Car Audio Wiring Question

[IIGood]

I just picked up a Kenwood receiver for my 2003 Explorer. The Explorer doesn't have any extras in it...no subwoofer, no DVD system...just the factory tape deck and 4 speakers.

On the new stereo's wiring harness, I've got 2 wires for each speaker, the red ignition wire, the black ground, and the yellow battery wire.

On the vehicle harness/adapter that was provided (it's a Metra harness), it has all the same wires plus an orange illumination wire. But the stereo harness does not have an orange wire.

Do I even hook up the orange illumination wire to anything? If so, which one, red?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Prodigy]

The Orange(illumination) is the dimmer. Allot of radios don't use this, instead a internal dimmer is present. Just cap off the end.

 

[LaserSVT]

If your deck does not have an orange wire that means it does not dim at night. Make sure to tape up/crimp cap on the end of the orange wire from the harness so it does not short to ground.

 

[DocG]

Actually you want to extend the orange wire and connect it directly to the harness for the headlights. Nothing says cool but dimming headlights.

I must admit though, my previous car would dim the headlights at night when I had the stereo and bass cranked. I was not proud of it. Luckily no gangsters thought I was flashing my lights at them for a drive by or whatever that urban legend used to be LOL.

But yeah as the two idiots above said.

 

[IIGood]

Thanks all...I left it disconnected and finally got the stereo in last night. Everything appears to be properly functioning.

 

[Jinx]

What ever you do, DON'T cut the orange wire.


(just being overdramatic, nothing would have happened anyway...)
glad you figured it out.