Stereo/Radio Wiring

zpack13

zpack13

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Sep 25, 2021
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I'm putting in a Pioneer radio in my 1993 Jeep Wrangler YJ and I'm struggling to properly match up the wiring from the Jeep to the new harness that I purchased. I'm including a picture (below) and would really appreciate any assistance in how they need to match up.

Thanks!
Radio-Wiring.jpg
 
Can you show some more pictures and clarify what the picture is showing? The upper harness looks like it goes to the aftermarket radio.

The lower harness I’m not sure what that is. Does your Jeep still have the factory radio plug in the dash?
 
If the other end of those wires still has a connector on them you may be able to go to a stereo shop and get an adapter harness for your Pioneer to the Jeep. It looks like to me you already had a different radio installed and someone cut the radio end plug off. If you don’t go the new harness route you need a meter. In my experience red is usually switched hot wire. Black is radio ground, yellow is continuous power supply to memory, you know clock and preset stations. I would check these with the meter to be sure. Then the rest should be for the speakers, and they will usually be colored pairs. Like two browns two greens, usually one of the pairs will have a different colored stripe to designate pos or neg between the two speaker wires. I’m not sure if the Jeep will have 4 sets of speaker wires or only 2. But the new Pioneer will probably have 4 sets. Just don’t use them all if you don’t have 4 speakers. You will have to use the balance and front to back fader to figure out which ones are which.
 
machoheadgames said:
Can you show some more pictures and clarify what the picture is showing? The upper harness looks like it goes to the aftermarket radio.

The lower harness I’m not sure what that is. Does your Jeep still have the factory radio plug in the dash?
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The upper harness does go to the aftermarket radio and was just purchased and my Jeep does still have the factory radio plug-in which is the set of wiring at the bottom of the picture.
 
zpack13 said:
The upper harness does go to the aftermarket radio and was just purchased and my Jeep does still have the factory radio plug-in which is the set of wiring at the bottom of the picture.
Click to expand...
So is the bottom wiring an adapter that you plugged into the factory radio plug? Those wire colors do not appear to be standard…
 
machoheadgames said:
So is the bottom wiring an adapter that you plugged into the factory radio plug? Those wire colors do not appear to be standard…
Click to expand...
No, that's the original wiring. I have not changed any of that wiring out. I did have the Pioneer connected to these originally but when I removed everything I was not able to collect how it was connected so I need to redo it.
 
zpack13 said:
No, that's the original wiring. I have not changed any of that wiring out. I did have the Pioneer connected to these originally but when I removed everything I was not able to collect how it was connected so I need to redo it.
Click to expand...
I’m confused on how that’s original wiring. Where is the plug? Factory wiring is a simple plug that plugs into a molded connector built into the back of the radio. Where are those wires with all the crimp splices going to?
 
machoheadgames said:
I’m confused on how that’s original wiring. Where is the plug? Factory wiring is a simple plug that plugs into a molded connector built into the back of the radio. Where are those wires with all the crimp splices going to?
Click to expand...
The original radio was stolen out of the Jeep many years ago and it was essentailly yanked out just leaving the wiring. I purchased an aftermarket radio and installed it connected to the original wiring. I have since replaced that radio with this Pioneer which I'm putting back in after completely stripping out and replacing everything in the interior (seats, belts, flooring, etc.). I also have installed a secure center console where the radio gets locked up. I have included an additional picture. Hope this helps.

Radio-Wiring-2.jpg
 
zpack13 said:
The original radio was stolen out of the Jeep many years ago and it was essentailly yanked out just leaving the wiring. I purchased an aftermarket radio and installed it connected to the original wiring. I have since replaced that radio with this Pioneer which I'm putting back in after completely stripping out and replacing everything in the interior (seats, belts, flooring, etc.). I also have installed a secure center console where the radio gets locked up. I have included an additional picture. Hope this helps.

View attachment 118468
Click to expand...
Ok, makes a lot more sense. Now that we know you extended the wires and used your own colors, you’ll have to use a meter to figure out what’s what…

will you be powering speakers off of the radio? Just two speakers, one at each side of the dash? Sound bar or no?

the wiring you for sure need is the ground, the ignition power (tells radio to turn on) and constant power (for the clock and preset memory). Depending on if your radio supports it you will want to hook up to the orange dash illumination wire which will dim the radio for you at night and possibly change its display color if you set the radio that way.

If you are powering speakers from the radio you will want to wire up the wires corresponding to each speaker. On a 2 speaker setup that would just be 4 total wires. Not hard to do any of this, just need to know what is what as it relates to your non-stock wiring. We have no clue what each color wire is for on your setup.
 
machoheadgames said:
Ok, makes a lot more sense. Now that we know you extended the wires and used your own colors, you’ll have to use a meter to figure out what’s what…

will you be powering speakers off of the radio? Just two speakers, one at each side of the dash? Sound bar or no?

the wiring you for sure need is the ground, the ignition power (tells radio to turn on) and constant power (for the clock and preset memory). Depending on if your radio supports it you will want to hook up to the orange dash illumination wire which will dim the radio for you at night and possibly change its display color if you set the radio that way.

If you are powering speakers from the radio you will want to wire up the wires corresponding to each speaker. On a 2 speaker setup that would just be 4 total wires. Not hard to do any of this, just need to know what is what as it relates to your non-stock wiring. We have no clue what each color wire is for on your setup.
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OK. I don't think I have a meter handy so I'll have to get one. Where can I find a matrix or chart that will show me what each meter reading means for each wire?
 
zpack13 said:
OK. I don't think I have a meter handy so I'll have to get one. Where can I find a matrix or chart that will show me what each meter reading means for each wire?
Click to expand...
A meter will really only be able to tell you if something has power or not and you can use the continuity function to determine if two wires are the same or if a wire is a ground wire. A better way to go about this is find the wires back where they connect to the factory wires and use the factory color to figure out what each is. Then label the ends where you put on those crimp connectors.
 
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