FEOA Forums banner
61 - 80 of 114 Posts
I have 1997 escort LX and on 2005 I bought and install the Metra kit. Now I want to Install the factory radio back again but I am not be able to installed because appears that all the harness are not present. I want to see a diagram install of all the harness or maybe a picture of the factory radio connected to be able to see what I have missing.

Thanks for your help.
 
hey everyone, i started this whole swap and the problem is i can't get to connect the wires from the car to the unit. Im gonna restart soon. and i got the metra kit it didn't include the removal keys. but i went and but the keys from walmart. but the damn thing didn't move an inch so i just broke the screen then took everything out of there. So i have a pioneer unit and the thing is it has its own damn wiring and idk how ill make the defroster to work and tips.

thanx in advance
 
Follow the instructions in this thread and included with the kit. All the info is here.
 
do they not make a wiring kit for the 3rd gens?
 
Yes they do, its the same kit that 2nd gens use. It's included with the dash kit.
 
After-market dash kit keeps falling out

Guys,

I recently replaced the tape-deck in my 1998 ZX2 with an aftermarket plate from scosche. The problem, is that the new plate doesn't seem to click into anything - it's loose enough that I'm worried if I brake suddenly it will go flying into the backseat.

Did I screw up the install somehow? I assume the metal part of the old assembly is no longer needed?

Any help would be much appreciated!
 
What metal part of the old assembly? The metal clips need to be transferred from the stock unit to the Scosche face plate.
 
The fact that i did this instal at night after i got off work and never thought to come check this out and see that you had step by steps makes me want to kick babies!!! the climate control was a pain in the ass i got it off finally and I'm a big guy that was a pain in the ass kneelin on the half melted snow to pull this thing out on a bright note i had just bought the car a few days before and the climate control switch only went half way to the right. and when i pulled it i noticed the cable for the right side wasnt attached so installing my radio helped my switches work better hence music Fixes everything!
 
Could you guys help me choose the best Dash Kit...
Its between these 3 options:

By CarXtc. $41.25
http://www.amazon.com/Stereo-Instal...qid=1345847674&sr=8-7&keywords=ford+faceplate

By CarXtc. -Scosche- $32
http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-Fd136...&keywords=Stereo+Install+Dash+Kit+Ford+Escort

By Amazon.com. -Metra- $49.13
http://www.amazon.com/Metra-99-5720...&keywords=Stereo+Install+Dash+Kit+Ford+Escort

I dont like the plastic finish of the Metra, so i'm tending for the Scosche or the CarXtc. But i'm suspicious about the lowest price of the Scosche, yet being the only one showing a clear picture where the plastic finish can be seen as very much alike the OEM dash.
Wich one would you recommend me?!

btw the Stereo i have in mind its a JVC KD-R530
 
Newbie to the site. I discovered the site by this thread. I just got a 1999 ZX2 for my son to drive and will be installing a new stereo probably this weekend.

It's odd that my teen son has no interest in listening to his music on cassette tapes. ;)

Thanks for this great write up, I'm sure it will really save me a lot of headache.
 
Stereo came this evening. My son and I pulled the old stereo. I soldered the wires and used shrink tubing over all solder joints. I have everything together and tomorrow afternoon I'll install the new stereo.

Point of note, my face plate had the holes for the heat/air conditioner already drilled, but were way too small. I needed to use 9/64 drill to enlarge them for the screws. Not the 7/64 that the OP needed to use.
 
Well, the stereo is in. The wiring and the creature comforts part was simple. I had a heck of a time with installing it into the car. The stereo doesn't want to stay in the cover plate. And the cover plate doesn't want to stay in the hole in the dash. I have it in place, but I'm not sure it's going to stay in place.
 
does the stereo not stay in the metal sleeve, or does the metal sleeve not stay in the kit? if the sleeve isn't staying in the kit, make sure you bend some tabs out to hold it in place on the back. Also, the instructions mention about cutting some of the dash away when you install it - did you do this?
 
i am going to guess that you used crimp connectors. using these takes up a lot of space behind the head unit. I have seen many cars with the same problem you are having. what you need to do to fix this is:

-- go over your routing of the wiring. make sure that it is going over the black part where the radio is going to sit
-- if you put too many crimp connectors and they are keeping the unit from sliding all the way in, replace them with soldered connections and heat-shrink tubing. This is the way it should have been done because it takes up less space behind the head unit.
-- ensure that the routing for the antennae wire and the HVAC wiring is fitting as it should. Again, over the black plastic for the antennae wire.
-- check the routing for your temp control cable. if it was possible to connect this back in place then there likely is not a problem here just need to be thorough.

these things should remedy the problem you are having with the unit staying in place.

i have attached a couple pics of what not to do with wiring as these were cars suffering the same symptoms. Some installers have gone so far as to cut out the black plastic behind the unit and even screw the adapter into place to keep it from popping out to cover up their awful install (the one pictured was done at best buy)
 

Attachments

I used all solder connections with heat shrink tubing. I bent tabs on the metal sleeve, but it is still a little loose. But not too bad. The wires are routed properly I think, but I can't get a hand up behind the dash to feel what's pushing against the back of the radio. I tried taking out the glove box, but the hole is too small for my hand. I guess next thing to do is take off one of the kick plates, but I have never had much luck reattaching those.

I didn't need to cut away the extra part of the dash, when they made the cut originally, they cut out the entire oval, not just space for the stereo as the instructions seem to show. It feels like the slant on the back of the dash plate doesn't slant as much as the original stereo. That's what feels tight. it also looks like the tabs that hold in the face plate are very different from the original and don't seem to latch onto the back side of the dash.
 
it is not the tabs. Dont keep bending them hoping this will solve it. why don't you take the head unit out and try installing the adapter by itself. this will tell you right away if the adapter is the issue. You can also see the routing of the wiring this way to better see what the issue is
 
Thank you. I hope it helps somebody out with their install. :wink:
It did help - a lot!. Thanks!
Based on this thread, I went with Crutchfield kit. I had been trying to piece things together from various sources, but with the discounts that C-field offers when getting the whole package, it was far cheaper. Also, I have a certain confidence with them as they have been around for so long and car audio is their core business.

I will post when completed later this week.
 
61 - 80 of 114 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top