Installing A New Car Stereo

riden · #1 08-09-2014, 12:53 PM

Installing the little girl's new stereo, I have never done a stereo before. It is going into a Ford Fusion.

I am looking at the factory wiring harness and there are wires on it that have no match on the harness that came with the Kenwood DDX371 that I am installing. The instructions that came with it, are lacking and I am finding nothing on the net.

Does anyone know where I can go for advice? Any good videos somewhere?

shakeyleg02 · #2 08-09-2014, 12:57 PM

You should be able to buy a kit for that make and model of car that shud hook right up .

not the way we used to do it 20 years ago splicing wires together

riden · #3 08-09-2014, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakeyleg02

You should be able to buy a kit for that make and model of car that shud hook right up .

not the way we used to do it 20 years ago splicing wires together

I expected something like that to come with it............

I don't see this on the Crutchfield site, where would you find this?

shakeyleg02 · #4 08-09-2014, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riden

I expected something like that to come with it............

Dont think so but I could be wrong forsure maybe someone else can chime in tho
last one I did the kit came with dash plates and all that fit into the dash was incredibly easy

chad66 · #5 08-09-2014, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riden

Installing the little girl's new stereo, I have never done a stereo before. It is going into a Ford Fusion.

I am looking at the factory wiring harness and there are wires on it that have no match on the harness that came with the Kenwood DDX371 that I am installing. The instructions that came with it, are lacking and I am finding nothing on the net.

Does anyone know where I can go for advice? Any good videos somewhere?

I bought one over the counter from Frontier in La crete last week for a 98 GMC. Give them a shout; maybe they have one for your car too.

riden · #6 08-09-2014, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chad66

I bought one over the counter from Frontier in La crete last week for a 98 GMC. Give them a shout; maybe they have one for your car too.

A harness?

chad66 · #7 08-09-2014, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by riden

A harness?

yup. so I could install an aftermarket stereo system in my son's truck.

riden · #8 08-09-2014, 01:22 PM

Thanks

chad66 · #9 08-09-2014, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chad66

yup. so I could install an aftermarket stereo system in my son's truck.

The ones that Crutchfield usually throws in for free when you buy a stereo

riden · #10 08-09-2014, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chad66

The ones that Crutchfield usually throws in for free when you buy a stereo

I have a harness from Crutchfield, but there are several wires on the factory harness that have no match on Crutchfield's.

silver · #11 08-09-2014, 02:48 PM

I put an Alpine into my Cherokee last year, the stereo came with a wiring harness that would plug into the radio. I had to buy a harness that would plug into the wiring harness of the vehicle. All I had to do was match the wires from the one harness to the wires from the other harness and solder and heat shrink the connections. I would ask around at the place you bought it and others to see if they have such.

Way easier than the way I had to do it 40 years ago.

CaberTosser · #12 08-09-2014, 02:52 PM

I believe Scosche www.scosche.com makes a wide array of kits. Finding something for such a common car should be easy. Only an absolute hack would cut into a factory wiring harness in this day and age (not that it stopped them in previous days and ages...)

403BigGame · #13 08-09-2014, 03:29 PM

Walmart, bestbuy, visions, ect. sell the harness kits as well

vtecngsr · #14 08-09-2014, 09:53 PM

futureshop has them

Jmaccan · #15 08-09-2014, 10:06 PM

The extra wires might be for options that your new radio doesn't have. Also, a lot of the time you can get optional sound systems when you purchase a new vehicle, even if you only get the base model radio, all the wiring for the optional radios is installed in the harness, it's just not used. It saves the manufacturers time and money by only having to design one wiring harness, manufacture one wiring harness, stock one wiring harness and install one wiring harness. If you ever pull a dash, door skins, roof liner or carpet you will likely find connectors not hooked to anything that are for options you don't have ie. heated seat connectors under the seats or heated mirror connectors in the doors.

ren008 · #16 08-10-2014, 10:39 AM

Not easy like the old days where a wiring harness adapter and faceplate was all you really needed. How many features on the current setup? Sync? GPS navigation? Bluetooth? I know helping a bud out a few years ago it required purchasing a bunch of pricey bypass units/speciality harnesses to get it to work; stereos are far more integrated into new vehicles. Have heard of guys relocating the factory head unit and just rewiring in the new system as well as an option.

riden · #17 08-10-2014, 10:54 AM

I found this: http://www.crutchfield.ca/ProductDet...ode=541RP4FD11

I thought it was coming with this, as it came with a free install kit. My daughter was under the impression she only had to upgrade if you wanted steering wheel controls.

brother1 · #18 08-11-2014, 08:27 AM

Certified Radio has all of the wiring harnesses, I believe

Homesteader · #19 08-11-2014, 09:39 AM

You will lose the factory voice commands if you have them already, which I'm sure you do, but you can get accessory connectors to allow you still change volume/track/mode from the steering wheel, but it is over, and above the connection for the factory harness.
I chickened out, and kept the factory head unit because of this, and just went with an amp, and new speakers.