Fitting Car Stereo

mysticsniper · 24 Jun 2015 at 20:59

So this little lot turned up today.

But just looking for some advice having never fitted one of these before. Will it be the case of pulling out the stereo, disconnecting the wires and then hooking the existing ones to the new unit, including the stalk unit & stalk patch lead, microphone etc...

iaind · 24 Jun 2015 at 21:03

What sort of car?

Looking at the adaptor, it's a quadlock canbus which often doesn't provide a switched live - so the stereo will stay on all the time. You normally have to run a switched live from elsewhere to do that but it's car dependent.

tnx · 24 Jun 2015 at 21:11

Should have gone to Halfords, I hear they fit if you buy it from them.

It used to be in the old days whip out the old one and simply slide in a new one.

Newer cars have different setups.

Does it have DAB ?
Bet it ain't too long before the analogue signal is turned off.

mysticsniper · 24 Jun 2015 at 21:13

iaind said:
What sort of car?

Looking at the adaptor, it's a quadlock canbus which often doesn't provide a switched live - so the stereo will stay on all the time. You normally have to run a switched live from elsewhere to do that but it's car dependent.

It's a Ford C-Max 59 plate.

Sounds like I'll need to make some additional changes in regards to the quadlock?

Phemo · 24 Jun 2015 at 23:39

My BMW has a quadlock connector and the problem was that it doesn't provide a permanent live so I had to run a wire (provided on the harness) to the battery. More of a pain because the battery is in the boot so I had to lift trim up and run it all the way through the car. The switched live was fine though in that when the permanent live was run, the new head unit fired up and turned off with the ignition as it should.

However, you should be fine with a C-Max. I fitted a new stereo to my wife's S-Max which is also a 59 plate and the quadlock harness I got just worked with no messing around. The stereo comes on when the ignition comes on as you'd expect and the settings are saved so the permanent live is also fine. If it needed extra wires running, the harness you've got will have them present so you'll soon know - the harness I got is listed as being for a C-Max too so I'm pretty confident it'll just plug in and work for you. The extra 3 wires you've got on your harness will be for reverse sense (used if you're using a head unit with reverse camera input so it can auto switch), handbrake signal (for head units that can display video so it can stop displaying video with the handbrake off) and speed pulse (for head units with satnav so it can keep tabs on speed more accurately).

Steering controls just worked straight away with no messing around too. Harness had a connector to plug into the little black box for dealing with wheel controls and the patch lead plugged into that then into the head unit, straightforward stuff. It should literally be a case of just plugging everything in and it should work

mysticsniper · 24 Jun 2015 at 23:45

Phemo said:
However, you should be fine with a C-Max. I fitted a new stereo to my wife's S-Max which is also a 59 plate and the quadlock harness I got just worked with no messing around. The stereo comes on when the ignition comes on as you'd expect and the settings are saved so the permanent live is also fine. If it needed extra wires running, the harness you've got will have them present so you'll soon know - the harness I got is listed as being for a C-Max too so I'm pretty confident it'll just plug in and work for you. The extra 3 wires you've got on your harness will be for reverse sense (used if you're using a head unit with reverse camera input so it can auto switch), handbrake signal (for head units that can display video so it can stop displaying video with the handbrake off) and speed pulse (for head units with satnav so it can keep tabs on speed more accurately).

Steering controls just worked straight away with no messing around too. Harness had a connector to plug into the little black box for dealing with wheel controls and the patch lead plugged into that then into the head unit, straightforward stuff.

Excellent, cheers for that.

mysticsniper · 25 Jun 2015 at 05:17

One quick question, do I need to disconnect the car battery before starting the install?

monkeyspank · 25 Jun 2015 at 05:20

Yes. Just the negative will do

iamtheoneneo · 25 Jun 2015 at 09:35

You actually don't have to, its all just molex type connectors that clip together so no need at all.
Your not rewiring anything.

skaif · 25 Jun 2015 at 09:46

Let us know how you get on, should look tidy once in place!

mysticsniper · 25 Jun 2015 at 22:15

So I was really surprised on how easy it was to fit the new stereo. But I had real issues with the fascia and need to sort it out tomorrow. Not happy that the Bluetooth mic is poking out the front of the unit either.

But well pleased I decided not to shell out for someone else to fit it.

Phemo · 25 Jun 2015 at 23:03

On the S-Max for the head unit mic I fitted, I managed to thread the wire in between the steering column and the dash dials. I just unlocked the adjustable height wheel it and moved it down as far as I could then poked the wire through. Eventually managed to pull it through from behind the head unit. Just pulled all the wire through then clipped it on the plastic so it sits just by the dials. Depends where you want it of course but it was the neatest solution I could come up with without having to remove bits of trim etc. I imagine the same approach would work on a C-Max too.

skaif · 26 Jun 2015 at 00:26

Nice, good job, it's not so hard is it?

uchuff · 26 Jun 2015 at 07:05

In a couple of cars now I've managed to run the mic cable left in to the glovebox, out the bottom by the door and up to the dash, round the front edge of the dash at the bottom of the window and then up the A pillar tucked behind rubber trim. Neither of the cars were a CMAX however so no idea how helpful that is.

Em3bbs · 26 Jun 2015 at 07:29

tnx said:
Does it have DAB ?
Bet it ain't too long before the analogue signal is turned off.

How much? There are no plans to switch off analogue signals. They were going to do it in 2018 but those plans were shelved ages ago. DAB has been around in the UK for over 15 years.

iaind · 26 Jun 2015 at 07:53

People will come round to my way of thinking and start using Internet radio more than DAB before anything happens to FM

mrgubby · 26 Jun 2015 at 08:12

iaind said:
People will come round to my way of thinking and start using Internet radio more than DAB before anything happens to FM

I travel all over the UK and there are still large areas with no DAB or mobile data, FM is all you can get

iaind · 26 Jun 2015 at 08:39

mrgubby said:
I travel all over the UK and there are still large areas with no DAB or mobile data, FM is all you can get

Of course, but I personally find today that mobile data is more reliable than DAB. But moreso, look at the increased prevalence of smartphones over the last 10 years compared to the uptake of DAB. The only real barrier these days is data allowance, but again look at where we are today - generous or unlimited mobile data plans are not uncommon, compared to where we were even only a few years ago.

Plus look at how many people already have smartphones in their pocket and already embrace streaming - I just cant see a compelling use case for DAB. Car stereos are getting smarter with stuff like Carplay and Android Auto..... I'm pretty confident that by the time FM goes away, more people will have adopted streaming than DAB

sprite1275 · 26 Jun 2015 at 09:58

Hated fitting the Kenwood in my astra mk5. Needed all different types of connectors which all come to around £50. Even now I still can't get AM radio, not sure which wire I missed.

mysticsniper · 26 Jun 2015 at 14:44

Phemo said:
On the S-Max for the head unit mic I fitted, I managed to thread the wire in between the steering column and the dash dials. I just unlocked the adjustable height wheel it and moved it down as far as I could then poked the wire through. Eventually managed to pull it through from behind the head unit. Just pulled all the wire through then clipped it on the plastic so it sits just by the dials. Depends where you want it of course but it was the neatest solution I could come up with without having to remove bits of trim etc. I imagine the same approach would work on a C-Max too.

Cheers for this, have taken a look and there is enough room to go behind the steering column and around to the back of the unit. I'm sure I have some soldering wire I can use to feed it through.

skaif said:
Nice, good job, it's not so hard is it?

Cheers, just a confidence thing having never touched anything on the car like that before. But really glad I listened to everyone on here