Questions and Answers
Wiring A Stereo
Q. Hi, Hope you can help. I have a 1986 Ford Escort with factory 4-speaker AM/FM stereo radio (no cassette or CD). I'm replacing it with a Pioneer DEH2100. Here's what I'd like to know:
What I assume to be the wiring to the power connectors on the old radio has two blue/red wires and a yellow/black wire. One of the blue/red wires went to the old radio's light connection that illuminated the panel of the radio. I'm thinking that the other one is the radio's permanent power connection to the battery supply. I think the yellow/black wire is the connection to the ACC area on the ignition switch. Is that right?
The car's wiring harness/connector for the speaker block has eight color-coded wires, two for each speaker, methinks. But on the old RADIO's wiring harness, there are four color coded wires and then a black wire that seems to be jumpered into each of four empty wire connectors on the speaker block. I'm unsure what the black wire is and how I account for it when I wire in the new stereo/CD player.
The new stereo has a red wire that is supposed to go to the ACC connection, and I guess that is the yellow/black wire. It also has a solid yellow wire that is labeled to go to the battery connection, which I guess is the two blue/red wires on the car's wiring harness. Is that correct? And if so, do I connect both the blue/red wires together and then twist them together with the yellow wire?
I'd appreciate any help you can give.
Thanks,
DennisA. According to my wiring diagram (Ford Factory Service Manual 1986):
- Yellow/Black is main power from fuse #11. Hot in ACC or Run.
- Light Green/Yellow is power for radio memory from fuse #8. Hot at all times.
- L/F Speaker is Orange/Light Green and Black/White.
- R/F Speaker is White/Light Green and Black/White.
- L/R Speaker is Pink/Light Green and Pink/Light Blue
- R/R Speaker is Dark Green/Orange and Pink/Light Blue
I see no connection to instrument illumination at all. I also do not have any blue/red wires on the diagram. As to how these wires would interface with your new stereo, I don't know and I won't even attempt to guess. I never did any custom radio installations, all my experience is with model specific stereos.
In fact I'll tell you of an experience I had a few years ago. I had a 1982 Nissan 200SX in which I had to remove the dash board. The Customer had a custom AM/FM Stereo radio with a graphic equalizer and power amplifier. Before I did any work I called the Service Manager over and explained that I would not be responsible for reinstalling the system when I was done. I showed him the wiring behind the dash and it looked like a bowl of spaghetti without the sauce. He agreed with me and called the customer to explain we would not reinstall the stereo when we were done and he would need to take it to a wiring shop to have it put back in.
The customer said he had installed it himself and when it was ready to be put back, he would do it before I put the center dash back in. The Service Manager and I were agreeable to this. When the time came to put the stereo in, the customer came down and installed the system. I sat in the passenger seat and just watched, supplying him with electrical tape and whatever.
He got it all hooked up and in place and turned the key on and then the stereo. As soon as he did smoke came out of his amplifier and radio. He quickly turned the key off but the damage was already done. He wired something wrong and burnt out both pieces. After all that he had the nerve to try and sue the dealership and I for the damages. He lost of course, but I guess he had to try and blame us and make us buy him a new system.
That is why I don't get involved with anything except factory systems.
