2011 Explorer amplifier power cable routing.

[VinceL]

It does not have a sub you are correct, there are three stereo options for the explorer..

Base
Premium with 8 speakers (XLT) (no sub)
Sony with the sub (limited and sport)

I "thought" that the premium 8 speaker system was std on the XLT, but I definitely could be wrong there

The XLT comes with the normal stereo as standard with the premium radio as an upgrade. When I posted my comment, I had checked out the Ford page just to be sure.

 

[thekameleon]

Somebody actual got a picture of where this passenger side grommet is. I have a 2013 Sport and where others have said it is all I find is a Silver box 2 inch by 2 inch and plastic connectors behind and above the glove box.

Or even better someone post a Youtube video

 

[jtc24]

There is an enclosed grommet in the floor just behind the driver's seat, and the carpet splits in that area, as well. You can get to it without removing any plastic door seals or anything else - just pull the two pieces of carpet apart. I plan to run my wire underneath the car and enclose it in plastic tubing.

 

[Bkmcinty]

Anyone know what the 3 different plugs at the sony amplifier represent? Planning on tapping into the rear speaker PRE amp for my line output converter to my highs amp but don't know what plug is pre amp. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[CalifLove]

Somebody actual got a picture of where this passenger side grommet is. I have a 2013 Sport and where others have said it is all I find is a Silver box 2 inch by 2 inch and plastic connectors behind and above the glove box.

Or even better someone post a Youtube video

I'm in the same boat as well, I cant find this damn grommet behind the glove box for anything! I guess I'm blind - I've taken the glove box out, and all I see is a bunch of black matting that is secured pretty tight. Ar you guys cutting that stuff away to get to this grommet in question?

 

[davidlflores15]

You don't even have to open the glove compartment. All i had to do was reach behind from underneath the glove box and you will find a rubber grommet that you can easily pull out. I actually had my girlfriend do the job as my hands were a bit to big to fit in there. Also, you should be able to find the grommet from underneath the hood which is not too easy to see. You will find it to the left of a small black rubber pouch (mine had a bunch of leaves caught in it) close to the firewall. I wish there were better write ups of the amp install as I am having a tough time installing this thing. Might give up and take it to best buy ;(

 

[Chartman]

Amp, Sub, and Speaker Upgrade

First time on this forum but I have been reading for a few weeks doing some research here so thanks for all the good write ups. So I am getting ready to upgrade the audio in my 2011 Ford Explorer XLT (with 202a package, 8 speaker 8" LCD, no Sony). I have been reading a bunch of forums and I think I have locked down how I need to go about this upgrade without screwing up the factory head unit, voice commands, Bluetooth, etc...
Just looking for some votes of confidence before I get started. Apparently the premium audio on XLT's use an amp on the back passenger side as does the Sony version (Although I found 2013 XLT and up 9 speaker premium audio do not have a separate amp). My plan is to upgrade the speakers in the front doors with some Kicker 6x9 components, the rear door with some Kicker 6.5" 2 ways, add a 5 channel amp to power the new speakers and a small sub enclosure I will put in the well behind the 3rd row. Not looking to blow the doors off, just want to upgrade the sound quality and clarity. With everything I've read, my assumption is I can grab the Front L/R and Rear L/R High Level inputs before they enter the factory amp (So as to avoid any internal crossover its using), feed them through the 5 channel amp, cut and attach to the Speaker output wires coming out of the factory amp to my 5 channel amp outputs (So I don't have to make new speaker wire runs to each door if I don't have to), and then just run a fresh cable to the sub and I should be golden? I plan on running the new power wire from the 5 channel amp through the grommet behind the glove box with a solid fuse near the battery. My last question is wear to grab the accessory on signal from. I know most of the 5 channel amps that accept high level inputs can auto sense from those inputs, but I feel better using a true accessory on type signal. I assume there has to be a wire for that going into the factory amp to tell it to turn on. I have looked at the wire diagram from the 12volt site, but haven't seen anything listed about what's going into that amp.

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum Chartman.:wavey:

Good luck with your project and Happy New Year!

Peter

 

[Chartman]

First time on this forum but I have been reading for a few weeks doing some research here so thanks for all the good write ups. So I am getting ready to upgrade the audio in my 2011 Ford Explorer XLT (with 202a package, 8 speaker 8" LCD, no Sony). I have been reading a bunch of forums and I think I have locked down how I need to go about this upgrade without screwing up the factory head unit, voice commands, Bluetooth, etc...
Just looking for some votes of confidence before I get started. Apparently the premium audio on XLT's use an amp on the back passenger side as does the Sony version (Although I found 2013 XLT and up 9 speaker premium audio do not have a separate amp). My plan is to upgrade the speakers in the front doors with some Kicker 6x9 components, the rear door with some Kicker 6.5" 2 ways, add a 5 channel amp to power the new speakers and a small sub enclosure I will put in the well behind the 3rd row. Not looking to blow the doors off, just want to upgrade the sound quality and clarity. With everything I've read, my assumption is I can grab the Front L/R and Rear L/R High Level inputs before they enter the factory amp (So as to avoid any internal crossover its using), feed them through the 5 channel amp, cut and attach to the Speaker output wires coming out of the factory amp to my 5 channel amp outputs (So I don't have to make new speaker wire runs to each door if I don't have to), and then just run a fresh cable to the sub and I should be golden? I plan on running the new power wire from the 5 channel amp through the grommet behind the glove box with a solid fuse near the battery. My last question is wear to grab the accessory on signal from. I know most of the 5 channel amps that accept high level inputs can auto sense from those inputs, but I feel better using a true accessory on type signal. I assume there has to be a wire for that going into the factory amp to tell it to turn on. I have looked at the wire diagram from the 12volt site, but haven't seen anything listed about what's going into that amp.

So I did the first part of the install this week. Put new Rockford Fosgate Punch P165-s component speakers in the front door. Was a little strange to find 4 wires going to the woofer in the door (Both pairs were White/White-Brown on the left and White-Purple/White-Orange on the right). The tweeters had their own wire (Green-orange/Grey-red). From what I can tell after taking off the back passenger side panel and getting to the factory amp, only the front door woofers are being amplified by the little amp back there. The tweeters and rear speakers are being powered by the head unit. I had to pair the 4 wires into 2 wires on the front doors to hook up the speakers but everything seems to be working well.

The amp in the 2011/2012 XLT Premium is solely for the front door 6x8 woofers. There are only 4 wires coming out of the amp, white/white-brown and white-purple/white-orange. Going into the amp is Green/Gray and Purple/Yellow which from the specs on the 12volt site say they are FL and FR Pre-Amp outputs. Gray-Red (Power), Black-Yellow (Ground), and Purple-Red (Amp-on).

I am trying to decide if it is worth cracking open the dash and putting in some LOC's from the front and rear speakers to send to the amp, or if I solder on some RCA's to the Pre-Amp inputs to the factory amp and run RCA's from there to the new 5 channel amp. If they truly are pre-amp inputs, they should already be low level signal which would be better than using the high level outputs from the amp. I know I will lose the ability to fade from front to back using the radio, but I can dial in how I want the gain on both from the amp.

Also, I found the grommet behind the glovebox. It already has a wire going through it, it is probably going to be tight pulling a 4 gauge power cable through it but it should be alright. I have pictures that I am collecting as I go and I'll link some later.

 

[NVRTHOTIDBYAFORD]

Hey Chartman, can you please post those pictures of that damn grommet(can't find it) ASAP...I will be doing a complete install very shortly in my 2013 XLT.This will be my first attempt at installing the entire system from start to finish. I have no previous experience but I've been doing a lot of research and I think I can do it.. The audio shop wanted to charge me 10 hours of labor at $70 per hour so it'd be $700 just in labor. No thanks, I've played around with the panels and no way it should take that long. I will be installing the following:
Hertz hsk components(front)
Hertz dcx 2 ways(rear)
Jbl ms-8 processor
Jl audio HD600 amp (4 channel for front and rear speakers)
Jl audio stealth box
Fosgate amp(for stealthbox)

This is my first post so hello to those who are reading this. If anyone has any tips on how they did they're install, how they ran the power cable, where they got a good ground, where they mounted the amps etc... I'd really appreciated it, pics would be best!! FYI this is not the Sony package it does not have a factory amp I'm going to be connecting the processor directlly to the factory radio. Then rca's to the HD amp then output to each speaker. Got some work ahead of me but I think once inside I'll be fine I just gotta figure out how to run the power...thanks all!!

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum NVRTHOTIDBYAFORD.:wavey:
Good luck with your project.

Peter

 

[thekameleon]

I'm in the same boat as well, I cant find this damn grommet behind the glove box for anything! I guess I'm blind - I've taken the glove box out, and all I see is a bunch of black matting that is secured pretty tight. Ar you guys cutting that stuff away to get to this grommet in question?

I ended up drilling a small hole in the upper part of the door jam on the passenger side just above where it meets the floor. There should be a matching hole underneath it in the frame. I passed my wires through there and double wrapped them in plastic loom. I am not a fan of it, but it worked.

 

[1995E]

Okay, so I found a grommet but it already has something running through it. Did you guys mean this grommet or is there another grommet? I found another grommet below it that aims towards the floor but Idk if anyone meant that one. How the hell do I access that one? I want to run wires for an inverter and fuse box.

This is behind the glovebox to the right of the cabin air filter.

Here is a picture of the grommet I'm asking about.

http://i1378.photobucket.com/albums/ah113/jamesguan117/IMG_05371_zpsxfyjw1va.jpg~original

 

[peterk9]

..........This is behind the glovebox to the right of the cabin air filter.

Here is a picture of the grommet I'm asking about.

Please resize your picture. It should be in the 800 X 600 pix range.
Yours is 3264 X 2448 and is way too big. You have to scroll L/R to see it.

Peter

 

[vynvyn]

There is a grommet on the passenger side behind the glove box. The hole passes through the firewall and is plenty big enough for 1/0 gauge power wire. I ran my amp that way. You won't need to drill at all.

I used the same grommet for my driving light wires. Probably the only place in the front of the cabin you can acutally go through without major effort.

Hi. Where exactly is the grommet? Can you show pictures because im having a hard time finding it. Thank you

 

[wharriso]

Does anyone know if you can get to that passenger side grommet through the right wheel well? The grommet pushed through when I wired mine and my arms are way too big to get to it from under the hood.

 

[wharriso]

Does anyone know if you can get to that passenger side grommet through the right wheel well? The grommet pushed through when I wired mine and my arms are way too big to get to it from under the hood.

Nevermind. I put a strong light down there and all I saw was metal so I guess removing the wheel well liner will not expose much.