96 XLT 4dr Replacing Stock Head Unit

jimbo75 · 06-04-2006, 07:48 PM

So, I bought a new head unit after looking over the wiring diagrams.. Thought it would be fairly striaght forward, but alas, it was not. There is this solid blue wire that was on the power harness from the stock head unit, and it seems that if this wire is not connected, my speakers do not work. Any ideas on how to get around this? I was a little afraid to start connecting it to random wires. Thanks in advance!

inh · 06-04-2006, 08:31 PM

connect it to the other blue wires, i beleive. it was the same with my truck. its for the power antenna or something, that you dont have. its wierd, but im pretty sure i just connected all the blue wires together

jimbo75 · 06-04-2006, 08:41 PM

i don't belive there are any more solid blue wires, but I will give it a hot tomorrow. Do you think there might be another way to disable that blasted thing?

inh · 06-04-2006, 08:55 PM

nope, sorry. there will be a blue wire coming from your head unit, and i beleive a blue wire with a white strip coming from your truck that doesnt go to anything, or goes to something wierd. like i said pretty sure i conencted all the blue wires together

jimbo75 · 06-04-2006, 09:01 PM

Okay. thanks for the help! I will try that and hope for the best

jimbo75 · 06-04-2006, 09:59 PM

BTW, might be a dumb question, but could that blue wire have anything to do with a built in amp? I saw some ppl posting that they had to bypass the built in amp on some Explorer's.

inh · 06-04-2006, 10:41 PM

yea but i have that wire, and dont have an amp, and my stero works fine

edit: at least im pretty sure i dont have the amp... my truck only had the cassette deck in it, but ya never know

jimbo75 · 06-05-2006, 07:27 PM

I never found another blue wire, so I connected the blue wire (which turned out to be the trigger for the ext amp) to the ACC line. Using a multimeter, I found out that the blue wire had a constant 4.40 volts going to it when the stock radio was plugged in, so I figured, why not tripple the voltage? I plan to actually take the amp out and bypass it, but that is going to be a chore due to it being behind the rear passenger side molding. Thanks for all the help!

thecos2002 · 06-14-2006, 10:46 PM

If you do plan on installing an aftermarket amp, the blue wire you refer to will be the remote turn-on. That will power up any aftermarket piece of equiptment... as opposed to the remote antenne for the factory unit.

06-04-2006, 07:48 PM	#1
jimbo75 Wannabe Elite Explorer South East '96 XLT V8 Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	96 XLT 4dr Replacing Stock Head Unit So, I bought a new head unit after looking over the wiring diagrams.. Thought it would be fairly striaght forward, but alas, it was not. There is this solid blue wire that was on the power harness from the stock head unit, and it seems that if this wire is not connected, my speakers do not work. Any ideas on how to get around this? I was a little afraid to start connecting it to random wires. Thanks in advance!

06-04-2006, 08:31 PM	#2
inh Wannabe Elite Explorer Springfield(ish), MO '00 XLS Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,342 Vehicle Specs	connect it to the other blue wires, i beleive. it was the same with my truck. its for the power antenna or something, that you dont have. its wierd, but im pretty sure i just connected all the blue wires together __________________ cashtexts - Earn money for receiving text messaged offers cashtexts review not a scam

06-04-2006, 08:55 PM	#4
inh Wannabe Elite Explorer Springfield(ish), MO '00 XLS Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,342 Vehicle Specs	nope, sorry. there will be a blue wire coming from your head unit, and i beleive a blue wire with a white strip coming from your truck that doesnt go to anything, or goes to something wierd. like i said pretty sure i conencted all the blue wires together __________________ cashtexts - Earn money for receiving text messaged offers cashtexts review not a scam

06-04-2006, 10:41 PM	#7
inh Wannabe Elite Explorer Springfield(ish), MO '00 XLS Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,342 Vehicle Specs	yea but i have that wire, and dont have an amp, and my stero works fine edit: at least im pretty sure i dont have the amp... my truck only had the cassette deck in it, but ya never know __________________ cashtexts - Earn money for receiving text messaged offers cashtexts review not a scam

06-14-2006, 10:46 PM	#9
thecos2002 Wannabe Elite Explorer Hayward, California (East Bay) 1996 XLT Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 47 Vehicle Specs	Blue wire important if upgrading If you do plan on installing an aftermarket amp, the blue wire you refer to will be the remote turn-on. That will power up any aftermarket piece of equiptment... as opposed to the remote antenne for the factory unit.

06-04-2006, 08:41 PM	#3
jimbo75 Wannabe Elite Explorer South East '96 XLT V8 Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	i don't belive there are any more solid blue wires, but I will give it a hot tomorrow. Do you think there might be another way to disable that blasted thing?

06-04-2006, 09:01 PM	#5
jimbo75 Wannabe Elite Explorer South East '96 XLT V8 Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Okay. thanks for the help! I will try that and hope for the best

06-04-2006, 09:59 PM	#6
jimbo75 Wannabe Elite Explorer South East '96 XLT V8 Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	BTW, might be a dumb question, but could that blue wire have anything to do with a built in amp? I saw some ppl posting that they had to bypass the built in amp on some Explorer's.

06-05-2006, 07:27 PM	#8
jimbo75 Wannabe Elite Explorer South East '96 XLT V8 Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	I never found another blue wire, so I connected the blue wire (which turned out to be the trigger for the ext amp) to the ACC line. Using a multimeter, I found out that the blue wire had a constant 4.40 volts going to it when the stock radio was plugged in, so I figured, why not tripple the voltage? I plan to actually take the amp out and bypass it, but that is going to be a chore due to it being behind the rear passenger side molding. Thanks for all the help!