Problems with wiring up new headunit

[sharkbait689]

Just got a new headunit and managed to splice the wires to the best of my ability, but when i start the car the headunit still doesn't come on. The head unit is a pioneer DEH-1300MP. Anyway, there are two wires in the car wiring harness that are bugging me: a red one, and a pink one. Problem is, the wiring harness for the headunit doesnt have a pink wire, and red is for the power. I thought the orange might go with the red, since my cars wiring harness doesnt have an orange cord, but that didnt work either. Lastly, there are two black wires (not counting the ground) that are just hanging out in the headunit space and i have no idea what they do. They're way too big to plug into the headunit. Anyone know why it wont work?

 

[steve]

From the DEH-1300MP manual:

White Front Left +
White/Black Front Left -
Gray Front Right +
Gray/Black Front Right -

Green Rear Left +
Green/Black Rear Left -
Violet Rear Right +
Violet/Black Rear Right -

Black Chassis ground
Yellow Constant 12v
Red Switched 12v

Blue/White Antenna/Power Amp remote on

Are you using an adapter to plug into the factory harness (if so which) or hacking the harness up?

 

[sharkbait689]

From the DEH-1300MP manual:

White Front Left +
White/Black Front Left -
Gray Front Right +
Gray/Black Front Right -

Green Rear Left +
Green/Black Rear Left -
Violet Rear Right +
Violet/Black Rear Right -

Black Chassis ground
Yellow Constant 12v
Red Switched 12v

Blue/White Antenna/Power Amp remote on

Are you using an adapter to plug into the factory harness (if so which) or hacking the harness up?

Hacking it, i suppose. I just cut the ends of the wires off of the factory harness and spliced them to the wiring harness of the radio. My wiring harness has a red AND a pink wire, or at least it looks pink. Any idea what it does?

 

[MITSUMURDOK]

You should have got an adapter harness. Makes for a much cleaner install if your factory wiring is intact, you can even find them in walmart for under $10.

 

[steve]

The 1G factor harness has two connectors:
Note there isn't a ground connection on either.

1 Green/White Headlights
2 Black/Yellow Dimmer
3 Yellow/Red Rear Right +
4 White/Red Front Right +
5 Blue Switched 12v
6 Red/Black Constant 12v
7 Yellow/Blue Rear Left +
8 White/Blue Front Left +
9

1 Black/Blue Front Left -
2 Gray/Blue Rear Left -
3 Black/Red Front Right -
4 White/Black Antenna
5 Gray/Red Rear Right -

I'm not sure where your red or pink wires came from. Did you cut off more than two connectors?

 

[sharkbait689]

The 1G factor harness has two connectors:
Note there isn't a ground connection on either.

1 Green/White Headlights
2 Black/Yellow Dimmer
3 Yellow/Red Rear Right +
4 White/Red Front Right +
5 Blue Switched 12v
6 Red/Black Constant 12v
7 Yellow/Blue Rear Left +
8 White/Blue Front Left +
9

1 Black/Blue Front Left -
2 Gray/Blue Rear Left -
3 Black/Red Front Right -
4 White/Black Antenna
5 Gray/Red Rear Right -

I'm not sure where your red or pink wires came from. Did you cut off more than two connectors?

Not to my knowledge. On the wiring harness for the radio, the red wire is listed as "12volt" and yellow as "memory." Should i switch the red and yellow wires or something? Also, whats a good technique to use for splicing wires?

 

[2GCruiser]

are you grounding your head unit? There should be a black wire coming out the back of the deck. And if you are make sure it's a good place to ground it

 

[hocka09]

I would personally guess the red is your 12v switched. Check it with a volt meter to see if it has power if you turn the ignition on or if it has power all the time or if it's not even a power wire. Strip and solder. I would say that's the best way to splice a wire.

Oh, and the orange is probably gonna be your dimmer wire, the one that senses power from a headlight switch or something and will automatically dim the headunit. Not required at all though, I never hook em up. And maybe just troubleshoot. Like look for a 12v wire, 12v switched wire and ground and see if they turn it on. Once you got power the rest is a piece of cake.

 

[Anubis_4_99]

put the pigtail back on, and buy the adapter. it will save you a ton of headache.

anytime i install a stereo for someone, and they've hacked the plug before calling me, i charge extra for that crap.

 

[sharkbait689]

put the pigtail back on, and buy the adapter. it will save you a ton of headache.

anytime i install a stereo for someone, and they've hacked the plug before calling me, i charge extra for that crap.

What adapter? Can you show me a picture of one? I was always told splicing the wires was the easiest way

 

[steve]

From the DEH-1300MP manual:



Black Chassis ground
Yellow Constant 12v
Red Switched 12v

On the wiring harness for the radio, the red wire is listed as "12volt" and yellow as "memory." Should i switch the red and yellow wires or something?

The version I looked at made it clear that red was switched 12v and yellow the constant 12v need to retain settings.

So the radio cable red wire would go to the car's blue wire.
The radio cable yellow wire would go to the car's red/black wire.
The radio cable black wire would go to the car's chassis.

This should be enough to turn the radio on.

If you have a power antenna then the radio cable blue/white wire would go to the car's white/black wire.

Don't forget to plug the antenna cable in.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

Splice your factory harness back in (using solder and heat shrink) and go to your local best buy sterio department, and tell them you need the harness adapter for a 92 Eagle Talon. They will get the correct one for you. Then all of the wires will be color coded for you and should be an easy install after that.

 

[sharkbait689]

The version I looked at made it clear that red was switched 12v and yellow the constant 12v need to retain settings.

So the radio cable red wire would go to the car's blue wire.
The radio cable yellow wire would go to the car's red/black wire.
The radio cable black wire would go to the car's chassis.

This should be enough to turn the radio on.

If you have a power antenna then the radio cable blue/white wire would go to the car's white/black wire.

Don't forget to plug the antenna cable in.

My car doesn't have a blue wire, nor a red and black wire, but it does have solid black and a solid red wire. The cars black wire is already attached to the chassis. Should i remove it and just directly hook the new harness up to the chassis?

 

[steve]

My car doesn't have a blue wire, nor a red and black wire, but it does have solid black and a solid red wire. The cars black wire is already attached to the chassis. Should i remove it and just directly hook the new harness up to the chassis?

If your car doesn't match what's in the factory service manual then I can't help.

 

[Anubis_4_99]

What adapter? Can you show me a picture of one? I was always told splicing the wires was the easiest way

this is a link to one for a honda at walmart. but it should still look similar.

Walmart.com: Scosche 1986-1999 Honda Power 4-Speaker Connector: Auto Electronics

it will hook right up to your factory wiring pigtail, and you splice the wires from the adapter to the wires from your deck. easy as pie.

and i know for a fact they sell them because i bought for for my old 90 talon, and just recently for the 2G as well.

there sold at any audio store that's worth anything, walmart, bestbuy, etc.

 

[sharkbait689]

If your car doesn't match what's in the factory service manual then I can't help.

I dug around way back there and i managed to find the wiring harness itself and adapter. Here are some pics

 

[steve]

The factory harness is still there. It looks like what your cutting into is an adapter that plugs into original connectors. Your holding the origins connector in the second and third picture. There looks to be aftermarket speaker wires attached to the original factory plug.

Is that black connector in the first picture the new radio plug?

 

[GSLENK]

in my experience, most radio installs, the constant and switched power signal (read ignition) are mixed up, even then soldering the adapter to the radio pigtail. Either the car has it backwards or the radio manufacturer has it backwards. The only thing you can really count on is ground and speaker leads. Ignore the dimmer, antena, amp remote, etc. they arent necessary and often arent compatible eith the car, (except the power antenna wire but i dont think we have them...) makes the install alot simpler.

And you didnt state if your car came with a factory radio or not... if it did, put it back in and make sure it works. then go to walmart, or bestbuy or sonicelectronix.com or crutchfield.com (great customer support pre and post post purchase for crutchfield) and order/find the appropriate adapter. should be one or 2 peices. should also have an antenna adapter/extender so you get radio reception.

Aside from SOLDERING ALL your adapter connections, which you can do in the comfort of your home, bed, desk, table.... it will make your radio plug and play with no guessing games. I have never had an adapter with a wrong pinout, ever. also it makes replacing the factory radio easy as it was to remove.

also splicing (i assume quick splices) are a great way to cause electrical problems, shorts, and open circuits, which lead to headaches, not to mention the extra bulk, and sloppiness. splices are not meant for automotive/mobile (moving) use. they will eventually shake loose. Never use them again. EVER

 

[sharkbait689]

The factory harness is still there. It looks like what your cutting into is an adapter that plugs into original connectors. Your holding the origins connector in the second and third picture. There looks to be speaker wires (from an amp?) attached to the adapter.

Is that black connector in the first picture the new radio plug?

Yes, the black connecter with the wires spliced into it is the new harness, i tried switching some wires around to see if it would work (thats why a few of the colors are off). Also, i never had a factory radio, since ive owned the car, anyway. My last one was stolen which is why im doing all of this.

 

[Anubis_4_99]

also splicing (i assume quick splices) are a great way to cause electrical problems, shorts, and open circuits, which lead to headaches, not to mention the extra bulk, and sloppiness. splices are not meant for automotive/mobile (moving) use. they will eventually shake loose. Never use them again. EVER

not sure what other people refer to, but when i say splice im talking about any action that results in attaching one wire to another, via whatever means. i normally solder and heat shrink all my connections, but to each his own.

 

[GSLENK]

Also, i never had a factory radio, since ive owned the car, anyway. My last one was stolen which is why im doing all of this.

sorry man, that sucks. If you have a test light, and can extend a constant ground and power from the battery, you should be able to locate the appropriate power, ground, and ignition wires. that will turn your radio on. next is to locate speaker wires... Since you have the original connectors, you should really think about spending the 15-20 on the adapters...

Even if the adapter cost me 40 for antenna and harness, (well maybe not antenna, i dont care for radio too much anymore) I would totally get it. It would save me at least an hour of discomfort soldering in my car, and maybe at least an additional hour beating my head trying to find the proper wires.

If for some reason you cannot go the adapter route, heres how to find what u want, with a test light and a AA battery.

-Ground wire: (most likely black, maybe white, maybe red rarely) hook up test light to + on battery. ground will light the bulb regardless of key position.
-Constant positive: (most likely red or yellow) hook up to negative battery, will have light on for all key positions.
-Ignition/switched power: (yellow or red, rarely black) hook up light to negative battery post. light will be on while car is on, or running, or accessory. not in the off position.

Now for the fun speaker wires, Hopefully they are in pairs, hopefully they are in the same cluster, you probably wont fry anything if you are careful. I only had to do this once to confirm speaker locations, and phase, proceed with care and caution, you will not damage speakers, but if you put 1.5 volts through some other circuit by accident, damage is possoble but not very probable:

-First remove all speaker grilles, speakers can stay in.
-second find a suspected pair of speaker wires, tap, not tape, both leads to each end of battery.
-Since you want all speakers in the same phase (all going in or out at the same time for best sound) you should see the speaker pop in or out towards you. you want the speaker to pop out towards you while it is crackling. if it pops in or away, switch the battery terminals.
-mark the wires + for positive side of the AA battery, and - for negative side of battery, also label the speaker location.
-repeat till you find all four.

Now you are ready to SOLDER all your connections. By now you have enough capoies of the pioneer pigtail to finish the job. I havent done my car yet so i dont know which ones for sure. If you are still having trouble I plan ot do mine in about a month or 2. I can help more then.

not sure what other people refer to, but when i say splice im talking about any action that results in attaching one wire to another, via whatever means. i normally solder and heat shrink all my connections, but to each his own.

good point. Ive just seen so many quick splice crimp connectors. total hack jobs. it is too easy to even cut the wire you are splicing in half accidentally.