[JamminWagon]

To install an aftermarket radio: EDIT: IN A BASE SYSTEM

Get a mounting kit, wiring adaapter, and an antenna adapter.

Remove the stock radio bezel:
remove the rubber mat under the ashtray
pull on the ashtray to get it and the heated seat button panel off
disconnect the cig lighter
pull on the stereo bezel and it pops out
disconnect the wires to all the panels on the bezel

Remove the sock radio
remove the 4 screws
disconnect the radio wires (there will be a small connector, it is for the
CANBUS DO NOT USE FOR ANYTHING)

Hook up the wiring adapter to the new radios wires, following the
manufactures instructions
NOTE1: There is no ignition controlled wire in the stock harness. You have to tap into a ign controlled source, the most common is the cig lighter.
NOTE2: If you have the smokers group, fuse #18 needs to be moved to
the IGN slot (see photo)

Attach the antenna adapter.

Mount the radio in the dash kit.

Install the dash kit with the 4 screws.

Install the stereo bezel after hooking up the wires to all the panels.

Install the ashtray/seat heater panel after hooking up the cig lighter.

Install the rubber mat under the ashtray.

Turn on radio and set the stations and TADA!!

 

[ecwrt]

Make this a sticky!!!!!

 

[2006 Magnum]

Good info, how can there be no ignition sense wire in the stock harness?? The stock radio turns on and off with the ignition, weird, maybe a relay in the stock radio using a constant 12V. Every car I have ever replaced a radio in has had an ignition sense wire.

 

[ecwrt]

It has a converter in it.

The wiring harness you need to buy has the converter included with it, so you have to pay anywhere frmo 70-100 bucks for it.

This way SHOULD work with a normal wiring harness as long as you take the lead off the wire to the cig lighter. However, my only question is.... are the cig lighters ignition sensitive? Does the power turn off when the ignition is turned off? Some dont. You can charger your phone with the car off, meaning there is power, meaning the amp wouldnt turn off. Does the magnum do this, or does it shut off?

hhmmm...

 

[JamminWagon]

Good info, how can there be no ignition sense wire in the stock harness?? The stock radio turns on and off with the ignition, weird, maybe a relay in the stock radio using a constant 12V. Every car I have ever replaced a radio in has had an ignition sense wire.

The LX radio systems are computer controlled. Information is passed via the CANBUS. Here even a better part. The BA premimum HU only has 2 outputs to the outboard amp. The HU passes the fade/balance control signals to the amp via the CANBUS. Talk about f'd up!

It has a converter in it.

The wiring harness you need to buy has the converter included with it, so you have to pay anywhere frmo 70-100 bucks for it.

This way SHOULD work with a normal wiring harness as long as you take the lead off the wire to the cig lighter. However, my only question is.... are the cig lighters ignition sensitive? Does the power turn off when the ignition is turned off? Some dont. You can charger your phone with the car off, meaning there is power, meaning the amp wouldnt turn off. Does the magnum do this, or does it shut off?

hhmmm...

The smokers group has fuse #18 (above pic) forthe lighter to be set powered up at all times. If you dont have the smokers group, then the "power outlet" in the ashtray is set to be controlled by the ignition.

 

[fam0516]

whoa im kinda confused lol i guess good job

 

[NOTPAID4]

Yup... too confusing for me too... I'm staying STOCK!!!

 

[n2fordmuscle]

Thanks for the great write-up. I just read your write-up on installing the trunk release button. Will be doing that mod soon.

I just put in my new aftermarket head unit two nights ago. I bought the $70+ wiring harness that has the CANBUS interface. It's a breeze. I wired the new HU wiring harness to the $70 aftermarket CANBUS wiring harness on my kitchen table. I just followed the diagrams and instructions that came with the HU and the new wiring harness. Then went out to the garage to swap out the HUs. It plugs right into the factory wiring harness. No cutting or splicing into the factory wires is necessary. Took me less than an hour.

Note: There are 2 versions of the aftermarket $70+ CANBUS wiring harness, one is for systems without the factory amplifier, the other is for systems with the factory amplifier (Boston Acoustic systems). Make sure you get the correct one. You also lose your ability to control Fade/Balance with the aftermarket HU, because the new HU cannot control the CANBUS / Amp.

Also, I would recommend disconnecting the battery before starting the swap.

 

[JamminWagon]

Thanks for the great write-up. I just read your write-up on installing the trunk release button. Will be doing that mod soon.

I just put in my new aftermarket head unit two nights ago. I bought the $70+ wiring harness that has the CANBUS interface. It's a breeze. I wired the new HU wiring harness to the $70 aftermarket CANBUS wiring harness on my kitchen table. I just followed the diagrams and instructions that came with the HU and the new wiring harness. Then went out to the garage to swap out the HUs. It plugs right into the factory wiring harness. No cutting or splicing into the factory wires is necessary. Took me less than an hour.

Note: There are 2 versions of the aftermarket $70+ CANBUS wiring harness, one is for systems without the factory amplifier, the other is for systems with the factory amplifier (Boston Acoustic systems). Make sure you get the correct one. You also lose your ability to control Fade/Balance with the aftermarket HU, because the new HU cannot control the CANBUS / Amp.

Also, I would recommend disconnecting the battery before starting the swap.

I hope the $70 CANBUS wiring harness does more than supply a IGN controlled power tap.

 

[ecwrt]

I hope the $70 CANBUS wiring harness does more than supply a IGN controlled power tap.

emmm.... thats pretty much the difference in the 2 harnesses. I have the simple one you can get for 10 bucks but I will have to use the ign in the lighter/ashtray.

I'm seriously considering getting the expensive one along with the other harness that allows me to use my steering wheel controls. If I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it right.

 

[JCSRT8]

Can you get them at retail outlets because crutchfield in on backorder.

 

['Couve Mag]

sorry to revive an old thread but where can i get one of these canbus harness adapters.... please pm me... i will be away from the computer most of the day.... thanks in advance...

 

[avp0713]

sorry to revive an old thread but where can i get one of these canbus harness adapters.... please pm me... i will be away from the computer most of the day.... thanks in advance...

No answer yet on this? I had a young installer working on my '07 Magnum but he ran into difficulty with getting the Alpine Head Unit to work. I gave him a standard aftermarket bezel and a wiring harness, but that apparently is not enough; I'm guessing I need this "Canbus" harness, so where do I get one?

Thanks all

 

[avp0713]

Geez, like others have said, this seems really confusing. I have all this equipment ready to be installed; the only thing I don't have is the CANBUS adapter.

The way I understand it is, if I want to be able to have the radio continue playing after the ignition is turned off and the doors still closed, I need the CANBUS.

I really don't care whether the radio continues to play when the Ignition is turned off. If my car does have the factory amp will I need to completely bypass the amp?

Is this something that an average radio installer would immediately know how to do given these instructions?

Question: Will a set of 8" speakers fit in the front door panels? I'm okay with them being surface mounted.

 

[KrAzE]

canbus harnesses are if you want to remain stock (stock amp) (stock features). You can tap into the power and ground from the cig lighter and theres an amp to use RCA audio.

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It allows full integration. And if you get a pac specific car remote you dont have to get the SWI-CAN.

 

[JamminWagon]

To clear things up abit. This post was started back in 2006 before they had NAV mounting kits and the CANBUS adapters. Also my Magnum came with the base stereo system (not Boston Acoustics with the amps). I knew I was going to "upgrade" the stereo so I made sure I didnt have the "premium" system. There are a couple of posts out there that is like mine using the CANBUS adapters. I didnt have the steering wheel controls so I didnt have to bother with that.

If you have a base stereo or just wanting an IGN controlled tap, this is how you do it.


BTW, When at car shows, I would reach in through the open window and turn the key to acc then then take the key out. My stereo would play with the key out of the car for 15 min as long as I didnt open a door. This gave me a chance to walk around and check out the other rides without having to leave the keys in the car to demo the A/V system.

 

[The_gunslinger]

Ok... Time to bring an old thread back to life! I'm trying to put an aftermarket head unit in, but it wont turn on. I wired everything up the way it was instructed (power from lighter) and I'm still dead in the water.

 

[jd3443pd]

Is the fuse blown for the lighter? Do you have a good ground? Is there a wire that is providing you with a constant 12 volts even when the car is turned off, to keep the memory of you clock and station pre sets? Check power and ground connections with a multimeter and confirm voltage and ground, then start checking for bad connections.

 

[The_gunslinger]

Sorry, I actually figured it out. The constannt didn't have power because the new harness was pulling power from a source that was never used. Fuse #37 has something to do with factory nav. I'm assuming that someone needed the fuse for something else and being that I didn't have factory nav, that fuse wasn't needed untill I ran the harness for the new head unit.

 

[jd3443pd]

Good deal. Glad you got it straightened out.