When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Figured out the workaround replacing radio on VDP Premimum system
Spent about 12 hours this weekend trying to figure out the wiring for a replacement radio on the X300... Our factory radio fell victim to the dry solder joints these things are prone to, and I kept telling myself I'd either send it off to be rebuilt (about $300), or find a good one in a parts car to swap out.. Neither happened, so my wife's been driving our EverydayXJ without a working radio for a very long time.
A friend sent me one of the wiring adapters that allow the fitment of an aftermarket without changing any wiring..I thought that would get and easy, but I didn't figure that all of the speaker function on the VDP model come through the amp, and there wasn't an easy work-around...
After reading some things on the forums, it looked like my choices were to run wiring to each speaker, or use a different type of amp... I knew there had to be some other way, so I went to a parts car and traced the wiring from the amp to see where the speaker wiring came out... Luckily, there is one connector under the passenger seat that feeds all of the speakers.. I was able to take the male side of the connector from the parts car, mark the wiring to the speakers, and run lines from the radio to that connector to feed the speakers. I didn't go crazy hiding the wiring, just ran it under the panel that hides the fuses, under the floor mat and seat, and under the console to the back of the radio.. You can't see any of, other than a small section going beside the passenger seat belt (you'd really have to look for it)...
Overall it was a good work around that took more time to figure out and build the wiring, than anything else.. I lost the rear subwoofer and tweeters, but a lot better than having nothing. Kept me from either pulling door cards and feeding wires through the doors, or forking out for a new amp...
And nothing was altered on the car, so if I do want to switch back to factory I can just plug in the original wiring and be good to go..
All in all a good project and now we have some tunes again...
It has the same benefits, at least with respect to the way I implemented it on the lad's 96 VDP of being capable plug-n-play backwards compatibility to the OEM head unit....assuming you've not busted the fragile plastic mounting bracket for head unit, HVAC module, and clock module.
Speaking of which.....if you have any of those available....pm me!
I had searched the forums for links when I figured there was going to be a problem, but unfortunately none of the search terms brought up that post (Premium ICE head unit install with factory amp (Success))
Wow, a lot of info in there.. Thanks for sharing... If I were going for something more that would definitely be a great source to get me there...
Truth is, I'm a simple man, and just wanted to have some sort of something for my wife to listen to on her way to work.. I was hoping to get the aftermarket connector, plug it in, and be good to go... The whole premium system with the amp and speakers set up kind of threw me for a big, unexpected loop... So I did what I thought I needed to just to get her some sound... All in all it was simple enough, and I was able to use things I had on hand to get it done.. No trips to the auto parts store.. Even the radio was a New Old Stock unit, So other than smacking myself in the forehead a few times, the whole project cost me $0... And I learned a little along the way...
The plastic bracket on mine had some broken tabs that hold it to the dash and console, but the other mountings were OK... That's about what I've been seeing coming out of my parts cars...
Now there is another issue that has come up that I'm going to make a separate post about... Darn radio electrickery has me beat....
I appreciate the reply, and I'll bookmark that link for when we go bigger and better... For now I'm back to the Alpine with cassette and CD changer lead....
Cheers
David
shop.EverydayXJ.com
Figured out the workaround replacing radio on VDP Premimum system
