Versa In-Experienced Radio install

[kaze0]

Guys,

I got an 08 Versa Hatchback SL.

I never installed a radio in a car, but I'm set on installing a Jensen UV8 in dash dvd player and Visteon HD Zoom radio tuner myself or with some guidance. If you guys think this is a stupid plan, please warn me.

I got the wiring harness and antenna adaptor. Waiting on the dash kit from Crutchfield. Also have the radios.

I took the dashboard apart and pulled the radio out to check out what was behind there and to make sure I had the right parts and was capable of opening the dash, pulling everything out and putting it back in. This led to a few questions.

A) Theres 4 plugs going into the factory radio, 1 for the antenna, 1 that goes into the wiring harness I bought, and 2 that I dont know what they are for. Does anyone know what these are for? Do I just leave them dangling?

B) My second question came when I was splicing the wiring harness to the plug on the new radio. There's a blue/white cable thats supposed to be connected to an external amplifier form the new radio, and theres a blue/white cable that I dont know what it does in the wiring harness that goes to the car. Should I just connect them, does anyone know what it does? I had assuemd I'd just temrinate the blue/white connector from my new radio since I dont have an external amp.

C) Theres a green wire, that seems that it is for wiring to the gear selector for the rear view camera. I don't plan on installing one of those right now. Is it safe to terminate the wire and not hook it up now?

D) Theres a pink wire that's suppose to be for the parking brake so you can watch the DVDs when you are parked. I have no idea how to handle that. Would appreciate help.

E) Is there a recommended spot to stick the black ground wire? I couldn't really see any metal that I could easily get to from the center console.

F) I'm completely at a loss for the way to connect the Visteon tuner. It has +12V wire(can I just wire this up to the battery?), another one for when its on or in accessory position (where should I wire this to), and another for ground (can this be to the same spot as the radio ground).

Is there anyone in the central Jersey area that would like to help. I'll supply some beer.

[Konig01SE]

You are correct on most of your assumptions..... The parking brake has to go to the parking brake handle switch, the one that light the dash light up when you pull on it, because apparently you need to dance the handbrake for these units....Basically pull the hand brake, let it off and pull it again, or something ot that extent.

You should be fine on terminating the other wires, except maybe the blue/white wire, I'm a little confused by that...Maybe someone else could chime in with some experience with the Versa.

And there should be a ground on the aftermarket harness that you plugged into the stock harness.... If not then there is an external ground that should be attahced the back of the OEM radio....Maybe one of those extra 2 wires that you don't know are for what..... But regardless there has to be some ground source for the OEM radio, there should be no need to find your own ground.

[Konig01SE]

You are correct on most of your assumptions..... The parking brake has to go to the parking brake handle switch, the one that light the dash light up when you pull on it, because apparently you need to dance the handbrake for these units....Basically pull the hand brake, let it off and pull it again, or something ot that extent.

You should be fine on terminating the other wires, except maybe the blue/white wire, I'm a little confused by that...Maybe someone else could chime in with some experience with the Versa.

And there should be a ground on the aftermarket harness that you plugged into the stock harness.... If not then there is an external ground that should be attahced the back of the OEM radio....Maybe one of those extra 2 wires that you don't know are for what..... But regardless there has to be some ground source for the OEM radio, there should be no need to find your own ground.

[the converted]

Blue wire is for power/amplified antenna, and the blue white one is for amplifier turn on.

[kaze0]

I found a fe wmentions onlne about the blue/white cable coming from the metra harnass. It seems other people don't know what to do with it either. So I'm gonna try leaving it unconnected and see what happens.

Wish me luck.

I'm using the 70-7552 harnass and can't find instructions. So maybe its intended to be disconnected on versas?

[the converted]

It will only make a difference if you have a Bose system in the car.

[kaze0]

Hooked it all up temporarily while I wait for my dash kit. Works great! Yay. But then I noticed that the ground fell off from where I taped it (temporarily). Since obviously the deck works even without ground connected, how can I be sure that I picked a "good" ground location?

[kaze0]

Can I just splice the wires from my HD Radio tuner into the wiring harness too?

[kaze0]

Hooked up my tuner as well, just spliced it into the harness. Yayyy

It seems like reception sucks though. I seem to have the atennae power on wired up correctly though. Any suggestions.

[Broadfield]

Hooked it all up temporarily while I wait for my dash kit. Works great! Yay. But then I noticed that the ground fell off from where I taped it (temporarily). Since obviously the deck works even without ground connected, how can I be sure that I picked a "good" ground location?

Most of the time, any metal behind the dash is a good ground. You can also look to see if there are any OEM grounding locations behind the radio area. Sometimes there will be a 10mm bolt holding a factory ground in place...... this would obviously be a more than perfect location for your ground. If you have a multi-meter you can test the metal in question for resistance to ground.

Hooked up my tuner as well, just spliced it into the harness. Yayyy

It seems like reception sucks though. I seem to have the atennae power on wired up correctly though. Any suggestions.

In my experience, HD radio just isn't quite ready yet, or at least not a few months ago. In the Chicago area, it always fades in and out of digital to analog..... very annoying. That problem may have been fixed by now though. Is that the problem you are having?

[kaze0]

Yeah, thats basically the problem I'm having. That and I don't feel like vene regular FM reception is so hot. I get noticable intermittent static fairly often.