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My 2007 Mini Cooper S only came with a 3.5mm AUX IN port from the factory. This was soon made redundant after I swapped out the stock stereo for an aftermarket android unit. My new android head unit came with 2 USB cables - I've used one for a DAB tuner (all concealed behind the dashboard) and I was left with the other USB cable kind of just dangling through the gap the AUX IN port had left..
So I started looking for a solution to this - I wanted a functional USB port to fit this space and to look as factory as possible - whilst still retaining full functionality with my android head unit. I did a lot of searching on this to see if it had been done before and couldn't find any information - so thought I'd share here in case anyone wants to do the same.
My starting point was to buy a Mini R56 USB port (given it is exactly the right dimensions I needed) and looks factory because it is! LOL! - I managed to pick one up on eBay for £10. The slight issue is that the port on the rear of the USB port is round and a non standard USB interface. I needed something to connect this port to the USB cable in the car. After a LOT more research i identified that Volkswagen also use the same connector for some of their nav and aux units. Unfortunately, the shorted length of cable I could find was 1.5M! (good job there is plenty space behind the dash!) - both parts arrived today and i've just gotten around to testing and fitting it.
And the great news is that it works as expected!! - the USB port is now fitted and looks factory and all USB functionality still works with my new android head unit - some pictures for reference.
Reference photo showing how my dash originally looked with the 3.5mm AUX IN jack:
![Camera accessory Material property Cameras & optics Camera Digital camera]()
Mini R56 USB port and VW cable:
![Rectangle Liquid Font Electric blue Plastic]()
![Material property Font Electronic device Metal Rectangle]()
![Digital camera Point-and-shoot camera Camera lens Camera Flash photography]()
![Finger Nail Font Thumb Electric blue]()
![Ac adapter Adapter Adapter Networking cables Technology]()
Test fitting (Mini R56 USB Port > VW 4 pint round AUX cable > USB android headunit cable):
![Light Automotive tire Motor vehicle Steering wheel Automotive design]()
End result - fully installed:
![Vehicle Car Motor vehicle Steering wheel Automotive design]()
![Light Vehicle Car Motor vehicle Gear shift]()
So I started looking for a solution to this - I wanted a functional USB port to fit this space and to look as factory as possible - whilst still retaining full functionality with my android head unit. I did a lot of searching on this to see if it had been done before and couldn't find any information - so thought I'd share here in case anyone wants to do the same.
My starting point was to buy a Mini R56 USB port (given it is exactly the right dimensions I needed) and looks factory because it is! LOL! - I managed to pick one up on eBay for £10. The slight issue is that the port on the rear of the USB port is round and a non standard USB interface. I needed something to connect this port to the USB cable in the car. After a LOT more research i identified that Volkswagen also use the same connector for some of their nav and aux units. Unfortunately, the shorted length of cable I could find was 1.5M! (good job there is plenty space behind the dash!) - both parts arrived today and i've just gotten around to testing and fitting it.
And the great news is that it works as expected!! - the USB port is now fitted and looks factory and all USB functionality still works with my new android head unit - some pictures for reference.
Reference photo showing how my dash originally looked with the 3.5mm AUX IN jack:
Mini R56 USB port and VW cable:
Test fitting (Mini R56 USB Port > VW 4 pint round AUX cable > USB android headunit cable):
End result - fully installed:
