Megane radio swap

fixit · Unread post by **fixit** » 06 Oct 2004, 23:04

Have just bought a 1997 Renault Megane RT. It came with the factory fitted Phillips 22DC593/62L radio cassette. This is no good to me, so I thought about moving the sony CD player from my old car in - no good really as I liked the steering wheel remote controls and the top of dash display. So instead, I figured I'd fit my iPod into it, which would allow me to take 300 albums on the road with no fuss at all.
So I looked at the standard head unit - has no line in. Bought an SIK ipod car kit (which terminates in a 3.5 mm female jack) and one of those FM transmitters - the transmitters are rubbish, don't go there. Bought one of those tape adapter things which was better, but it moves in the slot so you have to reach in and line it up with the tape head manually to get half decent sound. Decided the best option would be to swap the head unit for one with a line in. Talked to an aftermarket supplier, they were talking silly money for a CD player with a line in, and the adapters to get the controls on the steering wheel working were silly money too. Looked on Ebay, found a Megane Phillips 22DC259/62T head unit which supports a CD changer, so I figured providing it fitted my existing plugs I would be able to fudge a line into it somehow. Bought it for 25 quid.
Now, looking at it, the connections are different. The two 8 pin block plus appear to be the same, but on the old radio there's a 7 pin straight block (5 of which are being used) which isn't present on the new stereo - the new one has connectors for 1 x 8 pin multiblock and 1 x 6 pin multiblock. One I guess must do whatever the old 7 pin straight block does (display or steering wheel remote) and I guess the other must be the multichanger connector. Wonder if this means the dash display is a different type as well? At this point, I'm getting tempted to stick my old Sony CD player in and have done with it, but I've spent loads of money on the iPod kit and other bits and feel there must be a way to overcome this. Anyone got any ideas guys, would be really appreciated if somebody has done this radio swap before. If anyone has wiring diagrams for these stereos (nothing in the manuals) it'd be awesome.
Cheers!

Stuart McB · Unread post by **Stuart McB** » 06 Oct 2004, 23:51

Can you post a picky of the rear of the new stereo and one of the old stereo? (around the multi pin sockets) Sorry but it sounds as though you have a CD changer compatible head unit any way and you now have bought a none compatible head unit. It was a simaaer situation on a mates Citroen. He needed the CD lead adaptor form Citroen. It was a small multi pin plug in blue that allowed connection from a Sony CD changer and not a standeard Citroen unit (Philips).

fixit · Unread post by **fixit** » 07 Oct 2004, 00:36

Here we go, courtesy of the useless cam in my phone that doesn't do too well with low light I'm afraid. Can't work out how to put them on the forum, so I've linked to them instead - here's the old stereo:
http://www.geocities.com/rfowden/Picture023_06Oct04.jpg
This was taken from the the back, looking up. The topmost horizontal connector has no pins. The middle is an eight pin block, but there are only four pins in a square shape in the middle. The bottom one has six pins. To the left you can see the straight block connector running vertically (seven pin block, but only five pins on the head unit.
And here's the stereo I bought off ebay - taken from the top, as it's mounted on a horizontal plate:
http://www.geocities.com/rfowden/Picture024_06Oct04.jpg
I've now realised that the two block connectors have more pins in use - eight on one, seven on the other. The long seven pin is missing, and instead there's two other small ones, one eight pin and one six. Also, there's an earth connection on the old stereo that is missing on the new one.
Thanks for replying to my previous mail - do you have any ideas what I need to do?
Cheers

Stuart McB · Unread post by **Stuart McB** » 07 Oct 2004, 01:41

Ok then here we go. Picture number 2 shows that it is CD changer compatible. First as you look at the picky the top row of small connetors (6 & 7 pin) they are the CD Chager lead plugs from the boot to the head unit. The row with 8 pins is the speaker set up , 4 for the front 4 for the rear and the 7 pin is for the steering control, volume, up down, function, radio, CD, casette etc. From what I remember of my mates Citroen if you plug this unit in you will have all the controls working but you definatley need the the CD changer and the right cable to go with it to join it all together. As for the earth missing the new unit will be earthed through one of the steering control connector pins and / or the unit mounting it self (nothing to worry about). So breifly what you now need is the CD changer and the lead. Citroen charged £40 for a new lead (proper fit) and got the CD changer of E-bay for £60 with an old head unit which I E-bay'd off for £40. If you need to know which changer you need do a webb search on Yahoo and there's a company called 'CD changer are us' or something. Your local ICE center can help with the changer as well by giving you model codes etc. Phew hope this helps. Nearly forgot to mention the old head unit will have less pins / connectors on the one row as it has no CD function to deal with.[:D]

fixit · Unread post by **fixit** » 07 Oct 2004, 02:01

That kind of makes sense. However, I can't work in that case why:
i) There's the extra seven pin straight block connector on the old stereo which isn't present on the new one.
ii) Why it won't work if I plug the two existing 8 pin block connectors in - you get a beep out of the speakers if you press anything, but the display in the dash doesn't light up - that's what made me think that might be what the extra block is for.
Weird. It's enough of a pain that manufacturers force you to use their head units - without them introducing strange wiring discrepancies between different versions that come out of the same car! It'd be a lot easier if I could find some wiring diagrams for the two units.
Cheers for your help on this mate!

Stuart McB · Unread post by **Stuart McB** » 10 Oct 2004, 17:58

Sorry for the wait. The verticle plug could be another CD changer Cable plug. Remeber that the differnet unit all though the same on the out side may be different for the continental car. example if you have say a parallel import it would come with the manufacture specs for the country it was destined for when sold. Alfa Romeo do alot of this kind of thing. Some times in main land Europe one size fits all but not in Britian. As for the beep this may be the code is needed to be inputted.

beezer · Unread post by **beezer** » 21 Oct 2004, 14:30

I appear to have pin configurations for all Megane radios on the Dialogsys CDs. I say appear to have because it is not clear about the model number but gives the power output and speaker array etc. instead. It would be easier if you were to go to eBay and buy the Dialogsys CDs yourself. They certainly cover a lot of ground.
Any of the sellers offering workshop CDs for the Renault range will probably referring to the Dialogsys set.

andycarter · Unread post by **andycarter** » 04 Nov 2004, 17:41

This link is for a blaupunkt, but the connector arrangement looks very similar:
http://www.audiworld.com/tech/pics/elec70-connector.jpg