Aftermarket audio head unit installation - Saab 9-5

[nordwulf]

2: I'm wondering if I have to support the radio on the "back" side? or is the DIN chassis stuck into the plastic dash enough to really hold it?

There wasn't any extra support on the back needed for my install. The factory cage isn't supported either so no need to worry about that.

Welcome to the site, good luck with the install and I am looking forward to the pictures.

[unclemiltie]

Frank and everyone else, again thanks for this excellent topic.

I almost finished the install of the AVIC X930BT this past weekend, it got dark and some of the clean-up things aren't done. I still have to install the iPod cable, the XM option, route the mic, XM and GPS so I can't see the wires and get the auto-dimming and on-with-key setup done. But all in all, the radio is in and looks great.

I guess I got lucky on the purchase since I bought a "pioneer refurbished" unit on Amazon one day a few weeks ago for $429, free shipping. All in with the harness, XM adapter, iPod adapter, steering wheel adapter and other stuff I'm probably in for less than $550 and it's a fantastic radio. I checked the other day and the refurbs are up above $600 again.

here's a picture



A couple of comments on the install:

First, I used a pin extractor to take out all of the extra pins from the steering wheel harness, the AVIC harness and the Metra harness so that I only had those wires that I really needed. It simplified the wiring and doesn't leave a lot of extra stuff hanging around. A picture of my soldered-up harness is below (with the GLI's not in yet, I didn't have them when I took this. The GLI's are necessary to eliminate the pop in turning things on and off) If you do this, keep all of the extra pins and write down where they go so that you can restore them if you ever decide to add something or put the radio in another vehicle.





Second, I had the benefit of an extra dash assembly lying around in the garage and could fit things before I actually started taking things apart on the car. I started with the Pioneer double DIN bracket and to fix the issue Frank found and used plastic strips, I cut and bent out a couple of the tabs so that they held against the side rails on the dash. (I eventually used the Clarion 2DBKT and used a similar technique, more on that in a minute)





Since I had the extra dash, I got an idea of how things fit from the back. Note that the Steering wheel adapter can fit on top of the Pioneer and under the SID. I stuck some heavy duty Velcro to the SWI and to the radio, the programming button can be accessed by taking the SID out.





This is the install with the Pioneer double DIN cage in it. I didn't like how this one turned out. the face plate on the pioneer is about 4mm narrower than the one for the Clarion and doesn't look right up next to the SID and ACC. The Clarion is pretty much exactly as wide as the ACC and SID so the sides are nice and clean. I actually liked the system for mounting the radio on the Pioneer kit, but the visible gaps just would not cut it!






Now for a couple of questions to finish things up:

1: Why didn't you connect the auto-dim to the light that goes around the cig lighter? It's nice and accessible, right under the radio and has a simple spade connector on it so you wouldn't have to splice into the wiring going into the light switch.

2: did anyone come up with paint to paint the DIN trim piece so that it matches the SID and ACC? the colors are off just a bit and being the perfectionist I'd like to match them up. Painting the ABS should not be that big of a deal if you can match up the color.

3: how does the Clarion trim piece stay on the bracket? Mine doesn't seem to have anything that holds it there. Am I missing something? I may have to put a couple of tabs of hot-melt glue on it to keep it from popping loose

4: Wulf: where did you get the high-res logo for the splash screen? (or could you just post up the file for the spash screen)

5: did anyone ever come across a place to connect the speed sensor wire? The unit seems to work just fine without it, but for completeness. You would think that there is some kind of speed sensing going into the SID since it has a trip computer. or is it getting that over one of the internal busses?

[nordwulf]

Great report on your install. It's good to see many of these reports with pictures to show there often is more than one way to these installs. I may do a few things differently with another install after reading all the tips in this thread. It sounds like you got a great deal as you mentioned.

1: Why didn't you connect the auto-dim to the light that goes around the cig lighter? It's nice and accessible, right under the radio and has a simple spade connector on it so you wouldn't have to splice into the wiring going into the light switch.

I am not sure why I did that. I think I just didn't have that info at the time and didn't even think about it.

3: how does the Clarion trim piece stay on the bracket? Mine doesn't seem to have anything that holds it there. Am I missing something? I may have to put a couple of tabs of hot-melt glue on it to keep it from popping loose

It wasn't very secure on mine either. I was thinking of doing something with a few small magnets but never got around to it.

4: Wulf: where did you get the high-res logo for the splash screen? (or could you just post up the file for the spash screen)

I added the splash screen to the instructions on the first page: http://saabworld.net/f29/double-din-...t-84/#post1813

[unclemiltie]

To answer my own question, the light around the cigarette lighter doesn't work. It is on the dimmer and won't always change the AVIC screen. Had to go to the light switch.


I am getting a very low whine from the GLIs when placed behind the ACC when the car is running. Moving them around makes it go away, and of course the best spot is somewhere not behind the dash! Got to work on shielding I guess

[unclemiltie]

One other thing of note.

I downloaded the splash jpeg and it wouldn't work on the x930. Thought maybe it was my Mac, so tried a windows box but no luck. Cnverted to BMP and that worked. Manual says jpeg is ok, but wouldn't work for me

[Jacob Ilkka]

I thought of that, now just wondering how to turn on the stock amp with out the stock stereo?
Without Frying it ...... Ignition wire to amp maybe?

Is it easier to just install a new amp? Will I also need new speakers with it?

I really don't want to go that route......

If you choose to go the new amp route, you will not need new speakers. You'll just have the fun task of using the color code on the Angry Kitchen Appliances page wolf gave you in order to figure out which wires go to which speakers after you clip them from the factory amp harness. It's good practice to label the wires somehow like writing "FRD" for "front right door" or "RRD" for "rear right door once you have the, strung back to wherever you choose to install your new amp. Of course, finding out which wire pair goes to which speaker is just done by hooking up one pair at a time to the amp and then labeling the wire as whatever speaker the sound came from.

[ile2010]

Here is my AVIC-X710BT. Just like in my previous car, the antenna is sitting atop the head unit inside the dash (absolutely no signal problems). The mic is sticking out between the ESP and OnStar buttons for now. The only thing left for me to do at the moment is connect the light switch for accessory power and wire in my Metra Axxess steering wheel module.

Sent from my G2x using Tapatalk

[ile2010]

Now everything is connected as it should be (minus the steering wheel interface; I'll get a PAC when I get a chance). I do have one additional question for you guys that have done this install already:

Do you sometimes get a buzz from the speakers after you've removed the key from the ignition? I suspect it's something to do with the ground loop isolators.

[unclemiltie]

Yea, sometimes this happens. It sounds to me like the head unit is turning off and the amp holds a bit of charge in it and is picking up something from the input lines. Mine seem to be picking up something from the seat heater and cooler switches and the placement of the GLI's under the radio impact this noise quite a bit. I tried grounding them and wrapping them in copper tape to shield the GLI's to no avail.

But all in all, I'm pretty happy with the way that it went in. Interesting to hear that I didn't have to a figure out how to snake that GPS antenna through the dash like Wulfers did. maybe next time.

[guinea13]

I am trying to find out if you know if anyone have tried to fit the pioneer Appradio into a 9-5. I have a 2002 Linear and am wondering if it will fit. I can't seem to find the exact dimensions and the only ones I seem to find are 7.2x7x3.8. Don't really want to buy something that will not fit but would like to try to get it in.