factory sub with aftermarket headunit?

[Paul2241]

Hi, I have an 03 mountaineer which I installed a double din in dash DVD from kenwood (6019) but I can't get my factory sub to work with the aftermarket head unit. Is this possible?

 

[ardvark16]

It isnt really possible since it is integrated to the stock amp. It isnt worth it either since you woudnt be able to adjust it in any way. I assume that your head unit has a sub out via rca's. There is no true way to isolate the amp for the sub and control it. Even with line output converters in revers it would be a waste. Your best bet is to buy an 8 inch sub and fit it into the stock sub box. You can buy a cheap amp and power it that way. It lets you retain the stock look and gives you much better sound.

 

[jpoprock]

So, putting in a new head unit won't work with the factory sub at all? What a pain! I didn't want to have to mess with a new sub and a seperate power amp just to put a drop in DVD player in my vehicle. Do SOME head units worth with the factory sub?
J

 

[jpoprock]

So, no head unit replacement will ever make the factory sub work without a power amp and new sub?? That blows! Or do certain head units make it work? What feature do I look for when shopping for a head unit to make sure my sub will work?
Thanks,
jason

 

[cgriffin_5139]

Here's alike to the install
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1397454

 

[jpoprock]

I know this sounds weird, but I want to be able to play a DVD while DRIVING, not in park. Seems like a lot of head units won't let you do this. I dont' really plan on watching while driving, but my passenger might. Is this true of all of these head units?

Thanks for the link!

j

 

[Antonz]

All you have to do so you can watch a dvd while driving is.
Take the wire out of your indash dvd player thats suppose to go to your ebrake and but it into a switch and the other side of the switch ground the wire. Then when you flick the switch your deck thinks the brake is on. then you can watch will driving.

 

[SoundQ SVT]

I just got done installing the new JVC double din touchscreen dvd player and integrated the factory sub just fine. The wiring harness you need (at least from Metra for 03-and newer fords) is the 70-5521. It has the harness to plug in for the typical power, ground, illumination, and four speakers. It also has a second plug that connects to the vehicle's sub amp wiring on one side and has a remote turn on wire and an rca plug that you connect to your deck's subwoofer out.

Note that the amp remote turn on from most aftermarket decks (12v) is too strong for the ford factory amp (wants more like 4v). The result can be a loud thump or pop from the sub when the deck is powered up. This can be remedied by wiring in a 1500 Ohm (or 1.5 kOhm) resistor in line with the remote turn on.

Also, as has been said before, to be able to play dvd's without the parking brake engaged just hook up the parking brake wire to ground. Some decks will need a switch on this wire because they need to sense no ground first before they'll accept the ground. This is the manufacturer's way to thwart us from simply wiring it straight to ground and bypass their safety controls. Fortunately my JVC was not this way and I could hard wire it to ground.

 

[cobra29svt]

my factory sub works fine w/ my avic-z1.

 

[DMacLennan14]

i got my sub to work with the same harness with the rca's, the only problem i am having is with the vss. when i am moving, my head unit goes into "interrupt" mode. what am i doing wrong here?

 

[ardvark16]

You bought an avic head unit and wired it in to the factory sub? Why? I saw the metra harness which still wouldnt work on my car which is an 02. But why anyone would want to use it is beyond me. It has no power and if you line into it you still have no way to control it. And I dont mean setting the sub from the head unit. I just yanked the sub out and put an infinity 8" sub into the box. You need to make a spacer from mdf and dynamat it but it sounds awesome. I also put an 8" in the pocket on the other side.

 

[beavis195]

Crutchfield makes a harness that will work perfectly to integrate the factory sub to aftermarket headunits

 

[Black03V8]

the vss wire should be grey behind the radio in 03 and newer explorers...you can rig up a way to run your factory sub by using the left (white) rca plug on the back of your radio and wired as speaker wire onto the factory wires. You need to run an amp turn on wire into the 3-5 wire plug as well. The pair that is twisted is the factory speaker wire to connect the rca to. It works but you have to use the low pass filter as well as crossover or you will blow the factory sub...

 

[mr.berleme]

I think that it was a bad install cuz, it just dont make no sense but thats ust my opinion and thats why I have stuff like that done by a shop, but thats jsut me though.

alo

 

[RocketFox]

So, no head unit replacement will ever make the factory sub work without a power amp and new sub?? That blows! Or do certain head units make it work? What feature do I look for when shopping for a head unit to make sure my sub will work?
Thanks,
jason

No my JVC powers it fine. Actually way better than factory. Only weird thing- only the white RCA works. The red does nothing.

 

[Mbrooks420]

No my JVC powers it fine. Actually way better than factory. Only weird thing- only the white RCA works. The red does nothing.

It’s a single channel, no need for the red. A lot of the cheaper decks only have a mono subwoofer out.

Also, your JVC isn’t actually powering the sub at all, the factory amp still is.

This thread is also 14 years old.