Aydu

I'm planning on using a standard and a reverse wiring harness to add an amp to my factory head unit. I have searched and found that there are harnesses available from both Metra and Schsche that will do the trick.

I've also picked up that the wiring harnesses are short a pin that controls the deck illumination feature - dim lights on head unit when the car's lights are turned on.

Does anyone know if any of the available wiring harnesses have the needed illumination pin? I'd suspect the reverse harness would have this, as it's designed to work with the factory deck.

As I understand it, Mazda uses two wires to activate the illumination feature on the factory head unit, where most after market decks just use a single wire. This may be why the needed pin is missing.

I know some of the members have added amps using the standard and reverse harness trick. Has anybody that has done this gotten the illumination feature of the deck to work with this set-up. If so, which trick, or particular harness, was used.

Thanks in advance for the usual excellent help you all provide. I've learned more here about my Protege than from any other source.

JJB

When I installed my Kenwood in the car I moved the unused power antenna pin to the illumination location and used that to control the illumination of the HU. Works like a champ.

Aydu

Thanks for the tip.

Is this just a pull and push operation? I've only worked with a few harnesses and those were pretty easy to just pull the wires and metal ends out. I'm hoping this is the same.

JJB

Since I have fine tools at work I used a pick and a very fine pair of pliers to get the pin out. If you look in there you can see the tab that holds it in place.

Dermen

I used the scosche harnesses and they are missing 2 wires. I think one is for the dimming feature and the other lights up all the buttons on the stock HU. Right now only the display lights up and it can't be dimmed. I keep saying I am going to try to fix it, but I just never get around to it.

DaleK

I did exactly what you speak of, and I added wires to make the dimmer stuff work. The two wires together are needed to make the dimming work. Since you are using both harnesses, the two wires are completely missing and you don't have to actually remove anything. I tried using pins crimped on the wires, and the smallest ones we had at work were still too big (I have access to some fairly unusual connectors and pins at work). The pins and sockets used in those connectores are not particularly standard. You could probably get them, but you would need to know what you are looking for. Then you need the right crimping tool...

Anyway....what I did was use small gauge (24 gauge or thereabouts) solid core wire, and stripped it back far enough to insert into the connectors instead of the proper pin. I made sure everything made proper contact, then zip tied the wires to the rest of the harness to keep pressure on them to keep them in the sockets. I have had this for about 3 months now and have had no problems. It's a pain, but I think it's worth it.

FWIW, I was like Dermen and left it without the dimming feature for several months before I got around to doing it. I'm glad I did

Good luck!

XtrmLzNC

i taped into the light wire on my hazard switch when i hooked up my pillar gauge lights.

Dermen

I finally fixed mine today. I ended up just yanking on the unused power antenna wire and it came out of the regular harness with the connecter still on the wire. This didn't work on the reverse harness though. I ended up using 24 guage solid core wire like DakeK and it works great.

By the way if you are looking for 24 guage solid core wire you can get it from telephone wire (the kind in the walls of your house, not the kind to connect your telephone to a telephone jack)