New Stereo

[jsfordboy02]

My '96 has a factory tape deck and rear controls in the center console. How can I put in an aftermarket deck so that it actually works, I have tried two different harnesses and supposedly I would have to use some kind of converter box, ghetto...... there has got to be a better way. I dont care if the rear controls continue to work or not. Someone has had to do this, right?

 

[Cobraguy]

There are a lot of folks who have done this right. First thing we need to know is what audio system you have in your car. How many plugs are in the back of your radio, two or three? (the third will be the subwoofer) Is there a radio antenna that plugs into the back of your radio? (checking for JBL).

Next, what deck are you trying to install? What type of converter box are you talking about? That one is confusing...

Mods, you may want to move this to Audio for him...

 

[jsfordboy02]

FYI go ahead and move this if need be, I must have passed over it, duh. Anyway, 2 plugs one regular Ford rectangular plug and one smaller plug with about 16 wires in it. Antenna plugs into stereo. It shouldn't matter what deck Im putting into it as long as I have all the right harnesses to put in, but its a Panasonic CQ-DF903U. The converter box is supposedly so that you can retain the rear controls for the radio, Autozone employees are so smart........I used to sell stereos and the only time crap like this was a problem was GM's. I already had my new head unit installed, powered up and connected the speaker wires, but no sound. And yes it works and yes my speakers work. Im guessing that all the extra wires on the smaller plug have to do with a factory amp, but I cannot find an aftermarket harness that incorporates those wires, just ones with your basic power, ground, ext, and speakers.

 

[Donner]

It does matter... Could you provide the details please? Thank you.

 

[jad2411]

just run new wires from your aftermarket stereo to your speakers, rear console/steering wheel controls will work with a converter provided that your aftermarket HU has remote control capabilities, the box "transfers" the signal from the buttons to IR and emulates a wireless remote control

 

[jsfordboy02]

I thought about running new speaker wires but I was really trying to avoid that, and if it has a factory amp I would like to keep using it. Where would the amp be located if it had one?

 

[Cobraguy]

No need to run new wires. Just get the correct wiring harness adapter. You can go to www.installer.com and find exactly what you need.

I have to get going and don't have time to look up your radio. But if it has a hard wired remote capability, then using a PAC Audio (or similar) controller should allow the use of the rear controls. But since I've never worried about that, I can't tell you if they will act exactly the same as factory.

You have no subwoofer...and you should have no amp for anything. This is about as easy as it gets for wiring with the correct harness adapter. Look at installer.com and let us know if you have any other questions.

 

[jsfordboy02]

http://www.installer.com/item/display_item.php?it=70-5600 this is what I was using before when I wired up my deck, the picture of the factory radio is also exactly what I have in mine. This is nowhere near my first install and there was no sound. Thats why I was concerned that there was a factory amp and this harness did not have enough or the necessary wires to turn on the amp.

 

[jad2411]

When I changed my HU I had 2 options, buy the harness (~15shipped) and wait 3-5 days for it to arrive, or spend like 10dlls in wire and 30-45 min to run new wires, I opted for the 2nd option, I didn't cut any of the stock harnesses.

That's why I suggested to run new wires, if you tried the harness already with no luck I don't think you'd want to keep buying harnesses until you get the one that works, just a thought...

 

[Cobraguy]

Unless you have something I'm not aware of, the only amp that should be in play is the sub amp if you're equipped with one. JBL systems uses what many folks thought was an amp, but in fact, was the radio itself and the rear console and dash units were nothing more than control units. JBL systems and this "radio" bolted behind the right rear panel next to the subwoofer and can be identified as such because it has the antenna lead plugged in there. If you have that, you need an altogether different harness that brings everything back up front to the dash. If you don't, then somehow you must have missed something, or your new stereo is defective, or someone has done something strange to your vehicle previous. By the way, you aren't trying to use the new stereo pre-outs are you?