NEED help ASAP Stereo wiring harness 1989

[wheelerdealer]

I was going to put a new stereo in my car and everyone tells me i have to cut the factory wiring harness? I dont want to do this.

1989 525i

And how to wire it? They something about you dont hook up no grounds. lol

[swenpro]

"They something about you dont hook up no grounds. lol"

Ahhh, where's Scott H when you need him? :D

[Tiger]

You get a BMW adapter where you buy the head unit... Circuit City... Best Buy, etc.

[wheelerdealer]

the thing i dont get is stereo shops say just cut and hard wire everything

[brosher]

I called around all the local installers and found a harness adapter for $15. It is worth every penny. You will also likely need an antenna adapter, or at least my 95 needs one. I just installed a head unit and I did not get any sound when the negative speaker wires were connected. Connect the ground to the head unit but tape off the speaker ground wires. Good luck!

Here is the what the adapter looks like:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-VVIZXfFP1eU/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=103000&I=120709195

[Qube]

1989 is hard wired. You have to cut the wiring, or you'll pull your hair out trying to find a harness of ANY sort for it.

Please do a search... this was most certainly posted before. I know because I made several posts about wiring specs as well...

For example:
http://www.bimmer.info/forum/search.php?searchid=223365
http://www.bimmer.info/forum/search.php?searchid=223368
http://bmwe34.net/e34main/upgrade/stereo_wiring.htm
http://bmwe34.net/E34main.htm --> Upgrades --> Stereo
...there are lots more :)

Nothing personal, but...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v399/GKirk/normal_search-button-for-dummies.jpg

[wheelerdealer]

Ummm ya i did a search and everyone has a remark about it, with no real help. I looked the pages you said and i dont have none of them color wires.

blue/black
yellow/black

yellow \____ square white connector
white /

yellow wire with round plug
blue wire with round plug

white wire with a spade connector

brown/orange with ring connector

black/white wite with blue connector

[Qube]

I did the same thing as you did.... and figure it out.

It's quite simple, really.

Use this thread:
http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=19434&highlight=radio+wiring

...and the diagram from bmwe34.net. You'll be able to piece together which wire goes with what.

-------------------

EDIT: Let me hold your hand a bit more... apparently you did not go through the bmwe34.net site. http://bmwe34.net/e34main/Upgrade/Stereo_radio.htm
The site is immensely useful. Don't discount it again or we'll have to slap ya! :)


http://jasonlau.ca/images/search_bimmer.jpg

[SnakeyesTx]

LOL @ Ticket! :D

[Tiger]

No... absolutely not. It is only a $10 adapter... very common to get. Crutchfield has it too.

[Qube]

No... absolutely not. It is only a $10 adapter... very common to get. Crutchfield has it too.

Tiger, are you telling me that Crutchfield has an adapter for THIS mess?

http://bmwe34.net/e34main/Upgrade/Data/Stereo/OldWire.jpg

THIS is what's on the old hardwired ones... If they do, it's well worth the $10.

[kyleN20]

i have an 89 535im, hardwired also, there is no connector that you can buy. what i did to get my sont headunit in was unplug all the conectors, and got female adapter for them, then you dont have to cut your factory stuff incase you want to go back to stock any time soon. pm me with any questions

[saj3n]

Hmmm interesting... when I did my 89's stereo some 3 years ago, I was able to get a wiring harness from best buy which avoided cutting the factory harness off. You can find this on ebay now wire harness (http://cgi.ebay.com/BMW-3-5-6-7-8-ALLseries-CAR-RADIO-WIRE-HARNESS-BWH-470_W0QQitemZ140012555275QQcmdZViewItem)I know that for my 95 I was also able to find one last year from crutchfield.com . The above link also works for the 95.

http://i2.ebayimg.com/01/i/06/1f/fc/3a_1_b.JPG

[Qube]

Hmmm interesting... when I did my 89's stereo some 3 years ago, I was able to get a wiring harness from best buy which avoided cutting the factory harness off. You can find this on ebay now wire harness (http://cgi.ebay.com/BMW-3-5-6-7-8-ALLseries-CAR-RADIO-WIRE-HARNESS-BWH-470_W0QQitemZ140012555275QQcmdZViewItem)I know that for my 95 I was also able to find one last year from crutchfield.com . The above link also works for the 95.

It's got to be one heck of a harness if it's to mate with all those stray wires (see post image above)...

[saj3n]

The stray wires actually connect to the wires coming from the new Head Unit's harness (which are stray). The wires on the bmw harness (above) are labeled as to what wire is for which speaker, just as the new head units harness is also labeled. So there is no splicing of the factory's wiring at all.

[Qube]

The stray wires actually connect to the wires coming from the new Head Unit's harness (which are stray). The wires on the bmw harness (above) are labeled as to what wire is for which speaker, just as the new head units harness is also labeled. So there is no splicing of the factory's wiring at all.

Hey! Stealin' the slogan generator :)

Anyway, so you're 100% sure there is a harness to connect those weird fangled circle plugs and such from the old-old BMW radio (pic above)? If so, do link us up here! I'm sure lots of members here and future will be very appreciative! :)

[saj3n]

lol, i had to. :-D

Yea, i'm sure, its not actually the circle plugs it connects too, it connects to this square type of contraption. slides and locks right in.

[Qube]

lol, i had to. :-D

Yea, i'm sure, its not actually the circle plugs it connects too, it connects to this square type of contraption. slides and locks right in.

Right... so meaning it connects to the newer radios. The older one as pictured have the wires paired or individually hooked up to individual connectors.

[saj3n]

hmm..... making me double check my harness on the 89... lets see if I can get that info for you (its 3,000 miles away)