My wife and I just bought our '07 Santa Fe about a week ago and we're already thinking about upgrading the audio. Don't want to swap out the factory stereo. Truly don't have an issue with it. I have an iPod that I take on long road trips and we had installed a stereo (in our old car) with an auxiliary input jack on the front for easy integration. I bought a Harmon Kardon Drive+Play (http://www.harmankardon.com/drive-1/...n_options.aspx) that I tried to use wirelessly and I'm not terribly impressed. The FM signal comes and goes like a bad radio station. With no input jacks, the only option is to use a wired FM modulator. I have no issue with this either as long as I get good sound. I can have someone install the whole kit which includes a display and a control pod. Here's where I have an issue. These require being permanently mounted with screws to someplace in the car. I don't necessarily want the interior of our brand new car marked up with screw holes. Not that you'd see them. They'd be covered by the devices. Problem is, if we ever trade the Santa Fe in, then you'd see the holes upon removing the Drive+Play.
If any else has one of these, I'd like to know how you installed it. What has your experience been? Is it worth the $100?

The last week in the Santa Fe has been wonderful. Trips that seemed to take forever don't take as long. It's a very nice ride.

 

I had the same issue. Found a solution yesterday. We have a Limited with the rear seat entertainment system. I used a connector with RCA jacks and plugged it into the aux input of the DVD player. You need to set the rear control to aux and then it will run through the stereo system. Not very complicated and worked well.

 

Has anyone else tried this? If so, do the controls on the steering wheel still work the volume, etc.?

 

The steering wheel controls still work for the volume. You will have to use the controls on the iPod to change songs etc.

Belken has a cable with two RCA jacks on it and a plug to the iPod that goes in the earphone jack. I picked one up Sunday for $14.95.

 

Wow...I've been pulling my hair out on this one! What a great solution. Are the wires a huge eye sore? Is this the absolute only way to do this?

 

No, it doesn't look bad at all. The plugs stick out a couple of inches in the back of the center counsol. I run the cord between the center counsol and the passager seat with the iPod connection up to the tray where I keep the iPod. Believe me, I am really picky on how things look and this works for me.

 

I am planning on trading in my 99 explorer this month for a Santa Fe. I've test driven a few and I've fallen in love with the car. I like the way the factory stereo sounds and looks and much like starrius I dont want to remove the factory display or drill holes all over the car to add in an aux input for an ipod. Is it just the limited that has the rca hook ups? I was wondering if the GLS or any other versions of the car come with them. Or if there is another way to add a jack in later. I really can't stand FM transmitters (i've tried a few). The input jack is a key feature I am looking for in a new car and I think the elantra is the only one that comes with one as an option. Anyone else come up with a remedy for this, or know if when the '08's roll out it will be a feature.

 

I did go ahead and install the Drive+Play (several weeks ago now) using the antenna adapter. You plug the antenna cable into this and, in turn, plug that into the stereo where the antenna goes. There's a cable that runs from the device to the Drive+Play. Better than straight wireless FM transmission. Still not CD quality. It is subject to FM interference, even when I removed the outside antenna. The folks who installed the Drive+Play used an adhesive instead of screws and promised that the adhesed (if that's not a word, it is now!) parts are easily removed and that the adhesive cleans up well. We'll see soon enough, because I'm going to remove the Drive+Play. Just not impressed with it. Ebay, here it comes.

I am either going to *gulp* pay to have the rear seat entertainment group installed or install a Sony Xplod I had bought for a Dodge Ram that I traded for the Santa Fe. It has a front mini plug input. Good enough. Only thing I don't like about it is that it doesn't match the rest of the interior and the lights are red instead of blue. Oh well, what you do?

 

I know the 09 have the aux jack for audio input. Does anyone know if we are able to buy this module and just install the jack ourselves?

 

The head units for the 2009 cars that have the usb/ipod connectivity are completely new units with the feature built into them. Wiring is routed through the harness from the radio to the adapter connections. Sorry guys, no add-on modules involved.