For those looking for a quick guide - here's my saga of dropping a fairly average head unit into a 2002 XKR with premium sound. Hoping the guide is of help to someone!

Goals were pretty simple really:

1. Just get it to play MP3's off a datastick
2. Steering wheel controls
3. Reasonably clean install
4. A bluetooth phone

Parts to buy:

-The DIN-1 console: google LJA6318AB and there's millions of em
-The nexxia faceplate adapter: for sale here
-Heat shrink, end connectors, and tie straps

The deck: Kenwood KDC-X898...nuthin' special

The steering wheel controls: ASWC-1 Axxess

Wiring Diagrams: Search this forum for the correct year and Premium vs non premium sound. Takes a while to find the right diagram and you do need the right year/model/sound system.

...with all that in hand here's the procedure:

First thing was easy - put in the mic for the bluetooth phone.Here's the thread on that:

Next, remove the console and take out the old unit:



The premium sound system will have this little 25 pin connector from Ford. You can pop out the pins (like I did here) or cut the wires. This has all the bits for the antenna, dimmer, steering wheel. Ignition power and battery power are off the white connector.





I connected all the aftermarket adapter leads to the various wires with end connectors and heat shrink.

The ASWC-1 universal steering wheel controls have several youtube videos. I watched a few and set them up.

OK...so the bad news is that you can't just hook into the factory amp. So bypass it. Here's the speaker wiring connections under the armrest.



All wired up - we just have to drop in the new fascia. Job's done, ready to put back the centre console. Budget 4-6 hours for all this...



If you're planning to do the shifter trim as well this is a great time to do it since the centre console is already apart.

Here's my final result. I'm pretty badly color blind but will get the deck color to match the Jag LCD eventually!

 

Nice job! Let us know how it sounds day to day use.

I see that you went to a Aluminum (?) shift display, Looks real nice.

Here's a curiosity, I just noticed that your model, 2002, has the positions of the two switches for Sport & Cruise reversed when compared to my 1998 - just an interesting point.,

Clint, while I'm talking about those switches, let me please ask you something: do the dimmed backlights work under your cruise control switch? I assume that if they did/do work they'd illuminate the little graphic. While my red LED's work on both, mine only has dimmed backlighting under the Sport switch. (When I say dimmed back lights I am referring to the dashboard/interior lights that are turned on when headlights are on, and are dimmed through the dimmer switch). I've always wondered about that question so when it came to me I wanted to ask.

You did a nice job. Will you be running the smaller front dashboard speakers through a crossover? I think I have read that the amp contains the crossover circuitry. If you need a hand with a high pass cross over for this speaker, just let me know, be happy to help. You could get away with just a capacitor in series for that one.

 

Hi John,

I've actually been meaning to post this for a few days so I have the results:

The music definition is ok for my middle-aged hearing. I put the rear USB wire into the ashtray so it's hidden. At highway speed the treble is good. the display is really unobstrusive...a buddy of mine actually commented that it looked factory.

This particular deck isn't the best to operate. There's no reverse if you skip a song, and the folder shuffle setting drops out when you pick a new folder. there was also a problem with it locking up but that was replaced under warranty. Kenwood clearly used some cheap-*** programmers and it shows....but it's really manageable.

Steering wheel controls are needed to keep attention focussed forward in my opinion. the 2Connect one was junk but the ASWC-1 was a simple install and let me reassign the buttons to what I wanted.

For your other questions:

The backlights do work on my switches. As to the order, I'm not the original owner so can't be sure...but I do prefer having sport on the left.

 

I'm doing this now and found 2 wires that appear to be constant 12v power. Both are brown with a red stripe. Ignition power is white and obviously black is ground. Did you use both power wires or just splice into one of them?

 

I tied into just one power wire.

They are the 43 & 44 diagram wires if I am not mistaken. Wire colors and plug vary a bit year to year and against the premium sound system - what year and sound system do you have?

 

Mine is '04 with "Premium" sound. I also tied into one of them; works perfectly. Thanks!