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Details of Adding OEM Navigation & Color Screen to My 2003 Murano

102K views 196 replies 37 participants last post by  XanaviNet 
#1 ·
Hey Gang!

OK, FINALLY!! Here are all of the gory details, complete with pics, of the steps involved in adding OEM navigation to my 2003 MO which shipped from the factory with the amber (orange) display w/integrated display controller, and no factory navigation. Please excuse the multiple posts, but I don’t know how to add more than one picture to a post.

I decided to undertake this challenge after I found an eBay auction from LKQ Corporation, (http://www.lkqonline.com/ ), which included all of the components I needed to do the conversion including:

• Color Display – Part Number: 28090 CA100, Model Number: TR-LM7WB1N, Serial Number: FA3430295, Matsu****a Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
• Display Controller Unit (DCU) – Part Number: 28330 CB600, Model #: DCU-6104G(US), Part Name: CONT ASSY-AV, Serial Number: 30700033
• Navigation Controller Unit (NCU) - Part Number: 25915 CA103, Model Number: NCU-6110G (US), Part Name: CONT ASSY-NAVI, Serial Number: 30700033
• GPS Antenna – Part Number: 25975 CA100, Model Number: AGP-3090V, Part Name: ANT ASSY-GPS, Serial Number: 322007831, Xanavi Informatics
• AC/AV Center Console assembly w/Bose Radio , cassette player, 6 Disc Changer, & AC/AV switches for navigation.

I paid $1048 for this auction, including shipping.

Here is a picture of my old amber (orange) display… the starting point:
 

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#2 ·
I originally had hoped adding OEM navigation would be as simple as plugging in the components I had purchased in the eBay auction. I soon found it wasn’t nearly that simple. The decision to include OEM navigation or not is made at the time the car is built. If it is not built with navigation, a different main wiring harness is used which DOES NOT include the connectors for the color display, display control, or navigation controller. There are 37 different MAIN wiring harnesses for the Murano. THIRTY-SEVEN!! Note that this is not the entire wiring harness for the car, just the MAIN harness which basically connects all of the electrical stuff in the dash and center console.

I ordered the main wiring harness for a 2003 Murano, with navigation, from Nissan of Turnersville, NJ. This harness included all of the connectors and wiring between the color display, display controller, navigation unit, etc. (M38, M42, M43, M62, M63)

Here is a picture of the harness main wiring harness as received from Nissan of Turnersville, NJ. The pink cable ties identify the connectors I need and the parts of the wiring harness I needed to isolate. I paid $1096 for the harness from Nissan of Turnersville. At the time I ordered, the parts guy said there were only like TWO of these harnesses in the entire United States!!
 

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#3 ·
I then extracted the sub-harness from the rest of the main wiring harness and patched it into the existing main harness in my MO. (All connections soldered and taped.) Most of the signals I needed were available from the connector for the integrated monochrome display. These included: CAN-H, CAN-L, Vehicle Speed Signal, Ignition Signal, ACC Power Signal, & Illumination Signal.)

Here is picture of the extracted sub-harness:
 

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#4 ·
The Color Display – Part Number: 28090 CA100, Model Number: TR-LM7WB1N, Serial Number: FA3430295, Matsu****a Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.:
 

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#5 ·
The mounting area for the color display, with the display removed. Note the connector for the display, and the GPS antenna which mounts in the small niche above the color display:
 

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#6 ·
GPS Antenna – Part Number: 25975 CA100, Model Number: AGP-3090V, Part Name: ANT ASSY-GPS, Serial Number: 322007831, Xanavi Informatics
 

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#7 ·
The GPS antenna installed in the niche behind the color display:
 

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#8 ·
The color display mounted in place and functional:
 

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#9 ·
Display Controller Unit (DCU) – Part Number: 28330 CB600, Model #: DCU-6104G(US), Part Name: CONT ASSY-AV, Serial Number: 30700033 The display controller unit mounts behind the radio, AC/AV switch assembly. The amber (orange) display has an integrated display controller so it does not need this component. Only the color display uses it. Not the wires in front of the display controller. This is where I patched the sub-harness into the existing main harness in my Murano. Again, the signals I needed were available from the integrated display connector.
 

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#10 ·
The pile of connectors that plug into the radio, AC/AV switch assembly, unified meter assembly, etc.
 

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#11 ·
Navigation Controller Unit (NCU) - Part Number: 25915 CA103, Model Number: NCU-6110G (US), Part Name: CONT ASSY-NAVI, Serial Number: 30700033. The navigation controller mounts in the center console, forward of the shift level assembly, and above the air-conditioning plastic tubes that carry air to the back seat passengers. You basically have to pull the whole center console assembly apart to mount the navigation controller. You also have to unscrew the bolts that hold the shifter assembly in place to get the navigation controller mounted.
 

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#12 ·
Another picture of the navigation controller mounted in place in the center console.
 

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#13 ·
In this picture of the navigation controller you can see the plastic ductwork underneath it.
 

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#14 ·
As part of the auction I won, I also got the entire radio cluster assembly with radio, 6 CD changer, cassette, unified meter assembly. While I don’t believe the there is any difference in the radio or unifed meter assembly in a Murano with navigation, the switch markings AND THE SWITCH FUNCTIONS are different. Note this fact in this picture. If you use the switch assembly from a non-nav MO you will not be able to zoom in, out, etc. as the functions of the switches are different.
 

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#15 ·
The transformation is complete. With the color display and navigation one has the choice of which information to display in the bottom center of the display. The choices are either climate information, or radio information. This is a pic showing the climate information.
 

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#16 ·
The color display in NIGHT MODE.
 

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#17 ·
Close-up of display in climate display mode.
 

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#18 ·
Close-up display in radio display mode.
 

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#19 ·
I have a total of $2144 in this conversion, not counting my time to do the actual work. I was VERY LUCKY to find that eBay auction which included all of the USED components I needed to do the conversion except for the wiring harness. If one was to purchase all of the required components NEW from the dealer, the cost of the components alone would probably be five or six thousand dollars. The color display alone, without the display controller is $2300!!! This doesn’t include the wiring harness either.

The conversion works perfectly, exactly as if it shipped from the factory with OEM navigation. I considered making my own wiring harness to connect the pieces together, but couldn’t find all of the connectors I needed plus by extracting the sub-harness from the main wiring harness, critical signals like Communication Signal, Audio TX/RX, Voice Guide Signal and the RGB signals from the DCU to the color display were nicely shielded and terminated with the OEM wiring harness.

While this has been a challenging and very gratifying experience, those of you who don’t have OEM navigation, either by choice or by chance, shouldn’t be too disappointed. While the level of integration, “factory look”, and “coolness” factors are very high for the OEM option, there are, IMHO, significantly better aftermarket navigation solutions available. I also have a Garmin Nuvi 660, (http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2006/10/garmin_nuvi_660_indepth_review.php?page=1), and I feel it is vastly superior to the DVD-based navigations systems, including the Infiniti/Nissan offerings, in the following ways: 1.) portability (Duh!), 2.) touch screen instead of that stupid joystick, 3.) “Text-to-Speech”(TTS) voice guidance, 4.) more languages, 5.) higher resolution, 6.) more screen detail available, 7.) more intuitive, 8.) Bluetooth mobile phone interface, 9.) other features like MP3 player, etc.

Cheers!

Bob Terfruchte, Jr.
a.k.a. Phoenix54
Austin, TX
 
#196 ·
I have a total of $2144 in this conversion, not counting my time to do the actual work. I was VERY LUCKY to find that eBay auction which included all of the USED components I needed to do the conversion except for the wiring harness. If one was to purchase all of the required components NEW from the dealer, the cost of the components alone would probably be five or six thousand dollars. The color display alone, without the display controller is $2300!!! This doesn’t include the wiring harness either.

The conversion works perfectly, exactly as if it shipped from the factory with OEM navigation. I considered making my own wiring harness to connect the pieces together, but couldn’t find all of the connectors I needed plus by extracting the sub-harness from the main wiring harness, critical signals like Communication Signal, Audio TX/RX, Voice Guide Signal and the RGB signals from the DCU to the color display were nicely shielded and terminated with the OEM wiring harness.

While this has been a challenging and very gratifying experience, those of you who don’t have OEM navigation, either by choice or by chance, shouldn’t be too disappointed. While the level of integration, “factory look”, and “coolness” factors are very high for the OEM option, there are, IMHO, significantly better aftermarket navigation solutions available. I also have a Garmin Nuvi 660, (http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2006/10/garmin_nuvi_660_indepth_review.php?page=1), and I feel it is vastly superior to the DVD-based navigations systems, including the Infiniti/Nissan offerings, in the following ways: 1.) portability (Duh!), 2.) touch screen instead of that stupid joystick, 3.) “Text-to-Speech”(TTS) voice guidance, 4.) more languages, 5.) higher resolution, 6.) more screen detail available, 7.) more intuitive, 8.) Bluetooth mobile phone interface, 9.) other features like MP3 player, etc.

Cheers!

Bob Terfruchte, Jr.
a.k.a. Phoenix54
Austin, TX
did you ever try to set up a rear cam in your rig and if not do you think it would have gone directly to the LCD or in the harness?
 
#21 ·
I am impressed! Great job!

I have been in the electronics/electrical field for past 35 years and would not attempt project like this. I guess the most challenging part would be to disassemble almost entire Murano! Again, impressive and thanks for sharing it with others...
 
#22 ·
WOW! What a great job Bob! I see you like your interior COLD! :D

Btw, I too have a Garmin Nuvi 660 with my 'navless' SL.


Dan
 
#24 ·
Excellent job! Congratulations!


Two things based on 1 of your statements.

1- If it didn't have Text to Speech, I wouldn't have done anything that complex. That is a LOT of work.

2- I have always wished that I had gotten NAV when I bought my old sled. I didn't know that it didn't do Text to Speech (Like my $250 Nuvi 350 does). I would have been very upset to find out that a $2000 (New Cost in 03) nav didn't have this very necessary (IMO) feature.


Again, a great job.


Homer
 
#26 ·
P57-

Way to go!!! :claphead: That is truly a remarkable accomplishment.

-njjoe
 
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