I have run into an issue with my new van that I can't figure out. I hope the site can point me in the right direction. This site was super helpful when I did my F150 install. I am open to new ideas as well.

I recently bought a 2011 Ford E350 Extended 15 passenger van. It comes with the factory radio that runs 6 speakers. Fading to the front runs the 2 front door speakers. Fading to the rear runs the 2 middle speakers and the 2 rear door speakers. I can't find any information on this system or a wiring harness for it. Crutchfield and any of the typical websites have no info for this radio. Without knowledge of how these speakers are driven I can't very well plan a new system for the van.

I can't determine if the radio has 6 speaker outputs or only 4 in the dash. I can only locate a 4 speaker harness for it online, and that only ever applies to the non extended 12 passenger model, and that only has 4 speakers. There are also a lot of references to the 2 speaker cargo version. I don’t know if there is a factory amplifier stashed away somewhere in the system that I may need a bypass cable for. Another possible scenario is there really are only 4 speaker outputs, and the rear speakers are an odd resistance or wired in series to prevent too low a resistance to the HU. I wouldn’t think there would be 3 different HU version just for this van.

My ultimate goal is to install a high end Pioneer Double Din Nav/DVD/backup camera/dual zone capable HU. I would use the 2nd zone RCA outputs, connected to a 2 ohm stable amp, combined with a separate RCA level control for a volume control (like the PAC LC-1) mounted in the dash. This will allow the Mrs and I to listen to anything we want up front, and the kids to listen to other things in the back, both with separate volume controls (that are controlled from up front).

As I see it my only current option it to tear the dash and all the door panels apart to begin to figure this all out. However I was really trying to avoid doing all that unless I am actually installing something.

 

you will have 4 sets of speaker leads behind the radio. the rears split off either with a factory amp, or theyre wired in a way to still present an acceptable resistance at the radio. i remember working on excursions...they also had 6 speaker systems. everything wired up at the dash normally, but the rears were just wired together. i have NEVER seen 6 sets of speaker leads at the radio with a factory set up. this allows the manufacturer to use the same radio across the model lines instead of having a specific radio for that particular trim/setup.

im willing to bet that the rear 4 are wired in series without an amp.