[cjohnsontech]

New on here and I'll admit that I only joined for this question (but I'm sure that I'm going to need more help later)

I have an 03 Coupe (5-speed 2.0) that I bought with no stereo installed... I'm going nuts not having a radio (I have speakers hooked up to my iPod) so I want to put something in. I'm not new to radio installs and I'm a computer tech by trade so I'm not a NooB... But I look into the radio cavity and I can see two very odd plugs that I can't find any info on. I took pictures and I was hoping someone could help me out with this...

http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac344/cjohnsontech/VW1.jpg

http://i914.photobucket.com/albums/ac344/cjohnsontech/VW2.jpg

THANK YOU!

 

[cjohnsontech]

Forgot the tags

 

[marvins_dad]

VW1 would be the radio harness...I'll look for a diagram.

 

[marvins_dad]

http://www.lsmsaaa.org/antoine/newb...adio Installation, VAG 15511552 Scan Tool.pdf

These aren't the easiest to read, but one is a warning about the K-wire and the other (attached) is the wiring diagram for the monsoon radio.
I used to have a shot somewhere that showed the wiring diagram on the top of the stock radio that was a little easier to follow...when combined with the attached pdf it all makes sense.

 

[marvins_dad]

You can see the cluster of wires that go into the back of the stock radio in this photo and how they layout when you look at the above block diagrams on the top of the radio...so you should find a couple more small harnesses back there for the speaker connections, etc (brown and black).

 

[cjohnsontech]

Awesome! I noticed that there are only pins in the blue (8 connector) portion of the adapters... And I need to pull the dash apart to see if I can find the other connectors since those two are all I can find... I may have to check the wire colors to the connector in VW2 since there are only 12 pins in that one as well...

 

[Toad]

That white plus isn't factory, its from an aftermarket radio, but whoever took their radiio back now has a radio they caant use without that plug :lol:

 

[sean_fabanich]

the white plug is called a smart harness...

made by metra.

the other end of it should be the factory harness.

you can either remove it....or just cut off the white part...then match up speaker wire colors... thatd make it easy for you.

metra made those harnesses for circuit city. so that the installers didnt have to actually wire a harness....you bought the car side harness with this connector. then you could buy a brand specific harness that would connect using this white harness. if you chose not to buy the brand specific (sony, pioneer, jvc...etc) then youd still buy the same "smart" harness for the car...and cut off the white harness.

you may wanna research this site thou.....ive given good clues on the best way to install a radio. the bugs dash is a little tight for some radios...esp with the way the harness gets in the way, and if you have a usb connection coming out the back or have rcas for an amp.....so getting one in is sometimes a bit of a struggle.

ive never had an issue with the k line...but ive never worked on your year specifically.

so check on that...

but most likely its already been done....since someone else alread had an aftermarket radio in there. wiring will be easy...as long as whats there isnt messed up for some reason.

either find a smart harness for your brand radio and plug it right into that white harness....or cut it off and splice in your radios harness....

good luck

 

[cjohnsontech]

GUESS WHAT I FOUND!!! I'm assuming you're the audio guru on here cuz it does say Metra on it and it pops right out. Although now I'm not sure if I want to toss it out now that I have the fun Smart Harness information... Next up: speaker replacements... Time to do some research on how to remover that quarter panels to get to the rear speakers...