I'm trying to install a Pioneer avh-p4300dvd double din into my 99 F-150. The place I bought it from suggested I also buy a wiring harness install kit, Best Kit BHA1771. When I pulled out my factory radio, it had two plug-ins to the Factory harness, but the Best Kit only has one plug, which looks like it would plug into one of the plugs from the factory harness.



Do I have the wrong harness(BHA1771)? Or do you just not use the other factory connection? I have looked at alot of pics of different harnesses for my model year, but none seen to look right. Anyone have any guidance?

 

right harness plug the harness into factory plug take a 9v battery or a cordless drill battery and make sure all speakers pop. the second plug is some times used for a factory amp or a sub amp.

the plug should have green/green-blk
gray/gray-blk
white/white-blk
purple/purple-blk
put each wire to the terminal of the battery (example green to + green/blk to - ) you should hear the speaker pop
hold one wire to the battery and tap the other wire to the battery to hear the speaker pop.

 

Are you modifying the opening in your '99 F-150. I don't believe a double-DIN head unit will fit without modifying the dash.

 

metra makes a double din kit 95-5818
best kits has one also bkfmk552

 

Yes I have modified my inner dash and mounted a double din. I used the Best Kit, bkfm552, but I'm not loving it. The trim ring was no help to me so I'll need another solution.


It's all together now, but I have a bit of an issue. Once I switch on my headlights, the screen on the head unit dims, and the dimmer switch does not control it. I'm guessing it is because when I wired up the Best harness 1771, I wired the orange/white wire from the h/u to the orange illumination wire from the Best harness, and I should have wired it to the orange/ white wire for dimmer+ in the Best harness? Can anyone enlighten me?

 

the head unit dimmer circuit will only dim with lights on it doesn't change brightness like the dash lights do.

 

Thanks,orlandof150fan, your help has been very much appreciated.

I'm currently running HID headlights, and they require me to disconnect the DRL module, in order for them to light. So I have gotten into the habit of turning them on at start-up, as here in Canada,DRL's are mandatory. Apparently, this also tells the h/u, through the illumination wire, that the heads are on, and then the h/u dims to night-time brightness.
So, if I want the h/u to be brighter, I am going to have to ditch the HID's, and go back to halogens, so I can run the DRL module, giving me daytime headlights, and a bright screen on my new dvd h/u.
Anyone else ever have this issue?

 

All the time. I drive with my lights on all the time, so I usually just skip the illumination wire, and deal with a brighter screen at night. I've been thinking about getting more ambitious with a switch or a separate sensor, but it just hasn't been that big a deal.

 

So, if I follow you correctly, I can just dis-connect the illumination wire, and I would have the bright screen all the time? I was under the assumption that I needed the illum. wire to light up the h/u, but if not, then I'll just dis-connect the illum. wire and try bright all the time.

 

sledman, before you go to the trouble of pulling the deck, it might be worth looking at the configuration options of the deck, as you may be able to disable the dimmer feature in the software.