After Market radio

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Waynedoran

New Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2017
Messages
28
Car
2003 c180 Kompressor coupe
So I've bought an aftermarket radio unit which came today. The car has 3 connection blocks, the unit only has 2 connections. I'm requiring help please. See photos
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POSTED IN THE WRONG SECTION - SHOULD BE IN ELECTRONICS!


Not sure what the third connector block is for, do you have a haynes manual to trace the wires back?
Is your original FM lead a Fakra type connection? If so you will need a Fakra to FM connecting lead to use the cars antenna.
What doesn't work when the radio is connected and powered up, this may help with finding out what the third block is for

Was the aftermarket radio specifically designed for Mercedes?


Steve.
 
Last edited:
A bit more info would help towards answering your question. As in what make model aftermarket unit have you bought? It may be possible to purchase an harness which makes it compatible, as its not very often (if at all) you can replace an aftermarket unit in place of the original without some wiring adaptions being required, esp to make the steering controls to operate correctly.
 
The left and middle connectors will click straight into the after market head unit. The block connector is probably for your steering wheel controls.
 
The left and middle connectors will click straight into the after market head unit. The block connector is probably for your steering wheel controls.

Correct.
 
I plugged them straight in but nothing happened. It had an aftermarket radio in before i got the car.

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I realised I had posted in the wrong place. Nothing works when I plug the connectors in.

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Did the old radio use all three connectors? Plug it back in using just the two connectors that the new unit uses...what happens?
 
The connectors look like standard ISO so it should just plug straight in. Check the fuse? Check the old radio again as renault12ts says, if you have a multimeter check for power.


220px-ISO_10487_connector_pinout.svg.png
 
It wasnt in the car when i bought it but the previous owner said it was an aftermarket one.

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A bit more info would help towards answering your question. As in what make model aftermarket unit have you bought? It may be possible to purchase an harness which makes it compatible, as its not very often (if at all) you can replace an aftermarket unit in place of the original without some wiring adaptions being required, esp to make the steering controls to operate correctly.
Im not really fussed about the steering controls. It's an Atus 7" Bluetooth touchscreen

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The connectors look like standard ISO so it should just plug straight in. Check the fuse? Check the old radio again as renault12ts says, if you have a multimeter check for power.


220px-ISO_10487_connector_pinout.svg.png
Already checked the fuses. All ok

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Hi,
After bending my neck for 5 minutes looking at your wiring diagram, one obvious problem is the wiring to the " Power" ISO Connector, which is on the far left of your dash cut out. Generally, ( not on all cars so check with a multimeter ! ) the large diameter brown wire is the earth wire, and above this is a red power wire, which seems missing on your connector. This would coincide with pins A7 and A8.
Just a caveat but some cars need the red and yellow wires swapped over ( Power and Switched Power ) but you can check this easily with a multimeter and ignition on and off. Probably a wise move to check this to begin with so you dont get confused.
I am unable to see where the other wires in your connector go but sort these out first before you worry about the speakers connector. A pen and paper are handy for making notes.
If you need to swap pins in connector around, slide a very thin watchmakers type screwdriver into the connection pin and bend the locking tab and it will come out. Just push the pin back in and the locking tab will lock it again
From looking at the Speaker wires ISO plug everything looks ok there.

Steve
 
Hi,
After bending my neck for 5 minutes looking at your wiring diagram, one obvious problem is the wiring to the " Power" ISO Connector, which is on the far left of your dash cut out. Generally, ( not on all cars so check with a multimeter ! ) the large diameter brown wire is the earth wire, and above this is a red power wire, which seems missing on your connector. This would coincide with pins A7 and A8.
Just a caveat but some cars need the red and yellow wires swapped over ( Power and Switched Power ) but you can check this easily with a multimeter and ignition on and off. Probably a wise move to check this to begin with so you dont get confused.
I am unable to see where the other wires in your connector go but sort these out first before you worry about the speakers connector. A pen and paper are handy for making notes.
If you need to swap pins in connector around, slide a very thin watchmakers type screwdriver into the connection pin and bend the locking tab and it will come out. Just push the pin back in and the locking tab will lock it again
From looking at the Speaker wires ISO plug everything looks ok there.

Steve
Thanks mate that's very helpful. I will try this and get back to you. Appreciate it.

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Thanks mate that's very helpful. I will try this and get back to you. Appreciate it.

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Got a wiring diagram. When im connecting the ground wire from the car to the ground connection block on the radio its sparking?

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Got a wiring diagram. When im connecting the ground wire from the car to the ground connection block on the radio its sparking?

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This is where I am at the minute and still no life from the radio. Mighty ****** off now like.
e576d8c458e5c565e8bd8e9693a738c5.jpg


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This is where I am at the minute and still no life from the radio. Mighty ****** off now like.
e576d8c458e5c565e8bd8e9693a738c5.jpg


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Where abouts are you? Have you got a connects2kit??

Look up and order the right connects2kit for your car it makes the entire process plug and play
 
Where abouts are you? Have you got a connects2kit??

Look up and order the right connects2kit for your car it makes the entire process plug and play
No I've had advice from people on here and this was the advice i was gave. Just located this wire. Gets worse by the minute. No idea what this is too
27c4955e70351578e78cff97f34ff6d2.jpg


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Hi,
So I had a read of some old posts ( using Google ) and there it is suggested that there is no switched live from the harness and this needs be taken from the cig lighter.
I am looking at the wiring you have done so far ... did you confirm, by using your multimeter that the heavy brown wire is the earth wire and did you confirm that the other 2 wires.... red with blue trace?? yellow ?? are both power wires? Ign off / ign on ....Red/ blue trace just does not seem right but I have no wiring diagram in front of me to confirm or not.
So simplify things, and just connect 1 power wire and the earth. Stick multimeter probes on these 2 points ( without radio connected ) and check for volts, ign off and ign on. When you have power on these 2 wires then you can plug them into the radio and it should light up.
One small point, whenever i fitted radios I always fitted a fuse holder / fuse in the live wires, do not rely just on the radio fuse.
If it is still sparking with just power and earth then you might have a problem with the radio from it being plugged in incorrectly----possibly a diode gone ---but hope not.

Steve
 

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