Hi All. I have a Sony head unit from around 2003-2004 (CDX-CA590X), fitted by AutoBarn.

If I want to put a newer unit in as a replacement, can I just pull the old one out and put the new one in? Do I need to change any power, cabling etc in the back or does the "chassis" stay in the dash and I just swap the unit itself over.

Want to put a unit with Aux input and MP3/WMA playback in, my current one can't do that. And, with JB selling a few options for under $200, nows the time to buy - especially with the finance minister at home saying I can.

Regards, Tony

hey mate there is a 90% chance that the plug for the new sony head unit you want to purchase is the same as the one you currently have.
If it is the same plug then yes, all you need to do is remove the old one and plug the new on in.

If you haven't removed the cd player out of the car before it is a bit tricky, and if you do end up having different plugs for it, its going to be even tricker if you don't know what you're doing.

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16163&highlight=remove+player

that should help you start.

if u need more help, you know where we are

this is even better

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51788

it has pretty pictures

Sony headunits have used the same 12-Pin connector for yonks. When I say that I mean I've never seen a Sony deck that doesn't use the same 12-Pin connection.

If only I could remember the same of the company thats makes the wiring harnesses they sell at Autobarn, they've got a website with all the different ones on there, it'd be your surefire answer to your question.

What model is the deck you are currently running, I can check it up for you based on that if you like.

Thanks Gerard. Looking at the 2 links and the Sony paperwork, it looks like I push the 2 keys in to release the current unit, then pull it out and slot the new one in. Hope the keys with the new unit work on the old one, have no idea where the old ones are after 4 years....

Right - off to JB I go.


Regards, Tony

Thanks Gerard. Looking at the 2 links and the Sony paperwork, it looks like I push the 2 keys in to release the current unit, then pull it out and slot the new one in. Hope the keys with the new unit work on the old one, have no idea where the old ones are after 4 years....

Right - off to JB I go.


Regards, Tony

ah yes, that is if they were installed using that harness thing that allows you to slide it out easily.

If it has been, then this job should take you less than 10 minutes :cool:

ah yes, that is if they were installed using that harness thing that allows you to slide it out easily.

If it has been, then this job should take you less than 10 minutes :cool:
Called a sleeve :D The tools that come with the new one will let you remove the old one no worries, but sometimes the sleeves vary a bit, so I wouldn't go using the old one (presuming its been used) to hold the new one unless it clips in firm, otherwise it might slide all the way through when your drive which is BAD.

Ah. OK, thanks - i suppose losing the unit down the back of the dash wouldn't be a good thing :)

They two sleeves do look slightly different. I'll pull the old unit and try it in the new sleeve. If it doesn't fit, I'll find a pro to fit it properly next weekend.

Regards, Tony

OK, didn't work. Keys from the new unit won't release the old unit - won't go in far enough. I'll go see an auto electrician later this week...

Regards, Tony

to save money, try going to local car audio installers or if you have a JB-hi fi near you call them up. Auto electricians cost a lot more.

If you follow the instructions posted earlier, you can replace the cd player yourself easily.

But if money is no issue and you prefer a professional to handle it, then that's cool to.

cheers

Where abouts in Vic are you mate, I'll help you install it if your somewhere near the northern suburbs if you'd like. Do the looms match up on the old and new units?

PM'd you Lugo

Installs are easy, installing a new xplod unit in my gfs festiva on friday. already wired the alarm/cent locking on saturday night/sunday early morning (took 12 hours :O) :)

As for the plug, AFAIK they are the same for all XPLOD head units. If not just get the wiring diagram and match the colours. About 5 mins of soldering and you're done.

New model is CDX-GT270. Old one is a CDX-CA590X. New ones comes with a black wiring cable with 13 wires hanging out of it.

Sorry - car stereos are a complete unknown to me... As long as my CD plays and the wife can plug her iPod in, all will be good.

I do remember Autobarn putting the 590 in, and they cut a wire so the dash dimmer doesn't work any more. Not sure why...


Regards, Tony

Got your Pm mate.

Tell me, (and I know its a horrid photo), does the loom on the old deck look like the one in the attached pic? Thats the loom the new deck will take, if its the same it'll be all of a 10 minute job we can do easily, if not we'll have to rewire it, which isn't a big deal, just takes a bit longer ya know.

Let us know what you want to do when you read my PM and whatever, we'll sort it out, hate to see you pay someone $60-70 to do what we can do literally in minutes.


I do remember Autobarn putting the 590 in, and they cut a wire so the dash dimmer doesn't work any more. Not sure why...Regards, Tony
Thats cool, we'll wire that back up if the new deck supports it.
Edit: New deck only supports manual dimmer, that being where you have to turn it on and off on your own, old deck didn't support dimming at all, hence why it doesn't dim :)

Looking at the install guide for your old deck now, looks like it might have a different loom, only because its got less wires running out of it, whether we'll need the extras or not is something else, I don't see why we would, just depends on whether the loom is the same or not and if the wires are in the right spot, will be hard to find out until I see it.

I'm trying to work out what the additional 4 wires are for on the new loom. It'll be generic for the whole range of Sony decks, so it'll have the Auto dimmer wire, Phone mute, and 2 other things.

When you say your wife plays her iPod through it, is that via the ipod adapter you can wire up through bus in on the old deck (ie. Control the ipod through the headunit), or the aux in on the front (where you control the ipod using the ipod, and just have the audio stream through the headunit)? Just want to know because the new deck doesn't have that rear input for the ipod adapter, but it has the front aux.

Well, that's what the new one looks like. Last saw the old one in October 2003!!! I'll poke around online for some pictures of the old unit

Of course, my issue still is I don't have the keys for the old unit - so can't just pop it out easily...

If this is for a 3rd gen magna, use Bains console removal guide and basiclly theres about 10 screws and plastic covering it, should take ~20mins

OK, found the install manual for my current installed radio. While it does look different on the back from the new one (new one doesn't have the bus control or bus audio in sockets), the plug looks identical and the plug I have with the new one has the same colour coding.

So, I get the feeling that if I had these keys for the old one, I'd be able to pop it in and out myself...

Regards, Tony

Sony headunits have used the same 12-Pin connector for yonks. When I say that I mean I've never seen a Sony deck that doesn't use the same 12-Pin connection.

If only I could remember the same of the company thats makes the wiring harnesses they sell at Autobarn, they've got a website with all the different ones on there, it'd be your surefire answer to your question.

What model is the deck you are currently running, I can check it up for you based on that if you like.


this it?

http://www.aerpro.com.au/

harness link...

http://www.aerpro.com.au/list.php?cat_name=harnesses&cat_no=10&cat_sno=

So, I get the feeling that if I had these keys for the old one, I'd be able to pop it in and out myself...


chances are the headunit was installed without the harness being used, this makes it harder to steal. I myself have never used that harness before, so maybe that is why the key doesnt work?

I'd say the centre console needs to be removed and the head unit replaced that way. or at least to inspect how it is put into place.

Gerard, think you may be right. I went and took a closer look. It's in the dash on an ever so slight angle. It's about 2-3mm deeper on the left hand side compared to the right. I never noticed before.

Lugo - still interested, seeing it's become a bit of a bigger job?

Regards, Tony

OK, paid an auto electrician $88 to fit it today. He fitted it well - shame the centre console is no longer installed right!!!It's "popped" in 2 places. Was going to take it back and jump but thought "nope, he could make it worse"...

Ah well, something to look at this weekend. Stereo does sound good though, sound seems more "central" than half under the front windscreen like my previous unit.

Regards, Tony

Wow $88 seems a bit steep. I have an Xplod head unit on my floor I'm installing in my gfs car tomorrow.

I'd have done it for 50 in you were in NSW :P

I'd have done it for 50 in you were in NSW :P
Tight **** amc'er lol I would have just put it in if you had've come down to the meet tonight...

Ah well, as long as your happy. Take it back if the console isn't in right, you pay enough for it to be done properly, they can make sure its right.

Tight **** amc'er lol I would have just put it in if you had've come down to the meet tonight...

Ah well, as long as your happy. Take it back if the console isn't in right, you pay enough for it to be done properly, they can make sure its right.

It'd cover the fuel cost :P I owe my gf's mum $1600 atm so I'm tight for cash.

It'd cover the fuel cost :P I owe my gf's mum $1600 atm so I'm tight for cash.
Far out ive felt bad whenever i eat ive eaten from my gfs food cupboards before, your gfs mum must like you alot lol

Yeah, bit bummed by it really. Autobarn did the old one really well, but this guy (who was recommended by a mate) looks like he went "ah well, just bung it all in there!".

It's funny, looking through ebay last night and I saw a cheap TE with the centre console looking just how mine does now and a comment "dash not in right".

Something to look at this weekend - or maybe I should just find a pro in here and say "how much to fix please?".

Regards, Tony

If your dash isnt in right on the ciggy lighter section its most-likely the shifter surrounding, there are 2 prongs on the bottom of the ciggy lighter section that are held in place by the centre. If you lift up the centre it will come off completely, then push the ciggy lighter back in to place and "pop" the centre back in, when popping it back in just face it on an angle pushing up towards the ciggy lighter.

Was wondering while mine was not holding in properly till Mark (wollongongVerada) mentioned this to me.

As for the HU surrounding, if the air controls are not matching up thats a complete bitch to fix, still havent managed to get mine lined up properly, and the topmost centre where the trip meter is just "pops" in so shouldnt be an issue.

Can you take a photo of the bit that "isn't in right"?

Hows this? You can see the central vents are out on the right hand side by the dash. The surround around the heater controls are also out on the right - the AC and rear window heater buttonare almost beneath the dash panel. It's not my dahs, it's a photo off ebay - but looks identical. I'll take some of mine once I get back from sorting the wife's blood test out.

I really don't want to take it back - it might be worse! If anyone wants to help, happy to compensate for their time and effort in an appropriate way.

On the other hand, he also completely overhauled and regassed the aircon system - and that's going really well. O ring had perished and most of the gas was gone...

bash it in mate, there should be nothing stopping it from going in.

Just lean on it hard - will give it a go.

At least the wife is happy with the stereo.

Alright, might need some help here. The top bit with the vents won't click in, and the dial control on the right sort of flops/flexes when I put pressure on. The centre bit with the heater controls is a bit out too. Didn't notice it was as out as it appears to be. I can almost get my little finger in under a couple of the controls.

There's also a bit what appears to be a light grease in a lot of places - almost looks like vaseline!

I freely admit; I'm new to this. I can build a PC, diagnose a network fault with no problems, but I'm a real learner with cars. I don't want to take it back to the people that stuffed it in the first place, I want it done right this time.

So - help!!! Can anyone recommend a professional in fitting dashes back into Magna's? Prepared to go anywhere in Melbourne within reason - I'm in Cranbourne (outer south east). Happy to travel at night or the weekend. I am going to read the DIY's in here first but am still in the nervous nelly stage when it comes to cars.

Regards, Tony

The air vent won't go back in on the right hand side if the rod that attaches to that right wheel isn't attached properly back into the dash, have a look at the console removal thread, you'll see what i mean. As for the other console bit, probably not screwed in and it wouldn't be lined up. When you take the air vent out pull the ash tray out underneath and check to see if the screw holes are lining up, and if its actually screwed in.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/miltonf/car/mitsu/console/stereoremoval.htm

All sorted - thanks Lugo and M4DDOG. Wasn't quite clipped in right and , after much muttering, M4DOG got the console in. Looks like the vent part has a broken clip so I'll head down to Jolly Rogers and see what I can find.

Regards, Tony

All sorted - thanks Lugo and M4DDOG. Wasn't quite clipped in right and , after much muttering, M4DOG got the console in. Looks like the vent part has a broken clip so I'll head down to Jolly Rogers and see what I can find.

Regards, Tony
Is the actual plastic assembly broken or just the metal piece that clips onto the air vent assembly? If your not sure what I'm talking about I'll ask Leigh when I see him later tonight, I've got a couple spare, I'll mail one down if that's all it is.

Do you know how to take it apart now you've been shown? :P

Edit: In fact I may have the whole rear assembly of a centre air vent spare, will have to check though.

I spent half the time chasing my 7 year old away... not that it worked very well.

I think it was the metal clip, but Leigh will know better. It does move a little when I press on it. The right hand side control wheel is definitely not right.

Regards, Tony

I spent half the time chasing my 7 year old away... not that it worked very well.

I think it was the metal clip, but Leigh will know better. It does move a little when I press on it. The right hand side control wheel is definitely not right.

Regards, Tony
Yeah mate spoke to Leigh about that earlier tonight, does sound like the slight movement your getting from the air vent is just the tightness of all the fittings in the car wearing out with age, my air vent has a couple of ml spring in it when you push on it, I'd say its more age than anything, but a new spring or different vent may hold it tighter, never know really.

As for the right hand side wheel, its probably been removed from the vent housing at some point, and the tension is out. It's not a big deal, I've personally never noticed the difference with it, as you can control the same function through the heater controls anyway. I might have a look at that for you one day when your down at a meet or something, see if we can sort the tension out.

Important thing is its all in right now, one more thing to cross off that to do list aye :D

You'll have to do what we said on the phone earlier today sometime soon mate, once the engines all sorted give it a good wash and polish, and come to a meet, should be good.

The actual middle bit is fine, it's the top vent bit where the clip clips into which has abit of leeway. Should be able to grab one at a wreckers dirt cheap, only problem is there's a good chance that it'll do the same thing. Just an age thing, even mine does it a little bit.

And yeh the top control just needs recalibrating, it's not hard to do but i was short on time yesterday unfortunetly :(, it meant taking off the cover plate under the steering wheel and then re-tensioning the cable. When it's a nice day we'll have to do it :).

I spent half the time chasing my 7 year old away... not that it worked very well.

I think it was the metal clip, but Leigh will know better. It does move a little when I press on it. The right hand side control wheel is definitely not right.

Regards, Tony
Stop pressing on it! lol.
Your 7 year old is very curious, but thats a good thing :).

She loves the Magna - she was more upset about the engine issue than I was, she thought it wasn't coming back!