Replacing Pioneer with Pioneer

[McVic]

The Pioneer head unit that came in my car when I bought it went out on me and I'm looking to replace it with another Pioneer. It's not a double DIN and I plan on replacing it with the same size. The installation looks professional so I'm wondering do I need to purchase a new installation kit with a new unit or just get the unit and tools for removal/install?

[daddyusmaximus]

I'm thinking if you get a unit the same size as the old one you're golden. Good thing is the install kits aren't that costly anyway.

Have you given much thought of going double DIN? It's kinda cool to be able to play DVDs, or hook up a back up camera.

[fastblackmerc]

The Pioneer head unit that came in my car when I bought it went out on me and I'm looking to replace it with another Pioneer. It's not a double DIN and I plan on replacing it with the same size. The installation looks professional so I'm wondering do I need to purchase a new installation kit with a new unit or just get the unit and tools for removal/install?

No need to get another installation kit. Probably don't need any new tools either.

[fastblackmerc]

I would recommend getting a harness and soldering the connections. Makes it cleaner installation.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Car-Stereo-CD-Player-Wiring-Harness-Wire-Aftermarket-Radio-Install-Plug-/272071419214?fits=Year%3A2004% 7CMake%3AMercury&hash=item3f58b8654e:g:WkoAAOSw stxVV0bk&vxp=mtr

If you can't or don't want to solder it I'll do it for return postage and a few bucks for my time and materials. PM me if interested.

[BAD MERC]

DIN and double DIN are actually a universal standard. All the holes and dimensions are industry standard and swapping decks will be as simple as removing one and installing the other. Obviously, wiring and connections will be different. If using the OE woofer and amp, make sure a resistor is used to make the turn on wire 5 volts to prevent the pop on/off.

[maximusslade]

You're fine. Pioneer new and old uses the same connections. Pull the old one out, plug the new one in.

[McVic]

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm looking at a good unit with the bluetooth feature which was sorely needed for so long in this car as my original was just a cd player/receiver. It was powerful enough for the stock premium sound, in fact too powerful. So I'm thinking a more modest unit will be fine.

The reason I'm not going double DIN is what I would want is out of my budget and I don't even watch DVDs anymore anyway. I'm actually getting rid of all the dvd's at the moment as all they're doing is sitting around collecting dust.

Overall a double DIN would still look better in that space but I can live with what's been there. The cheaper double DINs have some ugly screens. lol

[JoeBoomz]

Thanks for all the help guys. I'm looking at a good unit with the bluetooth feature which was sorely needed for so long in this car as my original was just a cd player/receiver. It was powerful enough for the stock premium sound, in fact too powerful. So I'm thinking a more modest unit will be fine.

The reason I'm not going double DIN is what I would want is out of my budget and I don't even watch DVDs anymore anyway. I'm actually getting rid of all the dvd's at the moment as all they're doing is sitting around collecting dust.

Overall a double DIN would still look better in that space but I can live with what's been there. The cheaper double DINs have some ugly screens. lol

My last single DIN Pioneer outperformed all of the double DIN units I've tried since and I've never been happy since I swapped. I have NEVER watched a DVD on any of the double DIN units I've had. Waste of time. Kids have their own tablets.

Bluetooth audio is a must now, all my music comes from my phone, and touchscreen is a nice feature. Otherwise you would probably be pretty happy with a single DIN (especially if you get one with Bluetooth). Or if you're pretty set on your MP3 collection, you could just get one with a USB and plug a stick in permanently.

[maximusslade]

+1 ^^^^ I myself have a single Din Sony I run with a USB port int he front. I coudn't be happier with it. I have a $1000 double din pioneer GPS, DVD, radio thing I picked up from a fellow member for free.... I am not 100% sure I am ever going to use it. Biggest issue with it is that there is no easy or any way at all to have aux digital inputs, such as USB or whatnot. I mean, I have the gear to plug an iPod into it, but I don't have an Ipod.

[McVic]

Bad news. Got a great unit with all the features, but the harness didn't fit so I had to cut, strip and crimp wire to wire to what was crimped before. It being a very good previous install made it easy enough, as I was able to use all the mounting hardware already in the car and the crimped wires were to a harness that plugs into the factory harness. I crimped the included stereo harness into that one.

I crimped correct wire to correct wire, meticulously. And I made sure each connection was super super tight. There was no pulling the wires apart. Wiring part done well.

Put the stereo in the car, plugged it up correctly and turned the key to ACC. Nothing. Turned the key to ON position, nothing. Took the face off the stereo and hit the little reset button as per instructions, still nothing.

Now I think I know why my old radio died on me. It wasn't the radio, it was the fuse box? All fuses were good in the box, but the radio fuse had a 15A fuse (supposed to be 5A I think) and when I removed it, although it was good, the plastic where the fuse plugs in was brown and melted. I see very clean metal connections to the other fuses but this one isn't clean and in fact looks like there's a small piece of....something metal...just hanging out.

Here's the story.

My voltage regulator went haywire on me upon cranking the car up one day and sent the voltage super high on the gauge and throughout the whole car. The interior light lit way up, clock lit up BRIGHT, etc. I immediately turned the car back off and replaced the regulator in the alternator, but the stereo display slowly starting going out on me after that until it was finally unreadable. Then it would come on and off sometimes until finally it just stopped working at all.

I figured the stereo just fried from the voltage and maybe it partly did, but I know where that fuse plugs in is not supposed to look like that.

Only next option I know to do is run a hot wire directly to the battery from the stereo and see if that's what it is. My guess is the fuse in the box is for ACC and not a hot wire?

If that works, I'm thinking of doing the old school method of running a wire straight to a fuse that's powered by ACC like the windshield wipers or clock?

There is no way I am rewiring a whole new fuse box into this thing.

[McVic]

Nevermind. I took the fuse block loose and the wire to the radio fuse wasn't sitting in there right for some reason. Probably why there may have been shorts. It's in there tight now as far as I can tell, and the stereo is so powerful now it's WAY more powerful than my factory speakers.

Must...resist...speaker upgrades...........

[maximusslade]

Glad to hear it worked out for you. I've only ever bought one stereo system. Was a Pioneer premiere head unit, with a 10" sub, sony 3 ways all around, and a 1000w amp. I installed it in my pickup. When the pickup when away I took it all out and put in the vic. The head unit has since been upgraded to a newer sony with better aux imputs, but it still sounds great... 11 years later.

[McVic]

Yea I think I panicked when I saw the burn mark in the fuse slot after taking the fuse out. Even with a 15A fuse I don't know why it didn't blow. Maybe it blew the one in the stereo.

Anyway it's in there tight now so no worries.

I went so long without a stereo in it (just played my phone) it's like driving a whole new car again. I feel like I got my baby back! Used to take long night drives with my favorite music on and now can do that again, but it's really neat as the new one puts on a light display.

[McVic]

OK I've been enjoying the stereo for a little while now but I've run into a new problem. My front speakers stop playing randomly. It happens to both fronts simultaneously. This happened with my old one too. It was rare but it did happen enough that now i'm reminded this is an issue somewhere.

If it were only one speaker it could possibly be the front speaker just blowing but both of them and at the same time.

What I don't understand is that all four speakers in the car have their own individual +/- connections to the stereo, so how can both of the front speakers have the same short somewhere?

[justbob]

How are the pins in the plug? If you used an aftermarket adapter to avoid cutting the factory wiring then I'd look there first.


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[fastblackmerc]

OK I've been enjoying the stereo for a little while now but I've run into a new problem. My front speakers stop playing randomly. It happens to both fronts simultaneously. This happened with my old one too. It was rare but it did happen enough that now i'm reminded this is an issue somewhere.

If it were only one speaker it could possibly be the front speaker just blowing but both of them and at the same time.

What I don't understand is that all four speakers in the car have their own individual +/- connections to the stereo, so how can both of the front speakers have the same short somewhere?

Common to have all speaker with individual + - connections.

How are the headunit wires connected?

[McVic]

I was thinking about the aftermarket harness adapter myself, which it has. The pins are sitting in there loosely. IRC all front +/- pins are next to each other. May get another harness adapter then.

Thanks for the help!

[McVic]

It is in the harness connector! Last time I drove it I pushed on the stereo and the front speakers came on. Let go and they went back off. Fiddled with it til they remained permanently on, which I didn't think they'd do.

I'm gonna take it back out and bend the loose pens ever so slightly so they'll make tighter contact when hooked back up. That SHOULD do it!