2008 Ranger Radio Install??

[Drewboy22]

First off thanks for all the info. I have been a lurker for quite some time.

I had a 98 Ranger that I had a nice radio in. When I got my new to me 08 Ranger I put the stock radio back in the 98 so I could keep my good radio. So when I uninstalled the old radio, I only remember 2 plugs, the main plug and the antenna. So I unhooked the wire harness and plugged everything back in.

Today I try to install my stereo into my 08 and there is another plug .

This is what I am looking at now:

Here is the radio that came out of the 08

and the hole it came out of

This is the back of the radio I am putting in it

And the old wire harness that was used in the 98

I thought I would be able to just plug the radio in and be done with it, However, I don't know what this plug is for.

I have tried looking at wire diagrams, but I don't know what I am looking at really. (I am good with pictures.)

Can someone help me and let me know if I need to redo a wire harness or take it to bestbuy and let them do?

Thanks for all y'alls help

Drew

 

[adsm08]

Well to start, going to Best Try is the wrong answer. It doesn't really matter what the question was, Best Try is the wrong answer. I am constantly baffled by how Circuit City went out of business but BB is still around.

The larger plug goes to the sub/amp unit, the satellite receiver, and auxiliary input jack if the truck is so equipped (and I can see the aux jack in your last picture). To just power up and feed the speakers you should be able to plug into the little guy, if it's the right shape and fit for your existing plug.

It's always best to get the proper adapter for your radios though. Lets you take full advantage of the system, besides, they aren't that expensive.

 

[cvar]

The 16-pin plug is for the power and speakers. It does all the real work.
The 20-pin (square) plug is for Ford's AUX input and the optional extras (eg, satellite radio).
See http://imgur.com/a/xWGY6 for details, which shows the separate Ford wiring diagram for each of those 2 plugs.
You should be able to simply ignore the 20-pin plug.

That stock radio is the one I'd prefer, cuz it has CD6, whereas mine doesn't.

 

[Drewboy22]

The 16-pin plug is for the power and speakers. It does all the real work.
The 20-pin (square) plug is for Ford's AUX input and the optional extras (eg, satellite radio).
See http://imgur.com/a/xWGY6 for details, which shows the separate Ford wiring diagram for each of those 2 plugs.
You should be able to simply ignore the 20-pin plug.

That stock radio is the one I'd prefer, cuz it has CD6, whereas mine doesn't.

Thanks for the write up! That made a lot of sense. My '08 has the audio jack installed already, so I need to see if its compatible with my new radio.

Thanks again,

Drew

 

[Drewboy22]

To just power up and feed the speakers you should be able to plug into the little guy, if it's the right shape and fit for your existing plug.

It's always best to get the proper adapter for your radios though. Lets you take full advantage of the system, besides, they aren't that expensive.

I will have to see if there is a different wiring harness for the 08 that might include the additional equipment.

I know it came stock with satellite radio, but I don't know about the "amp" or any additional stuff. Looks like it is time for some research.

Thanks,

Drew

 

[hoosier1104]

Just spend the $5 on the correct harness and be done with it. It is much simpler and easier that way.

 

[adsm08]

If it has satellite and the aux jack it probably has the amp. Those three things are part of the audiophile system.

 

[Drewboy22]

Just spend the $5 on the correct harness and be done with it. It is much simpler and easier that way.

That would be awesome. There is nothing I would like more at this point than to plug and play. I have been trying for 3 days to understand the wiring diagrams so I can make this work. Do you know what harness I need?

The places I have checked have all given me "0" results.

 

[hoosier1104]

Go to Crutchfield and get one. It may cost a little more but it will be 100% correct on what you need.

 

[Drewboy22]

Go to Crutchfield and get one. It may cost a little more but it will be 100% correct on what you need.

Please see my previous post. That pic is crutchfields website. It shows 0 products for the 2008 Ranger Sport supercab 4 door with pioneer system.

If you will give me a part number I will try to find it.

 

[cvar]

Why can't you use the harness that was in your '98? Doesn't it work? It should.

The AUX-input jack near your ashtray has a wire that should plug into the rear of your new stereo, using RCA (round red & white) jacks. That AUX wire now goes into pins 1 thru 4 of your dashboard's Ford 20-pin harness, so go build a little DIY adapter. Metra makes blank connectors for this reason.

 

[Drewboy22]

Why can't you use the harness that was in your '98? Doesn't it work? It should.

The AUX-input jack near your ashtray has a wire that should plug into the rear of your new stereo, using RCA (round red & white) jacks. That AUX wire now goes into pins 1 thru 4 of your dashboard's Ford 20-pin harness, so go build a little DIY adapter. Metra makes blank connectors for this reason.

The old harness should work if I leave the 20 pin connector unplugged. The new radio does not have a spot to plug in the 20 pin. If I don't need to the aux input I should be able to just leave it unplugged right? What about the amp? Is it in the 20 pin or the 16 pin connector?

The old truck did not have the 20 pin connector, so I was confused.

Thanks again

 

[cvar]

The old harness should work if I leave the 20 pin connector unplugged. The new radio does not have a spot to plug in the 20 pin. If I don't need to the aux input I should be able to just leave it unplugged right? What about the amp? Is it in the 20 pin or the 16 pin connector?

The old truck did not have the 20 pin connector, so I was confused.

Thanks again

Yes, leave the 20-pin unplugged. You can also run a DIFFERENT cable into your Red/White RCA inputs for AUX input. Up to you.

What amp? Do you have an external amp outside of the radio itself?

 

[adsm08]

What amp? Do you have an external amp outside of the radio itself?

The wiring diagrams show a factory amp wired into the 20 pin plug as part of the optional audiophile system. It should be located somewhere in or under the center console. I don't know the options packages perfectly, but the way the diagrams were labeled made it look like the aux jack, factory satellite radio, and the amp were part of a package set and you don't get any one of them without the other two.

 

[Drewboy22]

The wiring diagrams show a factory amp wired into the 20 pin plug as part of the optional audiophile system. It should be located somewhere in or under the center console. I don't know the options packages perfectly, but the way the diagrams were labeled made it look like the aux jack, factory satellite radio, and the amp were part of a package set and you don't get any one of them without the other two.

This is where I was getting confused. I don't see an amp, nor did I see satellite radio. But I do see the aux port and an antenna for Sat radio on the roof. Is the amp in the stock radio? This diagram helped a lot however it only shows the aux port and the Sat radio not the amp. This looks like my plug. If the amp is wired into the 20 pin connector, is there a way to use it with my new radio or am I SOL?

thanks cvar for the write up

On a side note, I did plug in the radio today and just left the 20 pin connector unplugged. Everything seems to be fine.

Thanks for all the help

Drew