Lucid
Member
- Joined
- November 5, 2002
- Messages
- 48
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- PA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2003 XLS 4x4
I just got my 03 last week. It came with a respectable deck - "premium" with CD and Cassette. Controls were easy to use and it blended well with the dash. However, I missed my MP3 playback and gained more than twice the power output on installing this deck.
Kenwood MP919
Dead Link Removed
Deck in operation
Dead Link Removed
Deck in security auto hide
I've used this deck since it was first released in Feb. 02. It's an excellent midline deck with oodles of features. The face is motorized and auto hides as I exit the truck. Mp3 playback is super with a couple seconds to read a new disc and track to track as fast as a regular CD. The Unique feature of this deck is that you can turn off the internal amp making it a preamp only @ 4.5v RCA x 3 sets or you can run it at its 22RMS x 4. Standard IR remote included.
Installation:
Parts required:
Metra Kit - 99-5026
Metra Harness - 70-1771
Tools used:
Plastic puddy knife
flat-head screw-driver wrapped in electrical tape
Upholstery pry tool
Philips #2 driver
7mm bolt driver
Duct tape
High quality 3m electrical tape
solder gun
heat shrink tubing 3m 1/8"
heat gun
foam padding
Scissors
Simple green (to clean up)
DISCONNECT - On battery
I do things very carefully and do not want ANY scratches or indentations. I mask off the plastic and dash with duct tape for protection.
On the 02 and 03 you need to remove the plastic surround for the radio. This is on pretty tight. I carefully removed the center vents with the wrapped driver this gives me access to pull from inside.
Using both the pry tool and the plastic puddy knife I work the bottom 2 clips loose. I use the puddy tool as leverage for the pry tool so no indentations are left on the spongy dash. I worked around to the middle clips and the top just pulled right out. Mind you the duct tape is IN PLACE around the dash.
Since everything is well protected and I had enough room to work with I did not have to disconnect the controls, ac etc. I removed the 2 bottom securing bolts with the 7mm driver. The radio slides out.
Unplugged the ant. the into radio interface. With the deck out I worked on the harness OUTSIDE the car on a workbench with the soldering gun. Pretty simple, color coded wires. I use heat shrink tubing 1/8" size in 2 in lengths on each wire. Using a heat gun I shrink it and add a bit of 3m tape on top of each connection for extra protection. The 3 RCAs are loose and can possibly giggle around and make noise in the dash. I cut some foam padding and used the 3m tape to wrap them around each one.
The metra kit looks like this assembled:
Dead Link Removed
The sleave is not used around the deck. Clip the side ISO matching brackets and screw in place. one screw on each side is secure. The large rim of the kenwood deck is used to cover the gap (you can see in the upper pics). The drawer grabber needs to be alined and screwed into the back of the deck. Compare the OEM deck to the new kit/deck to compare.
Plug the harness in and slide the deck back tucking wires as you go. Attach the - on the battery and test out the radio and fade/balance to make sure everything is working properly before putting this back together. Screw the 2 secure bolts 7mm back.
Snap the plastic console controls back into place. Replace the removed center vents. Remove tape and clean up the sticky stuff with simple green.
Pretty easy install, just need to take your time pulling off the controller piece.
Kenwood MP919
Dead Link Removed
Deck in operation
Dead Link Removed
Deck in security auto hide
I've used this deck since it was first released in Feb. 02. It's an excellent midline deck with oodles of features. The face is motorized and auto hides as I exit the truck. Mp3 playback is super with a couple seconds to read a new disc and track to track as fast as a regular CD. The Unique feature of this deck is that you can turn off the internal amp making it a preamp only @ 4.5v RCA x 3 sets or you can run it at its 22RMS x 4. Standard IR remote included.
Installation:
Parts required:
Metra Kit - 99-5026
Metra Harness - 70-1771
Tools used:
Plastic puddy knife
flat-head screw-driver wrapped in electrical tape
Upholstery pry tool
Philips #2 driver
7mm bolt driver
Duct tape
High quality 3m electrical tape
solder gun
heat shrink tubing 3m 1/8"
heat gun
foam padding
Scissors
Simple green (to clean up)
DISCONNECT - On battery
I do things very carefully and do not want ANY scratches or indentations. I mask off the plastic and dash with duct tape for protection.
On the 02 and 03 you need to remove the plastic surround for the radio. This is on pretty tight. I carefully removed the center vents with the wrapped driver this gives me access to pull from inside.
Using both the pry tool and the plastic puddy knife I work the bottom 2 clips loose. I use the puddy tool as leverage for the pry tool so no indentations are left on the spongy dash. I worked around to the middle clips and the top just pulled right out. Mind you the duct tape is IN PLACE around the dash.
Since everything is well protected and I had enough room to work with I did not have to disconnect the controls, ac etc. I removed the 2 bottom securing bolts with the 7mm driver. The radio slides out.
Unplugged the ant. the into radio interface. With the deck out I worked on the harness OUTSIDE the car on a workbench with the soldering gun. Pretty simple, color coded wires. I use heat shrink tubing 1/8" size in 2 in lengths on each wire. Using a heat gun I shrink it and add a bit of 3m tape on top of each connection for extra protection. The 3 RCAs are loose and can possibly giggle around and make noise in the dash. I cut some foam padding and used the 3m tape to wrap them around each one.
The metra kit looks like this assembled:
Dead Link Removed
The sleave is not used around the deck. Clip the side ISO matching brackets and screw in place. one screw on each side is secure. The large rim of the kenwood deck is used to cover the gap (you can see in the upper pics). The drawer grabber needs to be alined and screwed into the back of the deck. Compare the OEM deck to the new kit/deck to compare.
Plug the harness in and slide the deck back tucking wires as you go. Attach the - on the battery and test out the radio and fade/balance to make sure everything is working properly before putting this back together. Screw the 2 secure bolts 7mm back.
Snap the plastic console controls back into place. Replace the removed center vents. Remove tape and clean up the sticky stuff with simple green.
Pretty easy install, just need to take your time pulling off the controller piece.
