Technical Aftermarket stereo install - sorted :-)

[groovylee]

Hi All,
ive had my 2014 panda easy for a few weeks now, and ive been trying to find the info I need to fit an aftermarket stereo so I have Bluetooth phone connectivity, USB, aux in etc. but although I could find plenty of threads where people have asked the question of how, ive not yet found a definitive answer.

so, I went and bought my new stereo - a pioneer SPH-10BT, and set about removing the factory stereo to see what I need.

removal is pretty simple, just poke two stereo removal keys/bic biro inner tubes/allen keys of the right size into the two holes, and gently pull out the stereo. then disconnect the aerial and main multiplugs - very straightforward so far.

the pioneer stereo has a standard female aerial socket, so the first thing you need is this - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Autolead...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

there may be other, cheaper ones, but that is what I found.

you'll also need a harness adaptor to make use of the canbus power side of things (ive read that there is no ignition switched live in the loom, as the signal is provided by the canbus system, or something like that)

again, may be able to find cheaper elsewhere, but I got mine from here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20-101-I...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

finally, the fascia adaptor. this can come in two finishes - gloss and matte. mine was the matte stereo, so I got the matte finish adaptor - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CT24FT33...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

one thing to note is that to fit the fascia adaptor, you need to remove the two torx screws that you can see once the factory stereo is out, or the fascia adaptor wont fit. also remove the small metal brackets from behind them, but don't lose them as they are part of the locking mechanism for the factory stereo should you ever need to reinstate it.

and that's it! fit the cage, plug in the bits and pieces, cut your hands to ribbons trying to run the mic cable to the back of the stereo, and voila! you have a new stereo i'll try to add some pics later, as i was in such a hurry i forgot to take any during fitting lol.
hope it helps someone else out there,

Lee

 

[doggydoctor]

Great post. Could you post some photos to show what it now looks like? Can you also still use he controls on the steering wheel?

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Great post. Could you post some photos to show what it now looks like? Can you also still use he controls on the steering wheel?

Surely the reason for adding the new stereo to a Panda Easy is because it has no Bluetooth and so no steering wheel controls. The uConnect stereo fitted to other models is actually very good (even if the uConnect app is pretty hopeless), so no real reason to change it.

 

[groovylee]

Great post. Could you post some photos to show what it now looks like? Can you also still use he controls on the steering wheel?

of course. ill grab some pics tomorrow, as I need to plug the old stereo back in.... guess who left a cd in it

as per hertshillhoppers post - no steering wheel controls on mine, due to no blue and me fitted. im sure you can probably get a cable that allows it though

Lee

 

[doggydoctor]

Thanks very much. Didn’t realise that without Bluetooth, there would be no steering controls at all.
Thinking of installing a unit with motorised screen with CarPlay. The uconnect system refuses to work properly with certain apps on my phone.

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

...as I need to plug the old stereo back in.... guess who left a cd in it

If you look on the back of the removed unit, you may find a release ‘hole’ which, if poked with a straighten-out paper clip will push the disc out. But maybe not

 

[groovylee]

managed to grab a quick pic.

one thing I have noticed is that the headlight dimming still works with the new stereo, so the canbus side of things is obviously working. what that would mean for steering wheel controls im not sure, but thinking back, im sure I saw a listing for one of the looms that I bought, but with steering wheel interface... I could be mistaken though, as I wasn't deliberately looking for it.

 

[groovylee]

this is with the headlights off.

one thing I like about this head unit, apart from the fact that it has a built in phone cradle, is that you can configure the colour and brightness of the head unit via an app on your phone, so I was able to get really close to the original orange of the rest of the dash

 

[groovylee]

and with the lights on...