2005 head unit swap and ground question

[clok1966]

I have a 2005 with a stock radio, I have purhcased a aftermarket with the wiring kit. I have done several of these in the past. Im curerntly soldiering the wires up for the harness.

I am so sure I read something ont he ground wire, was there something strange with these? My Aftermarket radio has a ground wire, and my wire harness has one also. I'm sure i can just soldier them toghter and plug it in and Im good.. but somwhere in the back of my mind I just seem to remebr somebody saying something about the Ground on these? Just imagining it?

thouhgt I would chcek before I put it in this weekend.

[Kawizx9r]

I've been installing car stereos for several years and every aftermarket HU I've run into has a ground wire (as well as the harness).

Whatever wire is longer, I take that and decide to use it as my ground wire to some metal portion of the vehicle (in the stereo compartment).

I splice the jacket somewhere in the center and pull the sleeve a bit to expose the wire. I take the shorter ground wire (normally the one from the harness) and solder it there to the longer one.

I found several holes inside the dash opening, and used a nut+bolt to stick my ground in. Just make sure that you get good contact by removing any rust/dirt from the metal you plan on using as a ground IE sand paper/etc.

Also, and I'm sure you know this already, when doing any electrical work in your car....ALWAYS disconnect the negative terminal from your battery.

-Freddy

[clok1966]

Thanks for reply, but I'm still confused here (sorta). I have installed many myslef (well many is like 30 or 40 , small by car stero installer standards ) I have ran into a few Strange ones where the head unit (stock) is grounded by the mounts, no ground wire. I just dont want to pipe a ground into a harness that it wont work with. MY new headunit has the ground, and the Plug and play wire harness adaptor has one. So as the instructions say, just connect them. Makes 100% sense... My problem is I just feel I read someplace it was strange ground system. maybe it was strange Power not ground, as in no power on with key...

Kaw I am guessing you are correct, connect um up (and you suggest add a ground to be sure) and I'm good.

i think I may be overthinking it on some hazy memory that I may have read or even imagined

[Kawizx9r]

The ones I've seen grounded via chassis were bolted directly to metal brackets in the vehicle (which in turn had contact with the body/chassis of the vehicle)

Such an example is my last vehicle, a Ford Focus ZX3 SE. The screws holding the stock radio in place are halfway in the dash opening, on metal brackets (both coming from the car and stock radio body).

But when I replaced those stereos as well, I just located a spot to put the ground in and completed the install. Never had a problem with the radio not turning on, or any ground loop issues/buzzing/noise nothing! That sort of thing could be true though if you're installing an aftermarket radio on let's say....an old 50's-60's Willy's jeep or so.