radio wiring

Feb 14, 2006 12 Replies

I'm going to put a radio I took out of a dead Sierra into a non-ford vehicle, so simply plugging in isn't an option. I cut off a bit of the wiring with the radio, and the wires are -



Brown Yellow Green/yellow Red/white Red



I once had a note of what connected to which, but now I can't find it. Anybody help please?



TIA



Steve


Don't rely on me to be 100% on this.....

ISTR, brown is negative, red positive, green/yellow and red/white are speakers. Yellow, not sure - possibly a common earth for the speakers, but ISTR it's the memory live.

Older Ford radios didn't have speaker -ve / earth wires, I'm pretty sure they were earthed via the bodywork.

Sorry, I should have mentioned the speakers were on separate plugs. This is as well as the speakers and antenna.

Steve

Ahhh, slightly more advanced wiring, then......

Brown is almost certainly -ve / earth and the rest, red ignition switched live and yellow will be permanent live. (pretty close to standard ISO wiring).

The stripey ones will be for amp and aerial switching.

If its the older Ford stereos

Brown = 0v Yellow = 12V+ Ignition Live Red = 12V + Permanent Live Red/White = Comes live when the radio is on (used for Arial/amps etc) Green/Yellow = Illumination live (changes the brightness when headlights are on)

The red & yellow ones may need swapping depending on what car you are putting it into. If in doubt connect them both to a permanent live.

sQuick..

Brown - 0v. Red - constant 12v Red / Wh - Switched 12v Yellow - power aerial Grn / Yellow - unused.

Hope this helps.

tim..

WHOA there!!!!

On some Fords Brown is the radio LIVE!!

That sounds about right, I had a feeling the lights were involved. Thanks to all.

Steve

That is correct for a 86-91 mk4 Escort!

Tim..

Wonder if it depends where/when the car/radio is made? Brown was the UK colour (Lucas) for unfused +12 volts, and brown with a tracer for fused.

But in Germany, brown is ground...

Not any of the ones I've ever worked on.

From the Ford workshop manual

Escort Sept 1980-Sept 1990 Brown = 0V Yellow = 12V From Ignition Red = 12V Constant Red/White = Aux Output to power airel/amp etc

Escort/Orion Sept 1990 - 2000 Brown = 0V Yellow = 12V from ignition Red = 12V Constant Grey/Yellow = 12V from headlights Brown/White = To anti theft Alarm

sQuick..

does that mean that their radio didn't have any illumination then?

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