Replacing the Stock Head Unit

shufflefield · 04-18-2008, 07:04 AM

I have a 2004 XE - Nothing fancy, I don't have an amp or sub as far as I know. Yesterday I got a disk stuck in the stock CD player and it finally came out this morning, after much grinding and nashing of teeth. I am pretty sure the mechanism to eject a disk is on it's last legs, so I want to just stick a new player in there.

I did google it, but I didn't find any good information on how to do this or how difficult it actually is. Do I need anything other than a mounting kit (where do I get one, don't want to wait on an order, I want to do this myself ASAP). And do I need to know anything special about how to configure a head unit after it is installed? I really hope I can just remove the old one, and slap a new one in there and just be done with the whole thing. All I want is to be able to hear music, nothing fancy. I am looking at a low end Pioneer, mostly because I think the green buttons would look best in my interior...

If there are already a zillion threads on this, I apologize, everything I found in the forums and on google were way more advanced than what I am trying to do.

Thanks,

Shuff

Bhudda454 · 04-18-2008, 09:20 AM

you need a wiring adapter for Nissan which you can get at almost any wally world. about 10 bucks. NN03 if I am correct. Your XE dash is the one the rest of us had to buy to put one in, so you are ahead of the curve there. I am not sure but I think you also have the needed bracket holding your current radio in place to install a new HU. Someone with more XE experience should be along sooner or later.

Hope this helped.

eakes · 04-18-2008, 11:34 AM

You need two things for the conversion: A wiring adapter which has been mentioned and a dash kit. You can get both at most any auto audio installation facility. You can also buy the radio at a number of places on-line and they will supply the adapter and dash kit as part of the deal. Crutchfields is one of the on-line shops I have used in the past. It is not a difficult conversion. The wiring adapter indicates which of the wires from the adapter connects to which wire from the new radio. After those connections are made it is a simple matter of plugging into the dash harness connectors.

shufflefield · 04-23-2008, 06:37 AM

Thanks all. I went to Circuit City hoping to get the install done quickly but they were going to cost alot more than just ordering from crutchfield and doing it myself. They didn't have the mounting kit in stock anyway. I ran into a bit of a roadblock, but I am going to order the JVC HDR30 from them soon and give this a go.

Any "gotcha" things to look out for on the install? Any advice on tearing apart the stock HU so I can get the disk out of there (the reason for this little project btw...)?

silverslayer · 05-01-2008, 08:12 PM

I just ordered the Pioneer DEH-P5000UB CD Receiver from crutchfield, its coming monday and will be installed Monday night. I am total newb on the stereo install front, but it says it comes with instructions, dash kit, wiriing harness and mounting brackets. So i'll let you know how it goes in a few days on my 07 XE.

silverslayer · 05-03-2008, 12:48 PM

luckily my kit came yesterday and I installed it last night. Take into account, I have NEVER installed a stereo before. It took me about 3 hrs start to finish. I'd put up the pics and the install, but need a few more posts and not in a hurry, ie lazy.

the most confusing thing to me was getting the dash off without breaking it. But it just pops right off with a little love from a knife from the bottom working your way up the sides. After that the unit comes out in 4 screws. I had to splice up the new wiring harness, which came with the unit. That took me about 20 minutes, just so I made absolute sure i didn't screw it up, matching up the colors between the two harnesses, but they were all the same color. I also drilled holes in the dash fit kit that they sent, as my unit has USB and mini-stereo jacks that were wired from the rear. I have them coming through the bottom space/hole in the fit kit. I was also drinking during this, as that took some time. The finish product is sweet and still sounds better than the stock unit, as it has more power. With the bass cranked up, the speakers show thier weakness, but overall still a better sound. STOKED!

Darkblueta · 05-03-2008, 02:49 PM

Congrads on the install. I just have one question. You have an XE with the single disk stereo.

How does it sound after the new stereo and how is the volume in the truck(Do you have to crank it up or is low volume ok)?
No new amp/speakers needed, correct?

silverslayer · 05-03-2008, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkblueta

Congrads on the install. I just have one question. You have an XE with the single disk stereo.

How does it sound after the new stereo and how is the volume in the truck(Do you have to crank it up or is low volume ok)?
No new amp/speakers needed, correct?

Yeah it was single disk factory unit that i replaced. you could always crank up the factory, WAY up to make it loud, but at 50wattsX4 ch it rules. much crisper, better eq stuff going on with the Pioneer head unit. Makes the factory speakers sound a lot better. Low volume is still clean, instead of muffled factory low volume. Just a new head unit, no speakers or amp, due to lack of fundage. Speakers will come when these become thrashed over time.