CalebHewit

So I'm new to car audio, I'm sure that's pretty obvious I want to install an aftermarket radio in my 1995 ES300 and I'm not sure what I need. So I have a radio picked out:










And I have a wire harness also:






So my question is, is this all I need? Do I buy the harness and it will go directly from my radio to my car? Or is there something else I need? And if this all I need, how do I install it?

JetsonES

You may also need a kit to fit the stereo to the dash. The wiring harness allows you to avoid cutting into your factory wiring which is a plus. You will connect the wires from the stereo to the adapter and then plug it into place. Here is alink with the info you need. You can splice the wires from the radio to the adapter but soldering and heat shrinking is prefferable.

http://1995lexuswiringstereo.blogspo...ation.html?m=1

Here is a video detailing the disassembly of the car that you will need to do.


Are you just doing the head unit or are you adding speakers, amplifiers, woofers, etc? If you add anything, and actually even if you don't, it's a good idea to use some heavy gauge wire to replace the wire coming from your negative battery terminal to the chassis. It is already undersized from the factory and adding additional components will really put stress on it.

funcrusher

Will most shops use wiring harnesses from their place if you dont bring one? I have my double din and kit. Trying to see what else i need to just bring it somewhere for installation

JetsonES

They might not have the specific harness on hand so it's probably best to order one. It's really not a hard job to diy. If you plan on adding a sub or amplifiers sometime in the future it might be wise to run rca cables and a remote wire for the amplifier while your stereo is out so you don't have to do it twice.

funcrusher

Anything else besides the wiring harness?

JetsonES

Not that I can think of if you already have your radio and install kit.

jaredmac11

How do you know you're getting the right wiring harness?

There would be a universal plug to go in to the stock ES300 harness plug, and then the correct plug to go in to the head unit right? Or how does it work?

JetsonES

The adapter harness will have a plug specific to your car so you don't have to hack up your car's harness. The adapter harness then connects to the wires coming from the head unit which also usually have a plug. From there it's just matching signal and power wires. You can crimp if you want but soldering is best. You really don't want to have to do it twice because of a failed crimp.

jaredmac11

This is what I found; so basically I would have to solder all of those wires to the wires coming out of the head unit?


I did this for my 2003 Lexus, 2 years back but I swear my brain retains memory as good as a strainer retains water.


Edit: And OP I wouldnt skimp on a stereo. Boss is Walmart branded crap; and the hours of labor isnt worth putting in something that can fail.

JetsonES

That harness is different. I'm used to ones that are more like this, all wire, no rca plugs.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002B...5965YJM8RY9FKV

Usually the head unit has the Jacks for the rca plugs built in.

As for boss products, I have never used them but I have learned that lesson in the past with pyle speakers and rockwood (not Rockford) amps. Cheap stuff never thumps quite right, we installed 2 12"s in a Ford hatchback and his car was blown away by a guy running 1 10". It's a combination of the amplifiers being overrated on their power and the speakers having crap excursion. That's why I told him to go 4 gauge. If the amp sucks and he switches it out at least the wire will be good for the new one. The head unit is also kind of a pain to switch out but it's easier than running new power wire. Good head units are available quite reasonably nowadays.

The best I ever ran was an alpine head unit, orion 800w hcca amp, jl w6 15", Canton Pullman 6.5" separates with crossover boxes, and a decent Rockford amp to power those. All of it was wired with phoenix gold 0 gauge to a fuse panel with 4 gauge going to the sub amp and 8 gauge going to the speaker amps. I later replaced the jl 15" with a pair of kicker solobaric 10"s it sounded good at higher frequencies but not as deep as the 15". Lots of money tied up in that setup. And this was a long time ago, as in the 90's. I feel old now.

brickard92

Just searching for direction on what I may have done wrong with my wiring job here. I get no sound upon BT or Radio connection and an “Amp Error” message on the unit when on for a couple minutes.
Only 2 RCA hookups labeled L and R. Do I need a couple Y adapters?

All grounds from RCA cables (Grey/White, Green/Purple) spliced directly (Cut male ends off, split jacket, and connected wires directly to their respective colors). Hots spliced individually.

Connection point to original harness.