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New stereo - Do I have everything?

2338 Views 11 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Cruciarius, 
C
So my Beetle is still in the shop (ignition issues) & won't have it back until Wednesday/Thursday of next week. Sucks because it pretty much went to the shop the same weekend the stereo I ordered showed up.

Anyway, while I wait for my Beetle to be fixed, I wanted to make sure I had all what I needed to get the new stereo installed.


I have the antenna, wiring harness, old stereo removal tools, wire strippers/crimpers/cutters, new faceplates, and of course the stereo itself along with install instructions. Ordered it from Crutchfield, which I've heard is a good source for aftermarket stereos.

I'm assuming I need to pickup some wire connectors of some sort, then use the crimp tool to connect the harness to the other wires.

This will be my 1st project ever like this, so I hope I do everything right. :cool:

My only concern with the project is the microphone part of the stereo. I've read that best place would be up by the rear view mirror. I know where and how the wires stay up there, but the, I think it's called the A Pillar, how would I get behind that? From what I read, I would feed the wire down from the mic, inside the A Pillar (pillar by the driver's side), then inside the dash and into the stereo. So... yeah. Any tips on that? Video/picture guide would be ideal.

This is for a 2010 Beetle, by the way.

I should name it at some point... see everyone else here naming their Beetles.
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H
You may need the other style VW/Audi Antenna adapter. It's powered too, but somethings different. I had to use it on my '99. Other then that you have everything you need, just some crimp connectors which you can get in a pack of 50 at Walmart for a few bucks, never know when you might start another project. Wiring is really simple, just color matching really. For the a pillar removal, it just pulls off top to bottom, it honestly sounds like it breaking when pulling it off but its just the style of clips that attach it to the metal.
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C
Did a search on the Walmart site and apparently my local Walmart only has the heat shrink connectors by 3M. $6 for a 16 pack. I don't own a heat gun & doubt a flame from a lighter or gas stove would be a smart idea. lol

I'll probably go to Home Depot for the connectors. I'll need to figure out the wire size too, so I get the right ones.

Crutchfield sent me that antenna adapter, saying it'll work for my Beetle. If it's the wrong one, will it be obvious and not fit connecting to everything else or is it gonna fit but screw something up?
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C
I got the crimp connectors and started crimping the harness to the new stereo wires. Everything is going well, but the harness has an orange with white stripe wire, which the stereo piece seems to lack. Instead the stereo has an all orange wire. Stereo wiring also has a pink with black stripe, which the harness lacks.

Also, with the solid blue and blue with white stripe, I know they are related to the bluetooth. The stereo has them part of the wiring piece, but the harness has them separate. Does it matter which spot I put them into on the harness?

Current wire progress:
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C
Duh. Found the harness instructions. :p

It says this:

For 1987-97 models:
For Power Antenna Functions, plug the Blue wire into pin position A-11 (For Metra's 80-1784, plus the Blue wire into pin positions A-11 and B-2).

For Amp Remote functions, plug the Blue/White into pin position A-10 (For Metra's 80-1984, plug the Blue/White wire into pin positions A-10 and B-3).

For 1998-Up Models:
Do NOT use (or tap into) the Blue or Blue/White wires for these applications.
Click to expand...
My Beetle is a 2010, so I'm assuming I do the 1998-Up section, which is... do nothing with the Blue or Blue/White wires?

So lost... had this new stereo sitting in a box for a few weeks now and want it installed!
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C
After a bit more research, I've put crimp caps on the ends of the following:

Orange
Orange/White
Pink/Black

^ Not connected to anything.

I still have these to deal with:
Blue
Blue/White

^ Those are coming from both the harness adapter and the aftermarket stereo wires. I've not crimped them together yet. Some videos I watched on YouTube say to crimp the ends, without connecting them together. However, those guides also only have them coming from one or the other wire source, not both.

I also have an antenna adapter, which is a coax cable with... some other cord coming off of it. I just read on another site to crimp it with the Blue wire, but to which blue wire? From the harness or the stereo? Or do I merge all 3 Blue wires? Thing is, the Blue wire from the antenna has an odd metal thing on the end, which looks like it'll plug into something. If I were to crimp that to one of the other Blue wires, I'd have to cut that part off. Not going to do anything until someone points me in the right direction.

Haven't removed the factory stereo yet. I imagine if I do I'll get a better picture of what I'm to do... Just wanted all the wiring of the harness, new stereo, and antenna to be all set before I begin removal of the old.
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Oh Randi
Cruciarius said:
After a bit more research, I've put crimp caps on the ends of the following:

Orange
Orange/White
Pink/Black

^ Not connected to anything.

I still have these to deal with:
Blue
Blue/White

^ Those are coming from both the harness adapter and the aftermarket stereo wires. I've not crimped them together yet. Some videos I watched on YouTube say to crimp the ends, without connecting them together. However, those guides also only have them coming from one or the other wire source, not both.

I also have an antenna adapter, which is a coax cable with... some other cord coming off of it. I just read on another site to crimp it with the Blue wire, but to which blue wire? From the harness or the stereo? Or do I merge all 3 Blue wires? Thing is, the Blue wire from the antenna has an odd metal thing on the end, which looks like it'll plug into something. If I were to crimp that to one of the other Blue wires, I'd have to cut that part off. Not going to do anything until someone points me in the right direction.
Click to expand...
Blue/white is for an amp, solid blue is for a power antenna. Cap them both off, you won't need them. Unless I missed something and you have an amp.
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Oh Randi said:
Blue/white is for an amp, solid blue is for a power antenna. Cap them both off, you won't need them. Unless I missed something and you have an amp.
Click to expand...
I don't have an amp, but I saw in another thread someone had the same or similar antenna adapter as I have. From the pictures they showed, it looks like they removed the metal end of the blue wire from the antenna adapter and attached it to the blue wire from the stereo harness. They didn't say they cut the metal piece off, but it looks like they did in the pictures.

The thread that shows the antenna adapter:
http://newbeetle.org/forums/car-audio/48116-how-install-aftermaket-stereo.html

It's the 6th image. 7th image shows that they spliced the antenna adapter and blue wire from the stereo harness together.

I'm assuming I just cap the blue/white wires (not spliced together) and cap the blue wire from the harness adapter. It's the blue wire from the stereo harness and the blue wire from the antenna adapter I'm questioning.
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PRM502STREET
Crutchfield can really help you. They have excellent customer service. :)

Sent from AutoGuide.com App
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C
I was about to call them, when I stumbled upon this:

1998-2010 Volkswagen Beetle Car Audio Profile

According to that, I do indeed splice the blue wire from the antenna into the blue wire from the new stereo harness.

So I spliced those together and capped all the wires I'm not using. I'll likely either do the install tonight or tomorrow when I get home from work. :cool:
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C
So I started the in-car installation process today!

Spent about 10-15 minutes using the stereo removal tools and a lot of wiggling before I got the stereo out... a little. Apparently the wires connecting it are very very short, so once I had it free, I had to squeeze my hand into the dash behind the stereo and twist my hand trying to unhook it. After a few scratches, I finally got the old stereo out.

Looking at the connectors that were in the back of the original stereo, I see more than what my harness can hold. Only 2 could fit my harness, so I'm wondering what that other piece was for. I'm going to assume something to do with the CD player, since my new one lacks a CD player...?

So I connected the harness and new stereo wires into the dash. Put in the mounting bracket and began installation of the... plastic parts. Things that will be going around the new stereo.

After all that, I finally connected my new stereo to the wires and reconnected the battery. Tested the stereo and it works great! Tried the bluetooth and tuner anyway. Should have tried the aux and USB (iPod) sources too, but I'm assuming they'll work.

Then came the brick wall, so to speak. After testing the stereo to be sure it works, I tried pushing it into place. No go. I think my new harness + new stereo wires is too much for behind it. I've looked around online and some mention a small cavity in the dash to the left for the wires to be stuffed. I did feel that their is a drop there, but it goes nowhere. Tried pushing as much as the wiring into it, but it wasn't any help. Still had the stereo sticking out about an inch from where it's supposed to be. I did see a YouTube video that said the harness + stereo wires add about a foot of wiring that isn't in there from the factory and they recommend cutting the harness wires down a lot, to help with space issues.

So... since it started to rain again (rained all morning), I called it quits for the day. Tomorrow should be a nice day out, so I'll hopefully finish up the project tomorrow.

Then again, I may go back out to finish it tonight, if it clears up.
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C
Well I removed the harness and cut it's length in half. Re-connected all the wires. Got it all back into the dash, then came pushing the stereo in... still a no-go. Not sure what else I can do to make it fit. I have a feeling it's still the wires getting in the way, but I can't maneuver them around with the stereo partly in without dismantlement the entire dash, which I'm not sure about doing myself.

I'll probably bring it to a professional for completing the install. Sucks... wanted to get the project done myself. :(

Guess if I go to a professional, I could have the mic installed for the stereo too. I've looked at recommended methods of installing it and I'm unsure I want to do all that myself. It does involve getting behind the dash to feed the wire, so... yeah...

Might go to Sears for the job, so I can wonder the mall while they do it.
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