fitting aftermarket head unit with minimum faff

[deadtom]

Apologies for another thread, I am sure this has been covered before, but PH search function still sucks.

I like working with mechanical stuff, I detest working with electronic stuff.

I want to replace the standard OEM head unit in my sheddy 2003 Octavia with an aftermarket one that does the bluetooth thing.

I don't want to starting pissing around with wiring.

I thought that Skoda and aftermarket components both use ISO connectors, and that it would be a case of remove old head unit, switch over the standard connectors, fit new head unit into dashboard, job jobbed.

But further research suggests that I need to fanny about with switching permanent and switched live wires and find and fit a harness adaptor so that the car wiring works with an aftermarket head unit.

Are ISO standard connectors standard or not?

It has no steering wheel controls, and while it does have a CD changer I don't mind losing this functionality, so I was hoping it would be as straightforward as possible.

Car is a bog standard 2003 octavia, head unit I am considering buying is the basic Blaupunkt Madrid one, like this:

https://amzn.eu/d/aFGHtoO

please help, and if possibly explain in very simple terms what I need to do, as I am finding this far more stressful than it should be.

[steveo3002]

swapping those 2 wires is 10 seconds work , dont worry about it , most /all headunits come with swappable connectors

[NWMark]

ISO are standard connectors but manufacturers usually dont use them, as they need to account for other functions within the wiring harness that ISO connectors dont have wires for.

If you dont want to mess with the wiring you need an headunit ISO harness adapter for you car, usually a different adapter for each make but universal across models but check for compatibility before buying.

Halfords have a selection if not ebay will have what you need.

https://www.halfords.com/search?q=iso+adapter

Edited by NWMark on Friday 10th November 13:36

[deadtom]

indeed, the task doesn't look insurmountable, but it would be even better if there were a way to not have to do it at all and I'd be annoyed if I went to the faff of wiring harness adaptors and changing wires around only to find out that if I had just bought head unit Y instead of head unit X, that the standard connections really are standard and they just plug and play

[deadtom]

OK thanks both, so my hope that audio equipment makers and car makers had all been organised and agreed some kind of international standard (if only it had a snappy three letter acronym!) that would remove the need for brand specific adaptors, is to remain unfulfilled?

so is it the case the that ISO standard plugs are on aftermarket head units, but the car is not ISO and will have VAG's proprietary connectors?

[NWMark]

deadtom said:

so is it the case the that ISO standard plugs are on aftermarket head units, but the car is not ISO and will have VAG's proprietary connectors?

unfortunately yes, a lot of manufacturer head units will have one large plug with a lot of pins on it, but some doe use 2 x 9 pin ISO like connectors with the wiring slightly changed.

which going by this adapter (i think its the correct on for you car) seems to be the case - https://www.dynamicsounds.co.uk/pc2-69-4-iso-lead-...

[deadtom]

OK cool, thanks.

So would using that adaptor harness still mean switching the permanent and switched live feeds over?

Apologies if the answer to this is 'how am I supposed to know, it's your car and I didn't make the wiring', but a couple of threads I have skimmed on Briskoda suggest that switching the live feeds is something that's 'just the done thing, because reasons. They're all like that'

[steveo3002]

dont worry about swapping those wires , its really nothing at all , not permanent , no cutting ,soldering etc

[steveo3002]

or buy from a bricks n mortar audio shop and they will swap it around for you ...honeslty dont be swayed into buying something over the wiring

[steveo3002]

hope this works...its just those to swap ,opening the cardboard box its in will take longer

[Smurfsarepeopletoo]

Normally the wiring adaptor has bullet connectors on the always and switched live, so if you do need to swap, you just unclip and clip back in, really is simple, but you may need a fascia plate for it as well.

[C5_Steve]

It really is simple, some really helpful posts above already. You only need three things (well one and maybe the second two):

- Adapter (already linked above I think)
- Keys to remove the stock unit
- Face plate adapter

You may need the face plate adapter to fill the gaps around the new unit, again it just slots in nothing complicated. You might possibly need an aerial adapter but use the site above to check or https://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/ is also very good. Just go to the head unit you want and then there's a little link that says "facia and wiring adapters" and you pop your make and model in there and it'll tell you what you need.

[deadtom]

Thanks all!

I will give it a whirl and report back with my findings