CubicInch
New Member
- Joined
- January 31, 2011
- Messages
- 9
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Red Bank NJ
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 96 Explorer XL
I just purchased a new head unit (and wiring harness and dash adapter) for my 96' Explorer XL. After taking the old head unit out, I realized that my wiring harness did not fit the explorer's existing connectors. In the harness I bought was 2 8 pin connectors (one for power, illum., etc.; one for the speakers.) I struggled to find the right harness for the truck, but couldn't. The harness for power worked, but the truck had a 16 pin (9 were used) speaker connector. I had no clue that my truck had a OEM amp until the end of the installation.
To determine if you have a OEM amp, look at the power harness on the truck - if there is a blue wire for "Remote", this is the remote signal to turn on the amp.
I hooked up the power and the ignition wire to the new head unit, and it worked - but the speakers weren't yet hooked up.
I looked all over the internet for the color codes for the speaker connector. As I read more and more, I realized that my truck had a mid-level sound system with a OEM amp. I was still not able to find the color codes.
I cut off the speaker connector and started to find the pairs with a multimeter, but because the wires went to the amp and not the speakers, I was having a lot of trouble with this. So I came up with another solution to find the color code scheme.
Although not completely safe and not really recommended by anyone, I tied the speaker connector back to the speaker wire, wire by wire, and electric taped each together. Turned the accessory mode on, and the stock radio was back in operation (even though it was resting in my hands.) To determine each speaker color code, I untied each speaker wire, wire by wire, and listened to which speaker went out. I wrote it down, and continued on, for all 9 wires. Here is the color codes that I found.
Green (LF+)
White/Orange (LF-)
White/Red (RF+)
Brown (RF-)
Blue/Black (LR+)
Yellow (LR-)
Purple/White (RR+)
Blue (RR-)
Black Ground
After hooking up the speaker wires to the new head unit, there still was no sound at all. I looked at the power harness and realized there was a "Remote Signal" wire. After hooking up this wire, it finally worked.
If you are having trouble hooking up a new head unit, check the power connector for the blue remote signal wire. I didn't have to bypass the amp like a lot of other people were talking about. Hope this saves someone from the trouble I had.
To determine if you have a OEM amp, look at the power harness on the truck - if there is a blue wire for "Remote", this is the remote signal to turn on the amp.
I hooked up the power and the ignition wire to the new head unit, and it worked - but the speakers weren't yet hooked up.
I looked all over the internet for the color codes for the speaker connector. As I read more and more, I realized that my truck had a mid-level sound system with a OEM amp. I was still not able to find the color codes.
I cut off the speaker connector and started to find the pairs with a multimeter, but because the wires went to the amp and not the speakers, I was having a lot of trouble with this. So I came up with another solution to find the color code scheme.
Although not completely safe and not really recommended by anyone, I tied the speaker connector back to the speaker wire, wire by wire, and electric taped each together. Turned the accessory mode on, and the stock radio was back in operation (even though it was resting in my hands.) To determine each speaker color code, I untied each speaker wire, wire by wire, and listened to which speaker went out. I wrote it down, and continued on, for all 9 wires. Here is the color codes that I found.
Green (LF+)
White/Orange (LF-)
White/Red (RF+)
Brown (RF-)
Blue/Black (LR+)
Yellow (LR-)
Purple/White (RR+)
Blue (RR-)
Black Ground
After hooking up the speaker wires to the new head unit, there still was no sound at all. I looked at the power harness and realized there was a "Remote Signal" wire. After hooking up this wire, it finally worked.
If you are having trouble hooking up a new head unit, check the power connector for the blue remote signal wire. I didn't have to bypass the amp like a lot of other people were talking about. Hope this saves someone from the trouble I had.
