I purchased a double din pioneer a week ago and decided to install it today. Did all the crimping and wiring, took the dash apart and connected everything. It all works except I have no sound. I'm guessing because where the pioneer harness has its speaker wires there is nothing connected to it, yet I've plugged all my ends in. I've noticed looking at DIYs of Bose and non Bose systems that they always have 3 plugs coming out of the factory harness. Well I only have 2 and I'm guessing that's my problem. My original radio had the top plug and the bottom plug but no middle plug. Any one have any ideas? Here's the factory plugs I have and then the harness for my radio. You can see I'm missing a plug. It should be the top one in the duel connector

 

Scratch that. Talked to crutchfield, 2002 is the only year with only 2 plugs and a fiber optics.. So this is going to be slot harder that I thought. I now need to individually wire each speaker to the head unit and get a new amp...anyone have any suggestions on an amp? And how difficult the wiring it?

 

If you were to put new wires in to a 4 channel amp, it'll basically be like wiring subs x4. The hardest part will be getting the wires from the front speakers to the amp in the trunk. Anyone could do it. & since you'll have your RCAs in the aftermarket head unit, it'll make it that much easier lol.

 

so your saying buy a new amp and rewire pretty much like if I was getting a new system all together?

 

if you were to install the 4 channel amp, yes. This is how you'd have to wire your speakers:

and then all you'd have to do is plug your RCAs between the amp & the head unit. That's if your head unit supports 4 channels.

 

ok I understand that makes sense then and as for a 4 channel amp does that mean a Max of 4 speakers? Because if I'm not mistaking my 320 has more then 4 and it has the tweeters. Also would it be possible to just rewire the factory amp directly to the speakers instead of a single fiber optic wire.

 

The tweeters are bridged to the front speakers, basically the same line. Do you have bose or non premium? I'm assuming you have bose since you said factory amp lol. I have no knowledge of the bose amp. But I know a handfull of people that installed another amp due to the reason of the fiber optic setup. I'm pretty sure it would be more complicated to rewire the speakers to that amp.

I know my car has 4 door speakers + 2 tweeters + a 10 inch sub in the read deck. Is yours the same? With a 4 channel amp, you can bridge other speakers to make them work on the 4 channel amp if you'd like to connect more than 4 speakers (they'll be on the same line/channel). You could even run a 2 channel amp for your 4 door speakers if you really wanted to.

 

oh ok but the 2 channel wouldn't output the best sound I would say. And yea I have the the 4 speakers 2 tweeters and a sub not sure on the size though it does say Bose on the deck. Mercedes was confusing with that setup because I've seen some door speakers say Bose so I'm pretty sure I have the Bose. Then again someone on here had a diy of an install and they didn't have Bose but they had Bose speakers not an amp though lol idk but anyways sounds like we have the same setup so I'd say your right I should just go with a 4 channel and new wiring

 

FIY, 2002 isn't the only year with fiber optic cables... AFAIK any year with a 'premium' audio has fiber. Part of the reason why I'm not going to install an aftermarket unit in my car (OEM one - maybe).

If you have fiber optic cables running to the trunk you have an amp there.
You pretty much can route the wires from HU to the trunk and there you should be able to find all the wires that go to the speakers from the old amp.

 

you sure? Have you checked yours? Because I've seen multiple DIY on Bose and non Bose models and they all had the 3 connectors apposed to my 2.

 

I have Harman Kardon

There is Bose, and then there is Bose... with a optic-connected amp.

 

isnt that in the facelift models? I hear it sounds good. So I guess i just have the lucky optical connection lol is there any audio advantage to the optical version? I'm guessing the same as like in home audio optical is the best way to go for high quality audio

 

Sounds okay for my taste, don't have much to compare it to though.

I think they just did that to lighten the weight And because they could.
Otherwise yes, same thing as in home audio.
Basically the amp sees the exact signal the HU produces, without any distortion/losses from the wiring.

 

ok and as for wiring if I do the 4 channel what about the factory sub? Wouldn't that mean I would need a 5 channel?

 

maybe if u have a factory amp but mines connected to the rear speakers.. so all 2002s have only two connectors? even my base model with the boring cassette deck? there goes my hopes and dreams of an easy install..

 

Yeah I don't believe they made a separate line for the sub in the back, they're bridged.