove the climate control in order to see things. That's why I said to use a flashlight (bright as you can get) and shine it from the driver side up towards the climate control. You can then see the very little room you have. But again, might have to remove the climate control. It's been a long time since I took the dash apart.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-25-2011, 04:59 PM	#7
AndreyT Major 57 Rep 1,038 Posts Drives: 2011 335i Sedan, Sport Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northern California iTrader: (0)	OK, got it. So, that cover would be on the drivers side under the dash, while I'm thinking about working the wire through to the passenger side. (I'd gladly consider alternative connection points though.) You mention "DKP" above. What's DKP?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-25-2011, 05:01 PM	#8
cole92 Second Lieutenant 5 Rep 270 Posts Drives: too much Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: SoFlo / Tri-state / Mid-Atlantic iTrader: (0)	Sorry, driver kick panel. You could do it from the passenger side as well
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-25-2011, 08:39 PM	#10
AndreyT Major 57 Rep 1,038 Posts Drives: 2011 335i Sedan, Sport Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northern California iTrader: (0)	For the passenger kick panel removal: is there any know-how? Or is it just a matter of removing these screws right under the glove box?
	Appreciate 0 Quote