WTF Ford 'N Clarion

NapaBavarian · #1 08-10-2004, 05:40 PM

I figured I'd slap the new (used) stereo in the F250 today while I was installing the new rear window and dashpad... WRONG!!! First off 5 of the 8 wires are color coded differently from the speaker end and the stereo end

then there are several switched hot leads and 2 grounds, but no constant hot

then the Clarion head unit dosn't have a wiring diagram on it

NapaBavarian · #2 08-10-2004, 05:51 PM

I found a wiring diagram for the clarion

Subafreak · #3 08-10-2004, 07:07 PM

Don't use the blue wire for ground

NapaBavarian · #4 08-10-2004, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Subafreak
Don't use the blue wire for ground

Blue=antena up

Blue=viagra

What's up???

Darksied-X · #5 08-11-2004, 07:43 AM

Yeah, I learned from personal expirience that ford stereo wiring=teh suck, much like everything else they build.

I did a friends mazda a few years back, all the wires were the same color, and came that way from the factory. I refuse to touch fords since.

Yours could have been hacked up by a dealer, like my XT6, or it could be stock, who knows with a ford. If it's stock, it shouldn't be too hard to find a wiring diagram for it on the net. If it's hacked, than have fun with the volt-meter. Same thing goes for your deck, if you don't have the intructions, just download them from Clarion.

NapaBavarian · #6 08-11-2004, 10:05 AM

Figuring the truck out was easy, I just used the ohm meter to figure out what wires go together

Shadow248 · #7 08-11-2004, 11:07 AM

Ford is a stereo install nightmare. None of the wires (except the black ground wire) are standardized, so you have to test them all or buy the $15 adapter. To top it off, you have to buy the $30 stereo removal tool, unless you want to chain the stereo to your house and drive away, hoping it will come out. From my experience Mazda is just as bad (seeing as Mazdas are in large part Fords), I think i've done two and they were both nightmares. Toyota, nissan and honda are ridiculous. I can't comment on Subaru because i've only done the SVX, and that's a bad example when it comes to universality. Can anybody think of other brands that use the industry standard wiring?

Hate to rub it in, but GM's wires are all standardized and they use the two or four bolt sleeve mount. AHHH that's much better.

Subafreak · #8 08-11-2004, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NapaBavarian

Blue=antena up

Blue=viagra

What's up???

On older Fords it appered to be the ground untill later that night when you turn your headlights on an the radio gos dead and you loose all your marker lights

NapaBavarian · #9 08-11-2004, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shadow248
so you have to test them all or buy the $15 adapter.

The #%$***$% who stole the prior stereo kindly sniped the wires some where south of the connection

NapaBavarian · #10 08-11-2004, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Subafreak

On older Fords it appered to be the ground untill later that night when you turn your headlights on an the radio gos dead and you loose all your marker lights

Lots of strange wires, but since the new stereo had no provision for illumination brightness controll the wires that changed with the headlight switch were simply labled WTF

, and there were 2 ocilating in opposite directions