How to Add USB Ports to 2014-2016 MDX Second Row

Old 10-20-2018, 02:49 PM
  #1  
Chapter Leader
(Northeast Florida)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
gatrhumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Age: 44
Posts: 35,532
Received 1,651 Likes on 1,116 Posts
How to Add USB Ports to 2014-2016 MDX Second Row

So the fact that the 2014-2016 Acrua MDX did not have second row USB ports was bugging me. I will fix that.

I purchased a 12V USB adapter and modified the rear center console to accept the port. Now I just need to wire it up.

The following users liked this post:
reg (10-24-2018)
Old 10-20-2018, 02:52 PM
  #2  
Chapter Leader
(Northeast Florida)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
gatrhumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Age: 44
Posts: 35,532
Received 1,651 Likes on 1,116 Posts
Step 1: Removing the rear center console trim cover. Get a small ( and I mean small) trim panel removal tool and separate the rear console trim cover. There are nine clips that hold it in place.

The following users liked this post:
reg (10-24-2018)
Old 10-20-2018, 02:55 PM
  #3  
Chapter Leader
(Northeast Florida)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
gatrhumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Age: 44
Posts: 35,532
Received 1,651 Likes on 1,116 Posts
Step 2: Towards the bottom there are two connectors that need to be disconnected: one black and one white. Squeeze the center part and remove the plugs.
The following users liked this post:
reg (10-24-2018)
Old 10-20-2018, 02:58 PM
  #4  
Chapter Leader
(Northeast Florida)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
gatrhumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Age: 44
Posts: 35,532
Received 1,651 Likes on 1,116 Posts
Step 3: You can now remove the entire rear console trim panel. I moved it to my workbench and then used a T15 torx bit to remove the 7-8 T15 bits that hold the black rear vent piece.

The following users liked this post:
reg (10-24-2018)
Old 10-20-2018, 03:05 PM
  #5  
Chapter Leader
(Northeast Florida)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
gatrhumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Age: 44
Posts: 35,532
Received 1,651 Likes on 1,116 Posts
Step 4: This is where you can or could deviate from the directions based on your specific USB ports. I chose a center-based location under the A/V connections. I used a Dremel to take out about a 1.25" diameter hole to put in the USB port.




There is about 2.5" of clearance between the back of the center console and the AC vent piece. Whatever USB port you choose, make sure you don't buy a bigger one.
The following users liked this post:
reg (10-24-2018)
Old 10-20-2018, 03:11 PM
  #6  
Chapter Leader
(Northeast Florida)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
gatrhumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Age: 44
Posts: 35,532
Received 1,651 Likes on 1,116 Posts
Step 5: I want to wire the USB port directly to two of the wires from the rear center console plug, but I don't know which one yet. This would be the easiest thing to do.

However, there is also the option to wire the USB port to the center console 12V cigarette lighter adapter. However, that requires another couplease of steps by removing the cup holder rubber mat (and screw underneath), and the center console storage area rubber mat (and corresponding screw underneath), and then wiring the USB port wires to that.

However, I will not do that yet until I can get a wiring diagram of the rear center console so I can get 12V wires to tap into.

The following users liked this post:
reg (10-24-2018)
Old 10-20-2018, 05:18 PM
  #7  
Chapter Leader
(Northeast Florida)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
gatrhumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Age: 44
Posts: 35,532
Received 1,651 Likes on 1,116 Posts
I ended up wiring it to the center console 12V cigarette lighter adapter.
The following 3 users liked this post by gatrhumpy:
reg (10-24-2018), rmoran (02-24-2020), sockr1 (12-19-2018)
Old 10-20-2018, 06:32 PM
  #8  
Chapter Leader
(Northeast Florida)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
gatrhumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Age: 44
Posts: 35,532
Received 1,651 Likes on 1,116 Posts
If you wire this up to the cigarette lighter adapter in the center console, the black wire is the ground, and the white wire is the +12V wire.
The following 3 users liked this post by gatrhumpy:
jzhu625 (10-21-2018), reg (10-24-2018), rmoran (02-24-2020)
Old 10-23-2018, 03:46 AM
  #9  
Racer
 
bmoua15's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2018
Age: 37
Posts: 306
Received 61 Likes on 51 Posts
Great work OP
Old 12-19-2018, 06:20 PM
  #10  
Safety Car
iTrader: (5)
 
sockr1's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Diego
Age: 41
Posts: 4,430
Received 1,158 Likes on 909 Posts
great work! might need to add this in! thank you
Old 12-19-2018, 09:59 PM
  #11  
Chapter Leader
(Northeast Florida)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
gatrhumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Age: 44
Posts: 35,532
Received 1,651 Likes on 1,116 Posts
Doooo eeeeeet.
Old 02-24-2020, 10:45 AM
  #12  
7th Gear
 
rmoran's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Age: 42
Posts: 7
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
Thank you!!! Video Attached

I wanted to say thank you to the OP. I could not find a video on this and I have heard a lot of people asking about it. I wanted to credit the OP and post this video. I hope it’s very helpful.

The following users liked this post:
gatrhumpy (06-14-2020)
Old 06-14-2020, 01:20 PM
  #13  
Chapter Leader
(Northeast Florida)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
gatrhumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Age: 44
Posts: 35,532
Received 1,651 Likes on 1,116 Posts
I ended up re wiring the USB port because before, I wired it to the center console 12V adapter, but I ran the wires outside the center console. It was ugly, and it sometimes caught the seat when I moved. I desoldered the wires and then ran the wires near the very top left (driver's side) inside center console. This way no wires get snagged.
Old 06-14-2020, 01:30 PM
  #14  
Chapter Leader
(Northeast Florida)
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
gatrhumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Age: 44
Posts: 35,532
Received 1,651 Likes on 1,116 Posts
@rmoran , that's a great video! Great job!
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RDXandPuppyLover
2G RDX Audio, Bluetooth, Electronics & Navigation
2
01-23-2018 06:01 AM
Darkshear
2G TL (1999-2003)
24
11-08-2004 10:50 PM


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: How to Add USB Ports to 2014-2016 MDX Second Row



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:23 PM.