Before we move on to a detailed consideration and solution to the question of how to pinout specific models of standard radios on Ford Focus and Nissan cars, and so on, let’s figure out what the concept itself means - pinout and iso.
Pinout
The ISO pinout of the radio connector is a determination of the functionality of the contacts in the plugs or radio components with planar (rectangular cross-section) outputs, now called SMD parts, in accordance with their numbering.
ISO radio connector
Connector for connecting a car's standard radio, certified according to international (European) standards. Analogue of Russian GOST.
Types of car radios according to international classification
All car players can be divided into two types, which are installed by car manufacturers. This:
- 1DIN standard;
- 2DIN standard.
That is, one- and two-block. Cars of European brands prefer single blocks. While Japanese, American and a number of Korean, and now Chinese car brands use the 2DIN standard.
Why do you need to know this?
When purchasing a new or used car, the owner is often not satisfied with the sound quality or other parameters and functions of the radio, either standard or installed by the previous owner. And when you try to independently replace, for example, a car player from JVC with a Pioneer device, in a Ford Focus, you are faced with a situation where all the wires are mixed up or even do not fit the shape of the connectors.
In order to solve this problem, you need to purchase a fairly cheap iso plug, which are sold at any auto parts store. Then carry out the pinout of the head unit connector according to the following recommendations.
Instructions for pinouting (determining the colors and functions of wires) of the head unit in a Ford Focus car, via an ISO standard plug
Due to the different shapes of the contacts of the radio and the ISO connector, adapters are used that are individual for each brand of car radio.
Since all car players are connected via ISO connectors, a rectangular block located behind it (radio), the shape of the plug itself is standard. This European type connector (Euro connector) consists of two plugs, also rectangular in shape. Sometimes there are connectors combined into one block.
The pinout of the radio connector through two Pioneer connectors is as follows:
- Top block:
- Increase/decrease sound volume at speed (wire color can be arbitrary).
- The wire responsible for temporarily muting the sound (MUTE), for example, during a phone call, etc. (also free-colored).
- Empty contact.
- ACC mode (connection to the ignition switch where the plus appears after turning the key and disappears after the ignition is turned off), yellow wire.
- Power supply from 12 volt receiver antenna (blue wire).
- The orange wire controls the backlight of the car 12 player.
- 12 volt auto ignition (red).
- The grounding ground, the negative potential of the on-board network, is always connected to the car body (wire in black insulation). There is no grounding as such in a car, since it is not a stationary device.
- Bottom block:
- The plus of the right rear speaker of the speaker system is the purple wire.
- Minus - black and purple.
- Right front, plus - gray wire.
- The right speaker (front) minus is black and gray.
- Left front speaker, plus - white, minus - black and white. The wire.
- Rear speakers (plus and minus), green and black, green.
Nissan car radio
The pinout of the Nissan radio connector is made through plugs of the European ISO standard, according to the same diagram and sequence as given above. With minor additions from the manufacturer. Namely.
In Nissan car players, the negative wire, in addition to the main color, may have a narrow stripe, black.
The yellow and red wires are often combined, which allows you to play music on the radio without turning on the car's ignition. Moreover, the sound quality even improves.
The wires themselves play a big role in the operation of the car's receiver. Manufacturers, in order to save money, usually use wire that is not of the best quality.
JVC radio
The pinout of the JVC radio connector is completely similar to the Euro connectors. Unlike Nissan, it does not have even minor differences.
If you do not quite understand the working pinout diagrams of a car radio or are not sure of the correctness of your actions, it is better to seek help from a professional auto electrician at any technical service center.
A little theory: the pinout of the ISO connector of the radio is determined by the functionality of the contacts in the plugs, in accordance with their numbering. ISO radio connector is a connector for connecting a car's standard radio, certified according to international standards.
Each of these connectors is designed as an eight-pin rectangular plug, but sometimes they are combined into one housing.
When trying to independently replace, for example, a car player from Pioneer with a JVC, car owners are faced with a situation where the wires in the plug are mixed up or do not even fit the shape of the connectors. In order to solve this issue, you need to buy an ISO plug, which is sold at any auto parts store. After that, pinout the head unit connector according to the diagram.
Standard connection diagrams
Standards 1DIN and 2DIN
All car radios can be divided into two types, which are installed by car manufacturers.
- 1DIN standard (single block);
- 2DIN standard (two-block).
Cars of European brands prefer 1DIN.
| №1 | Empty |
| №2 | Empty |
| №3 | Empty |
| №4 | Constant power |
| №5 | Antenna power |
| №6 | Backlight |
| №7 | Ignition |
| №8 | Weight |
And Japanese, American and a number of Chinese car brands use the 2DIN standard.
Dual ISO connector
If you see 2 plugs, then one of the connectors connects the “power” circuits to the radio, that is, current consumption sources are connected to it (in the diagrams with the letter “A” and colored black). The second connector is needed to connect acoustics (on the diagrams with the letter “B” and colored brown).
Adapters for ISO connectors
Now on sale there are many types of different adapters for ISO connectors from one model to another, so you can not solder the plug when connecting it to the radio, but after writing down the model, buy the required adapter.
Pinout diagrams for ISO connectors for Pioneer radios
The model name of the Pioneer car radio, the connection diagrams of which are shown above, can be found out from the file name of each diagram.
Remember: when you connect the device for the first time, you first need to supply power to the radio, and if it lights up and switches as expected, connect the speakers. Otherwise, you can burn not only your audio player, but also your expensive car speakers.
In most cars, the radio was installed either by the dealership or by the previous owner. If you are unlucky and your car does not have the necessary wiring, then this article is for you. Let's consider connecting the radio from scratch, or after incorrect installation.
Before we start connecting, we will need to purchase (find at home or in the garage):
- two copper wires with a cross section of 2.5-4 sq. mm
- fuse with holder rated 15-20 amperes
- connector for radio connection
If the radio is new, then the connector for connection should be included in the delivery package, but if your head unit was purchased second-hand (inherited, given by friends), then do not worry, you can buy it at any car audio store or at the car market for a nominal fee.
ISO 10487 connector
The figure shows an ISO 10487 connector for connecting a car radio. As you can see, the connector consists of two identical blocks. One block is for power supply and control of the car radio, the other is outputs for the speaker system. The pads differ from each other only in color and number of wires (rarely). The pinout of the connector is shown in the figure below, and the description and color of the wires are on the plate.
ISO 10487 connector pinout
ISO Audio - connector for connecting a car's speaker system
ISO Power - connector for connecting power and control wires
ISO Audio
ISO Power
If everything is more or less clear with the connection of the audio block, then it is better to consider the connection of the radio power supply in more detail. For the simplest connection of the radio, you will need only three contacts on the power supply: 4, 7, 8.
- The 4th contact is a permanent plus, it is also the memory of the radio. This contact is responsible for operating the device’s memory and saving settings.
- 7th contact - power supply to the radio. Must be connected to the wire that receives power in the ACC position of the ignition switch. Unfortunately, on domestic cars there is no such position of the lock, so the 7th contact is connected either directly to the battery (like the 4th) or to the wire on which 12 volts appears when the ignition is turned on.
- Pin 8 is the negative power supply wire of the device. It is advisable to connect directly to the battery negative.
It is recommended to connect the 4th and 8th contacts of the power supply directly to the plus and minus of the battery, respectively, preferably with a copper wire with a cross-section of 2.5-4 sq. mm. A fuse of 15-20 must be installed on the positive wire at a distance of 10-20 cm from the battery terminal, this will avoid damage to the head unit when there is a jump in the car’s on-board network. The 7th pin is usually connected together with the 4th to the battery directly or to any wire from the ignition switch on which +12 appears.
At this point, you can finish connecting the radio if you do not need to control the backlight and additional devices. If you need the function of controlling the backlight of the radio (increasing or decreasing the brightness depending on turning the side lights on/off), then you need to connect the 6th pin of the power supply to the wire going either to the cigarette lighter backlight or to the side lights. If you need to turn on an external antenna or amplifier, an external equalizer or CD changer, monitor or other device together with the radio, you must use the 5th pin. The blue wire of the power supply connects to the control wire of the required device and it will only be activated when the radio is turned on.
- a simple matter that any car enthusiast can handle. But sometimes the installation procedure raises questions related to connecting the device. Then an adapter for the radio comes to the rescue. Read more about markings, types and pinouts below.
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Markings and types of connectors
Today, all car radio connectors comply with the ISO standard, and two connectors are used. Each is a plug with eight pins, sometimes the manufacturer can combine them into a single housing. Energy consumption sources are connected to one of them; it is marked with the letter A. As for the second, acoustics, that is, speakers, are connected to it. The connector designation is marked with the letter B.
Head units with three outputs can be found on sale, but they are rare and usually represent an exception.
Even if the connected sockets do not correspond to each other, the car owner has several connection options:
- You buy a special adapter for the radio, which can be connected to the outputs of the speaker system.
- The second method is considered “collective farm” among car enthusiasts. Its essence is to cut off the non-standard output and wind the necessary wires to it. But we do not recommend using this option, because eventually the wires will begin to unwind, so the “collective farm” procedure will have to be repeated. In addition, the cost of adapters is not so high to use this method.
Pinout of a standard Euro connector
What does a car owner need to know about the pinout of the Euro connector? Let's look at the notation using output 10478 as an example.
Upper power connector "A"
As already reported, this output is intended for connecting power supplies to the electrical circuit of the vehicle.
And although the device is equipped with eight contacts, all of them can not be used to connect the head unit. But these contacts would not exist if they did not perform certain functions. The first three outputs, as well as the sixth, are rarely used, especially for connecting budget device options. Typically, their use is due to the need to connect additional functionality, and we are talking about more advanced car radios. Please note that contact colors may vary.
If we talk about additional options, we mean:
- ANT output. This pin is used if the vehicle is equipped with a retractable antenna.
- Remote function, thanks to which external amplifiers can be connected to the head unit. This will increase the number of connected speakers. This is relevant for music lovers and owners of vehicles with a large interior, which, with proper installation of the speakers, will increase the sound quality.
- Illumination function. This option allows you to automatically change the brightness and color settings of the head unit display. If the car is moving at high speed, the screen brightness will drop so that the system does not distract the driver from driving the car. When the vehicle stops, the radio will return to the initial settings.
- Mute function. Today, many head units have this option. But this option can be activated either by clicking on the corresponding button or automatically. In particular, if an impulse from a mobile device passes through the head unit receiver, the system will automatically lower the volume so that the driver can talk on the phone without being distracted from driving.
Connectors for radios from different brands The fourth contact is responsible for powering the vehicle's audio system. The wire from it must be connected to and powered from the battery, but a fuse must also be used for this. This method of connecting the wiring will protect the battery from discharge, since activation of the head unit is possible after the key is turned in the ignition.
The fifth contact is for connecting the antenna wire. As for the seventh contact, it is important because it is responsible for powering the volatile memory of the head unit. That is, if it accidentally turns off, it will reset all . It’s unlikely that anyone will like losing all the parameters after setting it up.
It is necessary that each of the power cables be protected by a fuse for safety purposes. If malfunctions sometimes occur in the operation of the audio system, it is advisable to install a capacitor between the seventh and eighth outputs. As for the capacitor capacity, this parameter must be selected individually. The capacitor performs a filtering function, that is, the element is designed to smooth out various fluctuations in the on-board network.
Bottom speaker connector "B"
As mentioned earlier, speakers are connected to output B.
As for the pinout of contacts, their designation is as follows:
| 1 | Plus for rear right speaker | Indicated in lilac color |
| 2 | Minus for him | Lilac-black |
| 3 | Positive output for the right front speaker | Indicated in gray |
| 4 | Minus for the same speaker | Indicated by gray and black colors |
| 5 | Positive output for front left speaker | White contact |
| 6 | Negative output for the same column | Black and white color |
| 7 | Positive contact for rear left column | Indicated in green |
| 8 | Minus output for her | Black-green |
Most head units are designed to work with four speakers; eight wires are used for this, two for each speaker. Note that the quality of the audio track is determined by the correct connection of the plus and minus. If the flattening is mixed up, nothing will happen, but the car radio will function abnormally, and the sound quality will not be as good.
If you are the owner of a car with a radio that only plays cassettes, do not rush to buy a new audio system with a USB output. Today you can find such a device as a cassette adapter for a car radio. It looks like a cable cassette and is simply inserted into the connector. The cable connector is connected to a mobile phone or player, and you can listen to music in digital format.
Video “Analysis of the Euro chip of a car radio”
ISO is used as the generally accepted European standard for connecting car radios. The pinout of the radio is carried out in accordance with it.
Standards 1DIN and 2DIN
The differences between them are the height of the radios. The number 2 in the designation of the 2DIN standard indicates that the height of a double-DIN receiver is 2 times greater than a device made according to the 1DIN standard. The latest radios are now the most popular and widespread. Installation of double-din radios is not possible in every car, since an appropriate seat must be provided on the front panel.
All car radios are divided into two types: with a proprietary connector, most often made in the form of a plug, and located on the rear wall, and with a universal ISO connector. In the first case, you should purchase a proprietary connector for the radio, the pinout of which matches the desired model. If the machine has an ISO socket, then the other end of the proprietary cable should also have an ISO plug. In the second case, the radio is connected directly to the ISO socket located in the car.
When replacing the radio with another one, you should look at the back wall and determine which block is located there. After this, you can decide whether to purchase a proprietary plug or you can connect the device to the machine through an already installed ISO socket. The pinout of the car radio connector is carried out according to the ISO 10487 standard.
ISO pinout
Many new radios increasingly use a Euro connector. It is a rectangular sixteen-pin plug consisting of one or two equal parts. An ISO plug is installed on the car, allowing you to connect any car radio that has the appropriate connector. The ISO pinout does not depend on the radio model equipped with such a connector.
Upper power connector A
It is used to supply current from the vehicle's on-board network, as well as to remove power from an active antenna or amplifier, to mute the sound and supply a backlight control signal. According to the standard, wires are marked by color:
- yellow - direct connection to the vehicle’s battery; it also supplies power to the receiver’s RAM, which provides storage of settings specified by the user;
- red - it supplies the main power;
- black is ground, the negative pole connected to the GU body;
- blue with a white stripe - when the car player is turned on, 12 V is supplied to the active antenna amplifier or the remote control controller of the car audio power amplifier;
- orange - a signal is sent to it from the vehicle’s side light switch to control the backlighting of the keys and display;
- brown - used to mute the sound, for example, while talking on the phone.
It is worth considering that two power supply systems are used. In the first case, the yellow and red wires on the pinout are connected together. The power supply to the radio does not depend on the position of the ignition key.
If you leave the car player on without a protection timer, the car battery may quickly drain.
The second system involves connecting the red wire through the ignition switch, and the yellow wire directly to the on-board network. Thanks to this, the power supply to the radio is connected to the position of the key. When the ignition is off, you can remove or insert the CD. It also keeps the audio system's built-in clock running and saves settings such as sound settings and radio channels.
The pinout of the ISO connector of the radio, intended for power supply, is carried out as follows. Pins 1, 2 and 3 are reserved and are used by some head units to enable additional functions. Pin 4 is connected to the yellow wire, and pin 5 is connected to the blue/white wire. An orange wire is connected to pin 6. Pin 7 is connected to the red wire, and pin 8 is connected to the black wire. This connector is often painted brown.
Bottom speaker connector B
It is used to supply amplified sound from the car player to the speakers. The wires through which alternating current directly flows from the microcircuit are solidly colored, and the wires connected to ground have black stripes. Color marking is carried out as follows:
- the white wire connects to the left front speaker;
- the gray wire connects to the right front speaker;
- the green wire connects to the left rear speaker;
- The purple wire connects to the right rear speaker.
The pinout of the radio chip intended for connecting speakers is done as follows:
- purple wires connect to pins 1 and 2;
- gray - to pins 3 and 4;
- white - to pins 5 and 6;
- green - to pins 7 and 8.
Pinout diagrams for radio tape recorders from popular manufacturers
Wiring of linear outputs on a standard radio can be done using two RCA connectors. This option is the most common, since power amplifiers have the same sockets. The pinout of connectors for Pioneer car radios contains from 10 to 20 contacts. Their purpose depends on the model of the multimedia device. For example, in the KEH series, the first pin is the antenna control, the second pin is the voltage from the ignition switch, etc. The speakers are connected to pins 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11.
