Help with stereo install in 99 legacy with factory navigation unit

[Guest]

Hey all,

I have a jdm be5 legacy that has a factory navigation unit in it, this is different from the other ones i've seen - it has two double din sized units, the nav unit at the top and the factory stereo at the bottom. The heater controls are integrated into the top of the surround above the nav unit and below the vents.

I decided to swap the factory stereo out for something better, and discovered during the process that the factory stereo seems to be well and truly integrated with the nav unit. Wouldn't be a problem except that with the stereo disconnected, the nav unit, which is required to control the heater, doesn't power up.

Does anyone know whether there is a way of getting the heater and A/C to work without the stereo in in one of these?

[Guest boostin]

AFAIK you may need to transplant the entire heater controls and stereo from a non-nav vehicle.

[legacy666]

Hi there.seems like I have a similer problem in my 98 250t.I have this

which is great when its going,but every now and then it craps out and running the a/c is a mission.I went to a car audio shop and they told me they could pull the factory stereo out and replace it,leaving the nav/tv/a/c screen. They also said that a subaru wrecker could replace the head deck,nav screen and plastic surround with a/c controls for about half the cost.

[Guest]

OK, after an afternoon of fun with the multimeter, I have got this up and running. Mine is the same arrangement as above, but I'd never actually seen it showing a picture on the whole screen of the way it's blowing the air, I've always just had some japanese words in the background and the heater control info on the left.

To sort this out:

1. Open up your dash around the stereo. There's another thread on how to do this on the legacy FAQs.

2. Remove existing stereo (double sized unit shown in the lower half of legacy666's picture below. It has the usual stereo mount arrangement with screws through the brackets into the sides of the stereo. There were three things plugged into mine - main white plug with stereo wiring which comes from the cars loom, the aerial plug, and a squarish black plastic and metal plug that was on a thick wire which comes out of the top unit with about 10 wires going into it.

3. Unplug all 3 (or more if you have CD changer controls or something). Use the aerial and stereo wiring to hook up your new stereo.

4. Take the square plug which is on the wire from the top unit. Remove the plastic around the plug so the wires are exposed.

5. Find the brown wire in the middle of the plug and cut it. Ground the end which connects to the unit (not the end that goes to the plug). I attached mine to one of the screws holding the brackets to the side of the unit itself. Cover the plug in insulating tape - don't need it anymore.

This made mine stay on all the time, even without the key in.

To make it go off with the key.

1. There is a plug which comes from the car loom and into the back of the nav unit.

2. Find the blue wire with a red stripe and cut it.

3. Tape up the end that goes to the loom so nothing can touch it.

4. Connect the end that goes to the unit to a 12v switched power source. You will have needed to find one anyway to hook up your new stereo so this should be easy. If you've used a repco adapter harness it will be the red wire.

All done. I think I'll still switch over to the other type without the nav unit alltogether when I find one, but at least I can have music in the mean time. Still need to find myself a din sized pocket as well.

[cuscogtb]

Has anyone swapped the navigation unit to the standard heater controls?

I tried to swap mine with a mates one but one of the plugs were too small.

[Colourfyre]

On the other hand, has anyone retrofitted the sat nav unit into a non sat nav car? Is this possible?

[Garryg]

 raza said:

OK, after an afternoon of fun with the multimeter, I have got this up and running. Mine is the same arrangement as above, but I'd never actually seen it showing a picture on the whole screen of the way it's blowing the air, I've always just had some japanese words in the background and the heater control info on the left.

To sort this out:

1. Open up your dash around the stereo. There's another thread on how to do this on the legacy FAQs.

2. Remove existing stereo (double sized unit shown in the lower half of legacy666's picture below. It has the usual stereo mount arrangement with screws through the brackets into the sides of the stereo. There were three things plugged into mine - main white plug with stereo wiring which comes from the cars loom, the aerial plug, and a squarish black plastic and metal plug that was on a thick wire which comes out of the top unit with about 10 wires going into it.

3. Unplug all 3 (or more if you have CD changer controls or something). Use the aerial and stereo wiring to hook up your new stereo.

4. Take the square plug which is on the wire from the top unit. Remove the plastic around the plug so the wires are exposed.

5. Find the brown wire in the middle of the plug and cut it. Ground the end which connects to the unit (not the end that goes to the plug). I attached mine to one of the screws holding the brackets to the side of the unit itself. Cover the plug in insulating tape - don't need it anymore.

This made mine stay on all the time, even without the key in.

To make it go off with the key.

1. There is a plug which comes from the car loom and into the back of the nav unit.

2. Find the blue wire with a red stripe and cut it.

3. Tape up the end that goes to the loom so nothing can touch it.

4. Connect the end that goes to the unit to a 12v switched power source. You will have needed to find one anyway to hook up your new stereo so this should be easy. If you've used a repco adapter harness it will be the red wire.

All done. I think I'll still switch over to the other type without the nav unit alltogether when I find one, but at least I can have music in the mean time. Still need to find myself a din sized pocket as well.

Hi Raza...Thought I'd kick this thread in to play again to get a reply!

I tried the above after fitting a new D/Din head unit....I do have power going to the top screen now....so thanks! Only thing is, it is not the normal screen I had before the install...it is just a dark blue screen with japanese writing on it. Also, about every 5 mins it comes up a "BOOT ABORT". Then goes back to the Blue Screen....i can still see the heater conrols, but this only shows when i adjust the heater in any way.....

Anything else I can do to resolve this?

Cheers

[D3ft0n3s]

Just to add, How did you locate the wires needed?

I have a 2002 legacy GT30, just wondering in case there different.

Cheers

[mobymidge]

Was this ever resolved as I only get the blue screen as well. A Japanese friend translated as Please connect car stereo