# Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta



## ricksterincc (May 18, 2005)

Okay, after looking at all the DIY's for two days straight, I can tell a few things that are not mentioned.
If you are going to install an aftermarket radio in a later MKIV or MKV, there are two items that are not really mentioned clearly. 
One is the antenna adaptor. The correct one is for an ampliefied antenna. From Metra it is an EU-55. The non amplified one, EU-10 will work, but since the anntenna amp is not turned on, reception will suffer.







http://enfigcarstereo.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/media/40_eu55.jpg
The second is the CAN line. The OEM radio is turned on by the CAN bus. The ground is pin 12, the BAT is pin 15. There is no accessory to turn off the aftermarket radio, but you have three choices.
Using Metra 80-9003:
1. Hook up the accessory of the radio to the vehicle ignition. Pretty easy and there is a stud underneath the dash.
2. Hook up a relay to the key sense wire (18g brown/red) located in the steering column. You will hook up pin 30 to the red/acc wire; pin 87 to the BAT/yel wire; 85 to ground; 86 to the key sense wire. This lets you use the radio with the car off, but will obviously turn off the radio when you remove the key.
3. Use Metra XSVI-9003 for 2002 and newer cars. It uses a circuit to interface with the CAN bus to turn the radio on. Simple to install, and includes an illumination wire to control a deck's lighting. Will keep the radio on until you open a door and remove the key, but you cannot just turn on the aftermarket radio just by pushing a button in. You still have to enter the key.
http://enfigcarstereo.com/shop...3.jpg
As far as kits, the OEM pocket (MKIV) and OEM kit (MKV) work way better than the Metra parts, but the Metra kit will accept a double din, where the OEM kit is for a single din only.
Some notes:
The Monsoon amp is turned on by speaker sense, so no outside connections need be done past the speaker connections at the wire harness adaptor. The stock Monsoon deck is already a high level input to the amp, so no issue shoud arise from a new deck with the stock amp. Past that, you would have to remove the amp and install passive crossovers for the the mid and tweeter; in case you wanted to add an aftermarket amp for better performance.

_Modified by ricksterincc at 10:05 PM 2-23-2006_


_Modified by ricksterincc at 10:12 PM 2-23-2006_


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## kwalton (Sep 3, 2001)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (ricksterincc)*

you are correct on all accounts. this has been discussed so many times amybe a moderator should put this in the DIY/FAQ


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## maz3322 (Oct 10, 2004)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (ricksterincc)*

how would one go about replacing front and rear tweeters in an mkiv?


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## maz3322 (Oct 10, 2004)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (maz3322)*

bump


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## jsupermanw (Feb 15, 2006)

I just did it last week, it was pretty simple but it will depend on the tweeters that you use. I used the kenwood excelon kfc-x1700p component set and the tweeters were too big to remount in the factory places behind the panel, and the flush mount kit required to big a hole to cut out in the front tweeter space so I just removed the factorry tweets and surface mounted the new ones over the holes for the original ones.


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## maz3322 (Oct 10, 2004)

*Re: (jsupermanw)*

i just bought new factory ones, i am just confused on how to take the old ones out, i found a diy for removing the front door panel, but what about the rear?


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## jsupermanw (Feb 15, 2006)

Mine is a golf so it was quite abit different thatn your will be but I'm pretty sure I read a thread that said the rear jetta doors were the same as the front passenger door.


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## pookz (Jul 5, 2005)

This is why I don't like using any adaptor harness... Chop the wires and use a multimeter to find the wires you need... If you need to go back to stock, some solder heatshrink and 20 mins of your time does wonders...


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## wannabeg6 (Nov 11, 2005)

so where is the stud you could use under the dash?


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## vedubau (Jan 17, 2001)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (ricksterincc)*


_Quote, originally posted by *ricksterincc* »_but the Metra kit will accept a double din, where the OEM kit is for a single din only.

This confused me! The dash opening is a double-din, so why would you get a kit in the first place, if using a double-din headunit. You only need a pocket if you have a factory double-din and switching to a single din headunit.


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## pookz (Jul 5, 2005)

*Re: (wannabeg6)*


_Quote, originally posted by *wannabeg6* »_so where is the stud you could use under the dash?

That was the only thing I routed from somewhere else... didn't want to use factory ground, so I went down to where the shifter bolts up, and used that as a ground point...


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## ricksterincc (May 18, 2005)

*Re: (pookz)*

I was referring to the MK5. The MK5 has a non standard radio size. So you use the Metra kit to install a double din. As for a singel din, the OEM kit works a lot better.


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## silverstone18t (Aug 18, 2004)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (ricksterincc)*

Any issues with the CAN-BUS or K-wire (that wire that was blowing up dealer diag tools) or alarm wire? don't want to screw any of that up. I don't plan on touching any of that, just speaker wires (through adapter) and then power/ground/ignition direct from sources. As long as I don't touch them I won't get any problems right?
Also how do I get the OEM radio code before I pull the plug? where is the code at? or how do I retreive it?
oh yeah for non-monsoon 04 gti 1.8t stick


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## falcon2k (Apr 28, 2006)

I've got a question, I have a 2000 Jetta with an aftermarket stereo in it. Now the check engine light is on and nothing I do seems to have any effect. In short my hair line is receeding quickly.
Any Suggestions?


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## rastaone (Apr 15, 2005)

*Re: (pookz)*


_Quote, originally posted by *pookz* »_This is why I don't like using any adaptor harness... Chop the wires and use a multimeter to find the wires you need... If you need to go back to stock, some solder heatshrink and 20 mins of your time does wonders...

i have the stock harness and an aftermarket adaptor harness in my jetta. when i got a cel i had to throw my stock hu back in..took 5 minutes http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
and to answer the guys question above me...put your stock hu back in and get your ecu scanned


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## chico1gg (Mar 7, 2006)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (ricksterincc)*




































I have a 2000 Jetta vr6 glx. Just bought it a month ago. Installed a aftermarket radio (Clarion VRX755VD) 2 weeks after buying the car. A month later started having issues with battery draining. First thing I did was change battery. Car worked fine til a month later so I changed the alternator. Car was fine til a week later so I took it to VW dealership to check charging system. They said it was fine. That it seemed to be a bad battery.(that was only a monthand a half old) Ok so I swapped it no money out of my pocket. A week later car is dead again. So....anyways sorry this is long. My Question is... Is there some special way an aftermarket radio is installed in this car? The radio is the only thing I have done since I got the car. Cant seem to find the problem. Thanks in advance..


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## afinley (Dec 29, 2004)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (chico1gg)*

does it turn off when you take your keys out? and is it monsoon?
red wire is not power. did you hook it up yourself? yellow wire is power, red is switch. it could be your monsoon amp stays on because your cd player thinks it is on if you have your wires switched.


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## chico1gg (Mar 7, 2006)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (afinley)*

Yes it has the monsoon system. I removed the in dash cassete player to install the cd player. So anyways when i turn off the car the radio cuts off. I still have power to my windows and sunroof as long as i dont open the doors. I also can't turn on the radio once key is out like you can when the factory head unit is in. But... When I remove the face plate of the cd player I can hear a sound from the cd player that sounds like it wants to power up, but it doesnt. Its only for a few seconds though. I was just wondering if there was something I connected wrong or if I was missing something in installing an aftermarket radio in this car. 
I did hook it up myself. Dont recall on the wires. I used the plug that hooks up to your factory plug. So I just followed the instructions. 'll check the wires. How would I check to see if amp is staying on which wire is it.


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## afinley (Dec 29, 2004)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (chico1gg)*

yeah i think the factory amp doesnt have any lights on it. the important wires to check are your red and yellow wires. yellow is constant power, and red is switched. it sounds to me like if there is anything wrong with your audio system, you have them switched, or you have something with the power wire to your amp switched.


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## chico1gg (Mar 7, 2006)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (afinley)*

When I get home I'll check the wires. Last night I put the factory head unit back in. If the radio is the problem it should stop doing this. What I dont understand though is that if it was the radio or amp staying on. Wouldn't the car be dead on a daily basis?







This problem I'm having is at random. Ill return later after I check wires. Thanks


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## afinley (Dec 29, 2004)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (chico1gg)*

i might just take it awhile. this is all just _if_ the radio has anything to do with your problem. if you replaced a battery, then the alt, then another battery, i just dont know what it could be if it isnt the radio.


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## chico1gg (Mar 7, 2006)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (afinley)*

Checked wires and yellow and red are not switched. The only confusion is 2 blue wires that the instructions for the plug say not to connect with my year car. which say that one is the (blue) is for power atenna and (blue/white) amp remote. So now what.








will check amp though.


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## junkiefred (Oct 21, 2009)

*Re: Aftermarket radio install in MKIV Jetta (chico1gg)*


_Quote, originally posted by *chico1gg* »_When I get home I'll check the wires. Last night I put the factory head unit back in. If the radio is the problem it should stop doing this. What I dont understand though is that if it was the radio or amp staying on. Wouldn't the car be dead on a daily basis?







This problem I'm having is at random. Ill return later after I check wires. Thanks

I had the same problem, turned out to be a problem with the power door locks. Apparently they were locking & unlocking whilst I was away from the car, slowly draining the battery. I only has the dead battery if I hadn't driven the car for a couple of days.


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## Spun4fun (Dec 20, 2013)

ricksterincc said:


> Okay, after looking at all the DIY's for two days straight, I can tell a few things that are not mentioned.
> If you are going to install an aftermarket radio in a later MKIV or MKV, there are two items that are not really mentioned clearly.
> One is the antenna adaptor. The correct one is for an ampliefied antenna. From Metra it is an EU-55. The non amplified one, EU-10 will work, but since the anntenna amp is not turned on, reception will suffer.
> 
> ...




Just curious as i am going thru this with my son 04 Golf , We ordered the Metra XSVI-9003 and was ready to order the Amplified Antenna , But where the blue wire from the Amplified antenna go to . We installing MVH-X380BT that came with remote wire which is going to be used to power our AMP for the external subs


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## N3RD_DRIV3R (Jan 27, 2015)

*I have to remove my amp?*

I got confused on the part where you said " you would have to remove the amp and install passive crossovers for the the mid and tweeter; in case you wanted to add an aftermarket amp for better performance." does that mean if i buy the harness and anntena adapter and aftermarket head unit i won't be able to use the monsoon/stock amp?


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## cuppie (May 4, 2005)

N3RD_DRIV3R said:


> I got confused on the part where you said " you would have to remove the amp and install passive crossovers for the the mid and tweeter; in case you wanted to add an aftermarket amp for better performance." does that mean if i buy the harness and anntena adapter and aftermarket head unit i won't be able to use the monsoon/stock amp?


 What? No, not at all. If you aren't planning on installing aftermarket amplifier(s), then don't worry about it. Just replace the head unit. Get the proper bits, build the harness at the kitchen table, and go plug it in. 

Just a couple of points to keep in mind: 
--2002 was a phase-in year for CAN-bus radios at VW. Some '02 cars (my 8/2001 production Passat, for example) still used K-line radios. 
Single-DIN = K-line (use adapters for "VW up to 2001"); double-DIN = CAN (use "VW from 2002" adapters.) 
--Some aftermarket head units will cause the Monsoon amp to not shut down. It's a correctable issue (installing a relay on the amp's power supply wire), should it happen. I do know from experience that Kenwood radios do not have this issue; I think I remember hearing that JVC(?) units do. Other brands, I don't know.


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## N3RD_DRIV3R (Jan 27, 2015)

cuppie said:


> What? No, not at all. If you aren't planning on installing aftermarket amplifier(s), then don't worry about it. Just replace the head unit. Get the proper bits, build the harness at the kitchen table, and go plug it in.
> 
> Just a couple of points to keep in mind:
> --2002 was a phase-in year for CAN-bus radios at VW. Some '02 cars (my 8/2001 production Passat, for example) still used K-line radios.
> ...


Alright, that makes more sense, thank you; also if my new head unit has a remote, should I connect the remote wires too? I have heard if I connect those it messes with the monsoon system, or something like that, do you know if this is true?


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## cuppie (May 4, 2005)

You're talking about a remote input (for steering wheel controls), yes? That isn't going to "mess with the Monsoon system", either. Mine works just fine (with the appropriate adapter, of course.) 
FWIW, the factory Monsoon amp has absolutely no 'smarts' to it, past how it turns on (input-signal detection, as opposed to an actual trigger wire.) 

If you need help picking installation parts... are you replacing a single- or double-DIN head unit?


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## N3RD_DRIV3R (Jan 27, 2015)

cuppie said:


> You're talking about a remote input (for steering wheel controls), yes? That isn't going to "mess with the Monsoon system", either. Mine works just fine (with the appropriate adapter, of course.)
> FWIW, the factory Monsoon amp has absolutely no 'smarts' to it, past how it turns on (input-signal detection, as opposed to an actual trigger wire.)
> 
> If you need help picking installation parts... are you replacing a single- or double-DIN head unit?


Oh so the remote input is for steering wheel controls, I thought it was the remote for the actual stereo. I'm going from a double din monsoon to single din Sony. Car 2002 jetta

I was thinking about getting this kit http://m.ebay.com/itm/COMPLETE-RADI...NESS-ANTENNA-ADAPTER-/351920876185?nav=SEARCH


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## cuppie (May 4, 2005)

That would work. But, since it's a simple adapter harness, rather than a 'real' adapter (with a CAN interface module), it won't have an 'ignition' power supply. You'll need to run a separate wire to the fuse box to grab switched power (you can use the *75x* lug on the fuse/relay plate.) 

If you want the new radio to behave more like the original (factory) radio, you'll need a more-expensive interface kit. Try shopping at Crutchfield (don't necessarily need to buy - just put things together for your car) to find the right one (I'm lazy right now.  )


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## N3RD_DRIV3R (Jan 27, 2015)

cuppie said:


> That would work. But, since it's a simple adapter harness, rather than a 'real' adapter (with a CAN interface module), it won't have an 'ignition' power supply. You'll need to run a separate wire to the fuse box to grab switched power (you can use the *75x* lug on the fuse/relay plate.)
> 
> If you want the new radio to behave more like the original (factory) radio, you'll need a more-expensive interface kit. Try shopping at Crutchfield (don't necessarily need to buy - just put things together for your car) to find the right one (I'm lazy right now.  )


Nice, thank you, you have been very helpful!


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## GLS-02 (Apr 23, 2017)

*Installing aftermarket radio (GLS 02)*

Hey there cuppie

First time VW owner. I got an '02 Jetta GLS AT at about 67k (108k km) miles. It's currently at 76k (123k km) miles. 

The car's body and interior is in great shape, although it is missing it's skidplate. Steering feels very responsive for being 15 years old. I had read that the automatic transmissions go at about 136k miles (220k km) so I'm planning on taking care of it and driving it for the next 3-4 years. It's a great A to B car.

With that in mind, I thought now would be a better time that ever to start teaching myself about cars, seeing as I know next to nothing, haha. 

I actually came across this thread looking for help in installing an aftermarket radio.

So, in this thread: 
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?2465170-Aftermarket-radio-install-in-MKIV-Jetta/page2

You mention that, 
"_if you want the new radio to behave more like the original (factory) radio, you'll need a more-expensive interface kit. Try shopping at Crutchfield (don't necessarily need to buy - just put things together for your car) to find the right one._"

So the difference between these two kits is the CAN interface, correct?

W/ CAN interface:
https://www.amazon.ca/Install-Steer...67876&sr=1-3&keywords=single+din+radio+kit+vw

W/out CAN interface:
https://www.amazon.ca/Installation-...68426&sr=1-2&keywords=single+din+radio+kit+vw

Now, you also mentioned to a user looking at the cheaper kit, 
"_but, since it's a simple adapter harness, rather than a 'real' adapter (with a CAN interface module), it won't have an 'ignition' power supply. You'll need to *run a separate wire to the fuse box to grab switched power *(you can use the *75x lug* on the *fuse/relay plate*.)_"

Can I get the cheaper kit without the CAN interface and just buy another wire to hook it up to the ignition power/steering controls? Or would you recommend just buying the more expensive kit?

You seem very knowledgeable on the topic, and I'd like to thank you in advance for your time.


- GLS-02


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## cuppie (May 4, 2005)

GLS-02 said:


> Hey there cuppie
> 
> Can I get the cheaper kit without the CAN interface and just buy another wire to hook it up to the ignition power/steering controls?


 No - you'd then also need a CAN steering wheel control interface. _Something _needs to translate the VW remote commands into the language that your aftermarket HU speaks.


> Or would you recommend just buying the more expensive kit?


Yes. See above for why. 



> You seem very knowledgeable on the topic, and I'd like to thank you in advance for your time.


 That's because I've had to educate myself with these for my own install (Early '02 B5.5 Passat (non-CAN version.)) I've also picked up some knowledge here (and at PassatWorld) along the way. 

I also had the misfortune of owning an early B5.5. Every seller (Crutchfield included) seems to think that "'02 Passat = CAN car", and that isn't always the case. I built up a CAN interface for mine (August '01 production, single-DIN factory HU), went to install it, and said "ummmmmmm..." 
At least Crutchfield was understanding about what happened, refunded me for it, and paid the return shipping. :thumbup:


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