swapping radio head unit?

[don_bagz]

whats up guys, i just have a quick question.. I have a pioneer head unit right now that came with the car. I kinda want to swap it with a different head unit, if i bought another one that is also a pioneer, would it just be a direct swap? (no wiring work)

Here are pics of the harness as requested.. hope this helps
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c40/don_bagz/DSC08122.jpg

[garagelu]

it depends, different model pioneers sometimes have different plugs. Usually you can google the model number and see which plugs interchange.

[daverussell]

It shouldn't be that hard to re-wire if you need to. Car adapter to head unit wiring is really not that hard.

[projectRDM]

whats up guys, i just have a quick question.. I have a pioneer head unit right now that came with the car. I kinda want to swap it with a different head unit, if i bought another one that is also a pioneer, would it just be a direct swap? (no wiring work)

Most manufacturers are consistent with parts like the wiring harness but you won't know until you try it. Pioneer has used a few different plugs over the last 20 years, but it's highly unlikely you've got anything too far apart in age.

[g6civcx]

I'm going to go out on a limb and ask this question.

Can you pull out the radio in there now and at least look at the wiring back there to see how messed up it is?

[don_bagz]

I'm going to go out on a limb and ask this question.

Can you pull out the radio in there now and at least look at the wiring back there to see how messed up it is?

yeah.... i can.. thats why i want to know if they are just a direct swap between harness so i can just buy another head unit.. ill go in there again and see how the harness is..

[Ceepo]

lol wiring is so easy, walmart sells this harness you buy for 6 bucks, and it lets uyou plug the new deck into the factory plugs lol...

[don_bagz]

lol wiring is so easy, walmart sells this harness you buy for 6 bucks, and it lets uyou plug the new deck into the factory plugs lol...


oh really? hmm.. i really have like ZERO knowledge about it.. thanx!

[g6civcx]

oh really? hmm.. i really have like ZERO knowledge about it.. thanx!

Assuming your stock harness is uncut, you can buy Metra premade harness that goes from your headunit to universal, and universal to your body harness. No soldering necessary.

Show me what you're working with and I'll tell you the best way. Who knows if your body harness is still intact.

[don_bagz]

Assuming your stock harness is uncut, you can buy Metra premade harness that goes from your headunit to universal, and universal to your body harness. No soldering necessary.

Show me what you're working with and I'll tell you the best way. Who knows if your body harness is still intact.

EDIT.. pix are up

[Ceepo]

The harness has all the colored wires coming off the deck(cd players) harness, you connect, and its pretty much plug in play, go look at the auto section in walmart, they make the harnesses in a little purple package i beileve, it makes life so easy and its so worth it :)

From the pictures it looks as if you already have what im talking about, "Looks as if you do cause its plugged into the factory plugs..."

[don_bagz]

The harness has all the colored wires coming off the deck(cd players) harness, you connect, and its pretty much plug in play, go look at the auto section in walmart, they make the harnesses in a little purple package i beileve, it makes life so easy and its so worth it :)

From the pictures it looks as if you already have what im talking about, "Looks as if you do cause its plugged into the factory plugs..."

so your saying that my harness is universal?
mb.. gettin a lil lost

[DreamN]

No, you have the aftermarket universal harness that plugs into your OEM harness. This is what everyone is telling you makes wiring such an easy experience because there is no cutting of your OEM harness.

Basically you could do two things. First one being you cut your existing universal harness (starting from radio harness, cut first wrapping of electrical tape) and then wire in your new radio harness to the universal harness. Second being that your new deck has the same radio harness and all you have to do is unplug your old one and plug in your new one.

[don_bagz]

No, you have the aftermarket universal harness that plugs into your OEM harness. This is what everyone is telling you makes wiring such an easy experience because there is no cutting of your OEM harness.

Basically you could do two things. First one being you cut your existing universal harness (starting from radio harness, cut first wrapping of electrical tape) and then wire in your new radio harness to the universal harness. Second being that your new deck has the same radio harness and all you have to do is unplug your old one and plug in your new one.

im liking the 2nd option... just dont like cutting wires.. hehe! okay, so i guess i need to find a radio that has the same harness as the one i have right now.. now is there a way to know if a radio's harness is the same as mine right now with out actually putting both radio side by side and see if it matches? i mean, i take out my universal harness right now and take it to a shop and see which one matches.. but is there a code or a name to indicate that a radio has the same harness?

idk if im making sense.. but, i guess to compare situation, its like buying wheels and knowing the bolt pattern rather than actually taking your hub and go to a wheel shop and see which wheel fits the hub.

[alzahakar]

I don't think there is a way to determine the head unit's harness type from a serial or model number. I would just take the harness in.

[DreamN]

^ yes there is. what model number is your current pioneer deck?

[don_bagz]

^ yes there is. What model number is your current pioneer deck?


deh 1500...

[The Chad]

I emailed some address form Pioneer.com or something a while ago when I had a diff Pioneer unit I wanted to use. There are any different PIN-outs that are used over the years and models of head units. They narrowed down which ones would work for me. I couldn't find one for cheap for so i ended up re-wiring for a new head unit. So good luck with what you choose.

[DreamN]

Here's a list of all the ones that should work with your harness:

DEH-15

DEH1500

DEH-1500/XU/UC

DEH-1550

DEH-1550B

DEH-1550B/XU/ES

DEH-1550/XU/ES

DEH1600

DEH-P4500MP/XM/UC

DEHP450MP

DEH-1600/XU/UC

DEH-1650

DEH-1650B/XU/ES

DEH-1650/XU/CN

DEH-1650/XU/ES

DEH-16/XU/UC

DEH5

DEH-5/XU/UC

DEH-6/XU/UC

DEH-P450MP/XM/UC

DEHP250

DEH-P2500

DEH-P2500/XM/UC

DEH-P2500/XN/UC

DEH-P250/XM/UC

DEH-P250/XN/UC

DEHP2550

DEH-P2550/XM/ES

DEH-P2550/XN/ES

DEH-P4600MP/XM/UC

DEH-P460MP/XM/UC

DEH-P25/XM/UC

DEH-P25/XN/U

DEH-P2600

DEH-P2600/XM/UC

DEH-P2650/XM/ES

DEH-P26/XM/UC

DEH-P3550MP/XM/ES

DEHP4500

DEHP4500MP

DEH-P4650MP/XM/ES

[g6civcx]

I think you're in luck. It looks like you have some form of Metra part number 80-1763. This part plugs into the body harness and converts to a universal plug.

Then it also looks like you have the Metra PRO-180B. This plugs into the universal plug and connects to the back of your Pioneer.


2:1 odds you can just unplug the harness at the back of the radio and plug it into the new radio.

[don_bagz]

I think you're in luck. It looks like you have some form of Metra part number 80-1763. This part plugs into the body harness and converts to a universal plug.

Then it also looks like you have the Metra PRO-180B. This plugs into the universal plug and connects to the back of your Pioneer.


2:1 odds you can just unplug the harness at the back of the radio and plug it into the new radio.

really? thanx...

and thanx for the lost list of models 2 posts up.. hehe! i will look into it.. how did you know those head units work anyways?

[DreamN]

Searched your head unit. Found out what harness it used and just searched what models used the same harness. Google is your friend.

[repda916]

how do you keep your headunit to keep its presets?

[The Chad]

Never unplug it ? :)

[The Chad]

Or do you mean that whenever you cut off your car your head unit resets itself and clears the pre-set channels? If that's the case then you need to make sure you have a constant power source going to the unit. If you use a general 12V power source from the car...say Cig lighter, the unit will shut off with that option and reset everything. I personally wired my Cig lighter to a constant as well so I can charge my phone when the car is off :)

[don_bagz]

how do you keep your headunit to keep its presets?

not have a battery kill switch i guess. hehe! idk, i never had a problem with losing my presets.. i jusst cant figure out how to change the time.. haha!

[don_bagz]

OH, so, if i find a head unit that i liked but it doesnt use the harness that i have, that particular head unit should have its own harness too right that also plugs in into the oem harness?

[g6civcx]

OH, so, if i find a head unit that i liked but it doesnt use the harness that i have, that particular head unit should have its own harness too right that also plugs in into the oem harness?

Get a Metra harness that plugs into the back of the radio and into the universal harness.

Tell your audio store you want Sony, Dual, whatever brand radio to universal harness.

Unplug the harness plug that has tape around it. Plug in the new harness. Done in 5 seconds.

[don_bagz]

Get a Metra harness that plugs into the back of the radio and into the universal harness.

Tell your audio store you want Sony, Dual, whatever brand radio to universal harness.

Unplug the harness plug that has tape around it. Plug in the new harness. Done in 5 seconds.

was hoping to hear something like this.. hehe! thanx.. screw cutting wires for me! im more of unplug and plug again. lol

[repda916]

Or do you mean that whenever you cut off your car your head unit resets itself and clears the pre-set channels? If that's the case then you need to make sure you have a constant power source going to the unit. If you use a general 12V power source from the car...say Cig lighter, the unit will shut off with that option and reset everything. I personally wired my Cig lighter to a constant as well so I can charge my phone when the car is off :)
what would be a good constant power source? the red wire i think is connected to a fuse under the dash. thats how i got it.

[The Chad]

what would be a good constant power source? the red wire i think is connected to a fuse under the dash. thats how i got it.

Well, I moved my Battery to the trunk so I have my Main Battery Cable running through the firewall close to the Head unit...soooo i tapped into that For you, just think of anything that still has power after you cut off the car...like a clock or something, there should be a cable stock, but I didn't have any luck finding one.:bigok:.

BTW you are totally thread jacking, and I'm promoting it by responding...next time start a new thread so no one gets into trouble.:cops:

[projectRDM]

how do you keep your headunit to keep its presets?

9V battery plugged into the cig lighter. Keeps radio presets, clock, ECU memory, everything when battery is disconnected.

Welcome to 1984 guys.

[The Chad]

really???!! Just when I thought i knew something projectRDM comes along with his crazy knowledge of all that is cars, apparently stemming from 1984 haha :)

[don_bagz]

anyways... thanx alot guys