16-pin connector for radio. Pinout of connectors for car radios according to the European ISO standard (ISO). Pinout of a standard Euro connector
When buying a car radio, you should pay attention to a small subtlety of this matter. Most of them, although they have similar connectors for the radio, differ in the installation method:
Stationary. It is installed by the manufacturer during the car assembly process and differs in design and functionality, depending on the make of the car. Separately built-in. This is a separately purchased radio tape recorder, which differs from the standard ones by a removable front panel or, as it is also called, a curtain.
The connection must be made strictly according to the instructions. Since incorrect connection to the connectors can lead to car damage. If the connectors of the standard radio are incorrectly connected, the driver may encounter the following problems:
- The battery discharges quickly;
- Settings are constantly being reset;
- The sound produced is not very pleasant to the ear;
- Automatically switches off the radio while listening.
Connectors for standard radios
The connectors for connecting standard radios may differ from each other, this is due to the brand of the radio and the car in which it is installed.
The radio installed in the standard manner is not very suitable for the first experience of replacing the radio with your own hands. Sometimes you have to resolder the wires, or even completely change the pinout diagram. For such cases, modernity has come up with adapters for connectors from the old to the new radio. You just need to remember or write down the brand of the car radio you are installing and removing
ISO connectors, in most cases, began to be installed identically. All this so that the replacement occurs without any difficulties. It will be enough to simply rearrange the plug.
Pinout of connectors by wires
Standard pinout of connectors when connecting via wires. To connect the radio in case of loss or breakage of the plug, simply remember or label each wire separately. You can find the correct pinout of the radio installed in your car on the Internet and download it as a picture.
Standard connectors used in cars such as Ford, Nissan, Toyota and many other foreign car brands use a 16-pin ISO connector of the European standard, which you can see in the photo below. Such connectors are often made double two by eight, which greatly simplifies the disconnection and connection of the head unit.
Manufacturers in European countries have adopted this connector as the basic one and have adopted the name FAKRA since 2000. A large number of signals are transmitted through such a connector, such as information about ignition, lighting, and speed. With the introduction of more and more functions into the car radio, the Iso connector for the radio changes over time and the pinout increases. For example, Ford, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Volkswagen and other European cars began to use a 40-pin connector called Quadlock.
This connector consists of 16 flat legs with additional connectors for other equipment. Auxiliary connectors are made in such a way that it is impossible to mix them up when connecting. It also includes a 12-pin plug for outputting audio signals and a 12-pin plug for inputting signals from various sources.
Replacing a stationary radio
The most basic rule when replacing the auto player located in your car is that you need to correctly select certain connectors or adapters for them.
Connecting built-in radios from Sony and Pioneer.
In order for the Sony radio to produce high-quality sound, it is necessary to move the fuse located at the end into the socket located nearby. In most cases, such radios are connected using standard ISO connectors. But sometimes there are cases when adapters are needed. Or even the old fashioned way, you have to cut the wires and connect them according to the pinout diagram. Of course, cutting the wires is not recommended, but if you still do it, it is best to use cambrics. As the temperature changes, the insulating tape dries out over time and begins to delaminate, which can lead to a short circuit.
The Pioneer radio connector has two plugs: one is black – it supplies power to the device, the other is brown – it is needed to input an acoustic signal. In a standard Pioneer radio, you must be careful when connecting the positive wire and use a fuse.
The most important thing is to remember that when connecting for the first time, first supply power to the device. Check the power supply and normal operation of the head unit. After that, connect the speakers. Otherwise, there is a high probability of burning not only the player, but also the speakers.
- a simple matter that any car enthusiast can handle. But sometimes the installation procedure raises questions related to connecting the device. Then the adapter for the radio comes to the rescue. Read more about markings, types and pinouts below.
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Markings and types of connectors
Today, all car radio connectors comply with the ISO standard, and two connectors are used. Each is a plug with eight pins, sometimes the manufacturer can combine them into a single housing. Energy consumption sources are connected to one of them; it is marked with the letter A. As for the second, acoustics, that is, speakers, are connected to it. The connector designation is marked with the letter B.
Head units with three outputs can be found on sale, but they are rare and usually represent an exception.
Even if the connected sockets do not correspond to each other, the car owner has several connection options:
- You buy a special adapter for the radio, which can be connected to the outputs of the speaker system.
- The second method is considered “collective farm” among car enthusiasts. Its essence is to cut off the non-standard output and wind the necessary wires to it. But we do not recommend using this option, because eventually the wires will begin to unwind, so the “collective farm” procedure will have to be repeated. In addition, the cost of adapters is not so high to use this method.
Pinout of a standard Euro connector
What does a car owner need to know about the pinout of the Euro connector? Let's look at the notation using output 10478 as an example.
Upper power connector "A"
As already reported, this output is intended for connecting power supplies to the electrical circuit of the vehicle.
And although the device is equipped with eight contacts, all of them can not be used to connect the head unit. But these contacts would not exist if they did not perform certain functions. The first three outputs, as well as the sixth, are rarely used, especially for connecting budget device options. Typically, their use is due to the need to connect additional functionality, and we are talking about more advanced car radios. Please note that contact colors may vary.
If we talk about additional options, we mean:
- ANT output. This pin is used if the vehicle is equipped with a retractable antenna.
- Remote function, thanks to which external amplifiers can be connected to the head unit. This will increase the number of connected speakers. This is relevant for music lovers and owners of vehicles with a large interior, which, with proper installation of the speakers, will increase the sound quality.
- Illumination function. This option allows you to automatically change the brightness and color settings of the head unit display. If the car is moving at high speed, the screen brightness will drop so that the system does not distract the driver from driving the car. When the vehicle stops, the radio will return to the initial settings.
- Mute function. Today, many head units have this option. But this option can be activated either by clicking on the corresponding button or automatically. In particular, if an impulse from a mobile device passes through the head unit receiver, the system will automatically lower the volume so that the driver can talk on the phone without being distracted from driving.
Connectors for radios from different brands The fourth contact is responsible for powering the vehicle's audio system. The wire from it must be connected to and powered from the battery, but a fuse must also be used for this. This method of connecting the wiring will protect the battery from discharge, since activation of the head unit is possible after the key is turned in the ignition.
The fifth contact is for connecting the antenna wire. As for the seventh contact, it is important because it is responsible for powering the volatile memory of the head unit. That is, if it accidentally turns off, it will reset all . It’s unlikely that anyone will like losing all the parameters after setting it up.
It is necessary that each of the power cables be protected by a fuse for safety purposes. If malfunctions sometimes occur in the operation of the audio system, it is advisable to install a capacitor between the seventh and eighth outputs. As for the capacitor capacity, this parameter must be selected individually. The capacitor performs a filtering function, that is, the element is designed to smooth out various fluctuations in the on-board network.
Bottom speaker connector "B"
As mentioned earlier, speakers are connected to output B.
As for the pinout of contacts, their designation is as follows:
| 1 | Plus for rear right speaker | Indicated in lilac color |
| 2 | Minus for him | Lilac-black |
| 3 | Positive output for the right front speaker | Indicated in gray |
| 4 | Minus for the same speaker | Indicated by gray and black colors |
| 5 | Positive output for front left speaker | White contact |
| 6 | Negative output for the same column | Black and white color |
| 7 | Positive contact for rear left column | Indicated in green |
| 8 | Minus output for her | Black-green |
Most head units are designed to work with four speakers; eight wires are used for this, two for each speaker. Note that the quality of the audio track is determined by the correct connection of the plus and minus. If the flattening is mixed up, nothing will happen, but the car radio will function abnormally, and the sound quality will not be as good.
If you are the owner of a car with a radio that only plays cassettes, do not rush to buy a new audio system with a USB output. Today you can find such a device as a cassette adapter for a car radio. It looks like a cable cassette and is simply inserted into the connector. The cable connector is connected to a mobile phone or player, and you can listen to music in digital format.
Video “Analysis of the Euro chip of a car radio”
Power connector:1 - B+ or BAT or K30 or Bup+ or B/Up or B-UP or MEM +12 = Battery powered.
2 - GND or GROUND or K31 or simply Minus is indicated = Common wire (Ground).
3 - A+ or ACC or KL 15 or S-K or S-kont or SAFE or SWA = Power is supplied from the ignition switch.
4 - N/C or n/c or N/A = No contact. (Physically the output is there but not connected anywhere).
5 - ILL or LAMP or Sun symbol or 15b or Lume or iLLUM or K1.58b = Panel illumination. +12 volts are supplied to the contact when the side lights are turned on. Some radios have two wires, -iLL+ and iLL-. The negative wire is galvanically isolated from ground.
6 - Ant or ANT+ or AutoAnt or P.ANT = After turning on the radio, +12 volts are supplied from this contact to control the retractable antenna (Mercedes) or to the active one for others (not always).
7 - MUTE or Mut or mu or Image of a crossed out speaker or TEL or TEL MUTE = Input to mute the sound when receiving a phone call.
8 - GALA or GAL = Speed sensor input. Automatic adjustment of the sound level (increase) as the vehicle speed increases (a more modern sound compression function is used in PIONEER DEH 945R radio tape recorders; the radio tape recorder has a measuring microphone).
Speaker connector:
1 - R = Right speaker.
2 - L = Left speaker.
3 - FR+, FR- or RF+, RF- = Front speaker - right (plus or minus, respectively).
4 - FL+, FL- or LF+, LF- = Front speaker - left (plus or minus, respectively).
5 - RR+, RR- = Rear speaker - right (plus or minus, respectively).
6 - LR+, LR- or RL+, RL- = Rear speaker - left (plus or minus, respectively).
7 - GND SP = Speaker common.
Other contacts:
1 - Amp = External amplifier power-on control pin
2 - DATA IN = Data input
3 - DATA OUT = Data output
4 - Line Out = Line Out
5 - CL = ???
6 - REM or REMOTE CONTROL = Control voltage (Subwoofer, Amplifier)
7 - ACP+, ACP- = Bus lines (Ford)
8 - CAN-L = CAN bus line
9 - CAN-H = CAN bus line
10-K-BUS = Bidirectional serial bus (K-line)
11-SHIELD = Shielded wire braid connection.
12-AUDIO COM or R COM, L COM = Common (ground) input or output of preamps
13-ATX+ = ???
14-ATX-MUT = ???
15-CD-IN L+, CD-IN L-, CD-IN R+, CD-IN R- = Balanced linear audio signal inputs from the changer
16-SW+B = Switches power to +B battery.
17-NAVI = ???
18-SEC IN = Second input
19-DIMMER = Change display brightness
20-ALARM = Connecting alarm contacts for the radio to perform car security functions (PIONEER radios)
21-ASC IN and ASC OUT = ???
22-SDA, SCL, MRQ = Interchange buses with vehicle display.
23-SDV or SDVC = ???
24-SWC = ???
25-LINE OUT, LINE IN = Line output and input, respectively.
26-TIS = ???
27-D2B+, D2B- = Optical audio link
28-BRAKE = Connects to the handbrake. If you put it on ground, you can watch the video while driving.
FORD FX3000 MADE IN KOREA BY INTERCONTI A94 SX 18 C 8122 AA
FORD SOUND 2000 
FORD 2006 RDS (Portugal)FORD 4500 (made in Brazil)FORD 5000 RDS (Portugal) part no. 96AP-18K876-CC FORD 7000 RDS (Portugal) part no. 95GB-18K876-BA 
FORD 5000 RDS EON (Portugal) part no. 98AP-18K876-BC 
FORD 3000, FORD 4000 (Type of connector) 
FORD 5000, FORD 6000, FORD 7000 (Type of connector) 
FORD 6000 CD 
FORD 6000CD (7S7T) 
FORD Mondeo, Galaxy, Mazda, Ford CD MP3 
FORD 2006 R (VW SHARAN, FORD GALAXY)
95VW-18K876-JB FDZ7R2WM059374 Made In Portugal 
FORD Windstar 
FORD 1998 - 1999 model year. 
FORD 2007 RDS. 
FORD E-STR 22DPS710
A91SX-18K876-EA (INTERCONTI) 
FORD 2007 RDS 94FP-18K876-HA (Without internal bass amplifier)
FORD 2007 SOUND2 RDS VWZ7Z3 (Without internal bass amplifier) 
FORD 2500 (4S61-18K876-BA) FORD 3500 (4S61-18K876-BA)
FORD 4500 (2S61-18C815-AF) FORD 4500 (4S61-18C815-AA)
FORD 6006E CD RDS EON (1S7F-18C815-AD) VISTEON 
FORD 6000 MNE MP3 
FORD 5000C 
FORD F57F-18C852-BE (made in Mexico) 
FORD YL1F-18C870-JA (made in Mexico) 
FORD Radio Navigation System BP1422 (Germany)
FORD 2028 (89GB-19B160-AA) Made In Japan
PRODUCED BY SONY CORPORATION
The radio does not have its own power amplifiers 
FORD 2008 RDS Made in Portugal 
FORD 1L2F-18C868-BB Made in MEXICO 
Sometimes car enthusiasts have a need to replace an existing car radio with another one, or if it was not in the car at all. The replacement process itself can take several minutes or several hours, depending on the connection method and the availability of the necessary connectors. It is the order of placement or purpose of the connectors in the block that is called the pinout of car radio connectors (wiring).
Why know what the pinout of car radio connectors is? For correct connection of the head unit.
Most car radios that are produced now have two standard connectors, which can be separate or combined into one housing. They are designated by the abbreviation ISO. Master installers also call them Euro connector or Euro chip.
Pinout of car radio connectors – ISO connector
This connector, in the form of a plug, is inserted into the cassette player. The plugs themselves may look different, but they have the same. One part of the connector contains wires for connecting power, the other part is used to connect acoustics.
What is the purpose of the wires in the ISO connector?
Let's start with the power unit, pinout of car radio connectors Connector A:
Yellow wire, No. 4 is constant power. Must be connected permanently so that settings, equalizer presets, and radio stations are saved in the radio's memory;
- blue wire, No. 5 - power supply for the antenna;
- orange wire, No. 6 - radio backlight;
- red wire, No. 7 - power. Can be connected to the battery directly, via a toggle switch, or to the ignition switch. If you connect this wire to the ignition, you can listen to music only with the key in the lock;
- black wire, No. 8 - ground, “minus”.
car radio connector pinout
Contacts 1,2,3, 6 are practically not used in budget radios. Can be used in more expensive versions of head units. The functions that use these contacts are the following: remote (control of an external amplifier), ant (if there is an external antenna), illumination (control of the backlight of the head unit while driving), mute (control of the volume of the head unit during a call to a mobile phone) .
The acoustic unit has 8 wires, four pairs for each channel, that is, for four speakers, car radio connector pinout Connector B:
Purple wire, No. 1 - rear right “plus”;
- purple-black wire, No. 2 - rear right “minus”;
- gray wire, No. 3 - front right “plus”;
- black-gray wire, No. 4 - front right “minus”;
- white wire, No. 5 - front left “plus”;
- black and white wire, No. 6 - front left “minus”;
- green wire, No. 7 - rear left “plus”;
- black-green wire, No. 8 - rear left “minus”;
Usually, a connector is included with the new head unit, which is inserted into it on one side, and into the mating connector of the vehicle wiring, ISO standard, on the other side. If the car does not have such a connector, you can cut the wires on one side and connect them to the speaker and power wires of the car. But this is not quite the right way. In this case, you can quickly disconnect and install another radio with only the same connector on the case.
Or you can do it more correctly by collecting all the necessary acoustic, power and additional wiring into a Euro chip. And it will be possible to connect the head unit to it via the required adapter. There are a lot of them, so choosing them shouldn’t be a problem. In this option, you can change one radio to another in a couple of minutes, provided that the GU supports the Euro connector.
Recently, more and more of our compatriots are paying attention to the arrangement of speaker systems in their cars. Today, there are many solutions to ensure high-quality sound from car radios. From this material you can find out what the ISO connector of the radio is and what its pinout is.
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What is an ISO connector?
The ISO connector for the radio is a plug for connecting an audio system, certified according to European standards. In fact, such a device is an analogue of our domestic GOST. It should be noted that most modern audio systems are equipped with just such connectors, usually there are two of them. Moreover, each of them is made in the form of an 8-pin plug, but depending on the manufacturer, both plugs can be combined into one design.
One of the data is equipped with power circuits, since voltage sources must be connected to it. Such outputs are marked with the letter A and are usually made in gray (brown) color. As for the second connector, its purpose is to connect acoustics or speakers. Such outputs are marked with the letter B and are usually painted black.
Some vehicle models have sound systems with three outputs. But such connectors can be called the exception, but not the rule. In any case, even if the radio has a non-standard connector, it can still be connected to the car’s speakers. For this, either an ISO adapter can be used, or the connection can be made directly by cutting the pins and connecting them directly.
Of course, this is the more preferable option, since in this case the car owner will be able to dismantle the head unit at any time and replace it with another. If you do not use the adapter, but directly, then later to replace the audio system you will need to cut the wires and still install the adapter. Well, or you will again cut the connector on the new radio and connect it to the car’s on-board network directly.
Pinout and why do you need to know it?
It often happens that when buying a car in a showroom or secondhand, the new car owner is not satisfied with the sound quality, technical characteristics or functionality of the head unit installed in the car. And when a new car owner decides to replace the radio with his own hands, he may encounter a problem when all the cables used for connection have been mixed up. Or, their connectors do not correspond to the new audio system purchased (the author of the video is the Garage TV KR channel).
If this is the case, then it will be useful for the car owner to learn about the pinout. After all, most likely, the optimal solution would be to install an adapter, which can be found in any car audio store. If you have an adapter on hand, you will only need to correctly pin out the plug, and for this, in turn, you need to know about the purpose of the wires. First, let's look at the pinout of the top connector.
As a rule, contacts numbered 1, 2, 3 and 6 are not used, especially when it comes to cheaper radios. They are used to connect additional functionality in more modern devices.
For example, these four pins can be used for the following functions:
- ANT. This output is usually enabled if the machine is equipped with a retractable antenna.
- Thanks to the Remote function, the car owner can connect amplifiers, which in turn will allow connecting more speakers. Typically, this function is implemented in cars with a large interior.
- The Illumination function is used to adjust the brightness of the radio display color in accordance with the speed of the vehicle. This option is designed to prevent the driver from being distracted by controlling the head unit. At high speed, the display brightness decreases, and when the machine stops, the brightness returns to its original mode.
- The Mute option can be used when connecting a mobile gadget to an audio system. When a call arrives on the phone, the radio automatically activates this function, which helps reduce the volume of the music or turn it off completely.
- The contact marked with the number 4 is usually used to activate acoustics (the author of the video is the azion channel).
As for the pinout itself:
- Pin number 5 is for connecting the antenna adapter. This wire is rated to carry a maximum current of 300 microamps. If the current is higher, this can lead to damage to the amplifier stage, and in some cases to failure of the radio as a whole.
- Pin 6 is responsible for the audio system lighting.
- As for output number 7, it is usually a red wire; it is used to power the volatile memory of the head unit. If for some reason this output is not connected or there is a break in the circuit, which happens periodically, this will lead to a complete reset of all settings. That is, the car radio will return to factory settings. The voltage level on this wire is 12 volts.
- Another contact number 8 has a black wire. It is connected to the mass of the vehicle, that is, to its body.
As for the bottom connector, as we have already said, it is used to connect acoustics. It is used in any case, because without it there will simply be no sound.
So, what is its pinout:
- Contact B1 is made in a purple wire, this is the rear right plus.
- This contact has a black and purple wire, it is fed to the negative of the rear right speaker.
- Contact number 3 is gray and is connected to the positive of the front right speaker.
- This output is equipped with a black and gray cable that must be connected to the negative of the front right speaker.
- This output has a white cable; it is connected to the positive connector of the speaker installed in the front left door.
- The black and white wire, output B6, is connected to ground, that is, the minus of the speaker installed in the left front door.
- As for contact number 7, its wire is green and the positive output of the speaker installed in the rear left door or on the left side of the shelf is connected to it.
- The minus from the speaker located at the rear left is connected to output number 8, the wire of which is black and green.
As you know, most modern audio systems are designed to connect four speakers, and this requires eight wires. As you already understood, two wires are connected to each channel. Remember that correct flattening plays an important role in the sound quality of the car radio. Of course, if you mix up the wires when installing the audio system, the speaker will still work. However, the audio system will go into abnormal operation mode, that is, the sound quality will be spoiled.
