I just completed an aftermarket install in my S5 Vert (w/airbag). Everything works. The headrest speakers work controlled by the center console controls. The little (inadequate) factory subs behind the seats work. The head unit fader fades between the front speakers and the headrest speakers. The sound is quite frankly terrific.

This thread is intended to document important details for the owner who wants to upgrade without hacking up the harnesses.

I know I am not the first to accomplish this, I had some help-Thanks HOZZMANRX7.

I have the complete factory wiring diagrams as well as the FSM. I searched and read lots of threads with some information, but nowhere is all the info in one place.

 

A little background. I bought my S5 Vert in 2005 as an unregistered, barely running hulk. Bad paint, rotted top, trashed seats, straight pipe exhaust. Every electronic failure point in S5 Rx7s was evident, along with the special Vert malfunctions.

Each time I accomplished an unusual undocumented task, I make a thread to document the proceedure. This helps others accomplish the same repair/upgrade. Some of my threads have thousands of views. One of the threads, the 130 Amp Alternator Sweetness, has is approaching 13,000 views.

I have redone the Emissions System https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/emission-testing-texas-style-465422/,
the Top https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-gen-archive-72/convertible-top-replacement-finished-503149/,
the Cooling System https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/my-taurus-2-speed-e-fan-experiences-774799/,
the Charging System https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/130-amp-alternator-sweetness-785082/
the Headrest Speakers https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/rx7-convertible-headrest-speaker-replacement-814287/
the Clutch (found a great tool) https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/pilot-bearing-puller-bargain-812501/

the paint, the upholstery, the suspension, the switches, The A/C (R12, Baby!)

This new thread is a way to give back. It shows how I am grateful for the help I receive on this forum. It may not generate thousands of views because the S5 Vert is a relatively rare beast. That means the information is important to a smaller group within the forum. To us, the Vert owners, it is important.

 

The audio system is in this car is much maligned. I left the the oem head unit in the dash for as long as I could, basically as an antitheft system-who wants to steal it? The system is a complicated as is humanly possible. The sound system doesn't even really sound all that good. I couldn't play CD's without skipping

Back in o5 or o6, I installed a Blaupuntkt component system in the vert. I expected a huge increase in sound quality, but I was disappointed. The headrest speaker upgrade didn't help either. I was resigned to poor sound. At least the radio worked and the factory subs kept the sound at balanced at the mid-low end.

Then fate intervened. I stuck am MP3 cassette adapter into the cassette deck (AutoReverse and Metal-tape capable, woo hoo!). The 20 year old drive belt promptly broke, rendering the deck incapable of playing anything. I disassembled the deck to replace the belt and found that it was beyond my ability to get to the drive motor and rollers.

So I decided to go all out. I wanted the headrest speakers to work, preferably controlled by the console controls. I wanted to be able to fade between the front and headrest speakers. I wanted sub output so that the sound would be complete. I did not expect for the factory subs to work, they were completely off my radar.

I bought a JVC KD-R210. http://mobile.jvc.com/product.jsp?mo...thId=54&page=1 Remember, I do not lock my car. Steal my car stereo if you must, but don't cut my $400 top or break my windows. This was the cheapest good quality unit that had a Sub pre-out with configuration options. It was also available at Best Buy for $79.

 

I bought a Metra 70-7901 harness adapter at Best Buy for $20. It can be had cheaper on the internet. Try Sonicelectronics.com or elsewhere.

The nice thing about a harness adapter is that you can do all the wiring outside the car at a nice comfortable level, then just plug and go. If yout do an install without one of these, you are really missing out.

This Metra 70-7901 is THE correct adapter. Scosche also makes an identical adapter, the MAO2B.

It is not *strictly plug and play*. There are a couple of critical details for our install.

 

The label includes a color code. The wiring color code is a standard color chart, most all aftermarket recievers conform to this code, making the hook-up simple.

The colors on the harness DO NOT match with your factory wiring, but that is ok. The labels are accurate. Wire it up with the reciever, plug the harness into your car harness and you are good to go.


I like to use crimp connectors. Do not attach the amp or antenna wires yet. Crimp all the wires according to color and your are good to go.

Almost.

 

ON our Verts, there are two important details that are different!

Note that the plug has a wire for amp turn-on, Blue/white.

It also has a wire for Power Antenna , Blue.

Mazda does this so that the Antenna is up only when the radio is on, not when a CD is playing or a tape is playing.

On most aftermarket units, there is only one lead that does dual duty. It handles both amplifier turn-on and antenna operation. This lead supplies 12V current needed to activate the turn on of these units.

In our Verts, the factory amps are activated by hooking up to this Blue/white wire. That's good.

However, our antennas need a 'make to ground' circuit to operate. In the FAQ, there is wiring diagram to add a relay so the aftermarket head unit can activate the antenna.

 

I realize that relays are confusing to many people as are wiring diagrams with little explanation of how to actually make it work, which wires to cut, splice etc.

So I chose to add the relay to the wiring harness rather than put it in the trunk by the antenna. Why? I hate taking out trunk panels and working upside down. Plus I already had all the wires accessible to me at the work bench!

I used a standard Bosch/Tyco relay and a plug-in harness. The colors on the harness are standard and are noted in the diagram.

Critical Details to follow:

Connect the amp/antenna activation wire from the receiver harness to the Metra harness Blue/White and to relay terminal 85.

Ground relay terminals 86 and 87.

Connect relay terminal 30 to the Metra harness Blue wire.

I crimped off the orange illumination wire and the orange/white dimmer wire. My head unit does not have provision for external control of the internal lighting.

Plug this all up, install the head unit in the dash, you are good to go.

When wired this way, ,my S5 stereo operates just like stock, including the factory subs and the headrest speakers and speaker controls.

Good Luck!

 

A few more details:

I have read in several places that the S5 headrest amp needs a preamp signal and that the S4 (1988 only) needs a speaker level signal.

I cannot confirm or deny that detail, as the wiring diagrams do not specify.

I am sending a speaker level signal to my headrest amp. I am getting no distortion or problems at all. The sound is strong and clean.

Additionally, I ran a line level signal from the JVC's pre amp outputs to the trunk and installed an amplified Bazooka sub. Not the cleanest sub, but easy as pie to install.

I left the Pioneer subs behind the seat. They work great and still provide a little fill at low volume levels. If I unplug the bazooka for trunk space, I will not be totally without bass.

The Blaupunkt components woke up with the new head unit. The sound is clear, bright and clean.

I am very happy with the results.

 

Very well done. Perhaps should have a link to this thread in the Ice Marks 2nd Gen "frequently asked questions" sticky. Knowing Mark, I know he would have been proud.

Good job

Sidebar, in my S4 Vert I put a smaller diameter Bazooka tube in the spare tire well behind the drivers seat. Works quite well considering I stayed with the stock head unit. Sources the signal off the door speaker amp output with is supposed to filter out at least the highs and I believe also the mid's.

 

I also added cupholders...

pics tomorrow.

 

What diameter? Mine is an 8". I didn't look very hard at putting it under the tire cover. That would free up the trunk again.

Gotta take a look at that again. Thanks!

 

Cupholders, for all those future searchers

 

PM Me when you're done and I'll recopy this to the archives... That is unless you're already done; then it's already there.

 

I believe mine is 8" as well. Fits if you angle it one end toward the metal side bracket and the business end toward the middle of the area. Might have to jiggle the spare tire a bit.

 

Guys; thanks for sharing, I'll be doing this soon.

 

I had really good luck with the way that Jack said to wire this. Everything from my power antenna to the headrest speakers works completely. I didn't have to do anything special to get sound to play through the factory amps. My stereo is a Pioneer AVIC-N1, pushing 50W x 4 channels and the stock amps have no problem rockin' it.

If you have any questions, providing you're using the wiring kit he suggested, I can try to assist via PMs.

 

Those cup holders are amazing.. Where did u get them and how can i get some?!?

 

Why, yes they are amazing thank you!. Like most things i do on my S5 Vert, the job is deceptively simple in appearance. It was by far the most difficult part of the entire install.

They are from a 1994(IIRC) Ford Taurus. I removed the Ford mounting clips and used very small flat head screws to attach the unit directly to the Mazda OEM radio brackets. The measurements were critical. The unit was a very tight fit due to the depth of the cupholders. Additionally, I had to trim the rear of the sliding trays due to the limiting depth of the dash at the bottom. Mounting the cupholder above the radio would have been much easier but essentially useless.

 

Hmm.... Ya i might have to bite your idea on this. The cup holders on the back of my glove box door do not suffice and I need a cup holder for my In-N-Out shakes!

 

Mmmmm....In-N-Out Burgers.....

 

do you know a correct dash install kit? for a s4 fc. other than those dumb little custom install kits that comes in a million pieces and you gotta make it. i bought one and it failed.

 

why did you use clamping wire connectors, instead of actually soldering and heat shrinking the right way? you know that those connectors are not meant for vibrations and will eventually come loose.
not knocking you, you did a great job, but you really should have done the wiring the right way

Lloyd

 

Wrong. You fail.

Do not ever solder connections on a car. The correct way to connect is with a crimp. Look under the hood of your FC. Look under the dash of your FC. Look under the hood and dash of any car you can get under. Count the number of wires that are connected with a solder and heat shrink from the factory. Didn't find any? Didn't think so.

Don't bother to say 'But that is the way I always did it.' Because you are wrong. Don't tell me 'But that's the way my Dad/Brother/Sister Mother did it' because they would be wrong too.

Look it up. Start your own thread if you want to ask some other experts about it. Don't thread crap here.

 

I used one of those kits on my kid's S4 and it worked out just fine. Lots of little pieces, yes. Just follow the directions exactly and it works out.

I used a Scosche, others here say only use a Metra https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/s4-dash-install-kit-944990/. Both work.

Otherwise, you can use the factory radio brackets, but you gonna have to find something to fill in the other part of the double+ DIN opening.

I used the cupholders on this one.

 

thanks a bunch. how did you get the cupholders to fit in the stock bracket? and mount them?