Going Crazy - Save Me!

[ShyCabbyGirl]

I think I have seen it all! My boyfriend just bought me a deck for my 87 cabby. We just got home with it and decided to check out the wiring and OMG!! There are 192,385,785,743 (over exaggerating) wires EVERYWHERE THAT HAVE NO HOME!!! Has anyone had this issue? There's no stereo in it currently. What's the best way to go about installing the stereo? My boyfriend's already pulled out a million wires today that lead to absolutely nothing. And he's about to pull out more, including the old alarm system, etc. We have no idea what these wires are, anyone have any advice? Thanks!

[ShyCabbyGirl]

Okay so maybe he's not pulling out the old alarm system, he just said that EVERYTHING runs to it. And that there are fatty gaged wires going to everything. Then on top of that he just told me that he didn't cut anything out, but that now when you lock the doors, the locks pop up by themselves. What do we do... AHHHH!!

[Briano1234]

So someone placed automatic door locks on your car, on a 87 that is a aftermarket affair as it isn't standard on a cabby of any year.

for the normal wiring for a deck/radio

Radio wiring
85-89

Red 12v+ large Unswitched power need for memory B+
Brown large main frame ground
gry/blue dash light

lf spk
brn/red -
brn/gn +

rf spk
brown -
br/red +

lr spk
brown -
blue +

rr spk
brown -
red +

You will need to get Switched power from Defroster switch black/yellow

Radio2 85-89

Red Large 12V+ unswitched power for memory b+
Brown large frame ground
grey/blue dash light

lf spk
brn -
brn/blu +

rf spk
red +
brn/white -

lr spk
br/r -
blu/green +

rr spk
red/green +
br/black -

You will need to get Switched power from Defroster switch black/yellow


1990

Red Large 12V+ unswitched power for memory b+
Brown large frame ground
grey/blue dash light
You will need to get Switched power from Defroster switch black/yellow

lf spk
brn/blue
blue

rf spk
red
brn/white

lr spk
br/red
blk/green

rr spk
red/green
brn/black


1991-93 six speaker passive tweeter high in door

t8pin 7 red large 12v+ unswitched
t8pin 8 red large gnd
t8pin 6 grey/blue Dash light
Brown/red large 12v+ switched

lf spk
brn/blu -
blu +

rf spk
red +
brn/white -

lr spk
brn/red -
green/blue +

rr spk
red/green -
brn/black +

Tips
Large diameter wires are usually grounds or powers
small diameter wires are speaker

To test speaker pairs take the color designated
and touch to a 9Vdc battery you should hear a scratching or popping

Solder and heat shrink all connections.

[ShyCabbyGirl]

Thanks for the information. My boyfriend told me that the original wires to the speakers, stereo etc, are not there anymore, and that the alarm system has EVERYTHING basically hooked up to it. So now I can't do things such as lock my door, because they disabled it so that the regular key will not work. So if I lock it - I won't be able to get in it. Just a whole bunch of stupid junk. I just want to re-wire the whole thing! It'd probably be easier

[CalAltaDubber]

Hi there,

OK if I get this right, you have a car where sombody over time has installed an alarm system. In the process of the alarm installation the OEM wiring harness has been butchered.

First I suggest looking up the alarm on the internet. If you can't find it there contact the manufacturer of the unit. You will need to find a wiring diagram (or installation instructions) for it. This will (at least) give you and your boy friend an idea of what has to connect to it.

Next, if you haven't got one, get a Bently manual (well worth the cost), it has the OEM wiring diagram for your car. You can then determine what has to be wired to what to make everything work right.

Depending on the alarm installation (how well it has been done), this could be a big job, but if you want a dependable electrical system, it really needs to be done.

Because we don't know where your alarm came from, it becomes impossable to direct you to any specific wire. But the speaker wires should still be there. In the QEM configuration, they are connected to an eight pin connector in the dash area.

The power wire (red) Ground (Brown) and lights wire (grey/blue) should also be connected to an eight pin connector (the other pins are empty on a '77) also in the area above the heater control.

Unfortunately, these connectors are often cut out when people upgrade the factory deck.

Good luck and keep us advised.

[ShyCabbyGirl]

Thanks for your help! I got a Chilton, but it's confusing and doesn't have much information on that sort of stuff. We FINALLY got the stereo in. One of the wires was bad so we found a good one to connect it to. Problem now - The brights indicator doesn't work, and one bright is out - which I'm hoping is the bulb/and the fuse. Secondly, I drove it to work today, and when i went to leave it was raining, and the windshield wipers don't work! Gr

[Briano1234]

Thanks for your help! I got a Chilton, but it's confusing and doesn't have much information on that sort of stuff. We FINALLY got the stereo in. One of the wires was bad so we found a good one to connect it to. Problem now - The brights indicator doesn't work, and one bright is out - which I'm hoping is the bulb/and the fuse. Secondly, I drove it to work today, and when i went to leave it was raining, and the windshield wipers don't work! Gr

You can take the Chiltons and use it for toilet paper, I have one and the wiring diagrams are not factory. They have broken them in to bite size morsels that don't really make sense.

The Haynes Book, (Bentley is the best) and the Bentley both have the factory wiring diagrams. The Haynes has better reproductions than the Bentley (I guess that Haynes had the better scanned copies) and are easier to see than the Bentley's.

You can usually find both on Amazon or Ebay fairly cheaper than you can buy from Bentley/Haynes themselves.

[ShyCabbyGirl]

Everyone keeps saying get a bentley. We don't have them around here so I'm going to have to get it on line. From how much you guys talk about it on here, seems like its a good one to have.

[CalAltaDubber]

Everyone keeps saying get a bentley. We don't have them around here so I'm going to have to get it on line. From how much you guys talk about it on here, seems like its a good one to have.

Like I say, Robert Bently Publishing produces the manuals for VW in North America. They have the best information.

As far as Haynes goes, I say get a Bently.

They are pricy from your VW dealer, or VW aftermarket shops. Best price for one is either Ebay or Amazon.

[ShyCabbyGirl]

Thank you very much. I was just totally bummed when my boyfriend found all the shitty wiring. I new my car was going to be a pain to fix up, but not that big of a pain. I have big dreams for Missy. *sigh*

[CalAltaDubber]

Thank you very much. I was just totally bummed when my boyfriend found all the shitty wiring. I new my car was going to be a pain to fix up, but not that big of a pain. I have big dreams for Missy. *sigh*

No problem, we are glad to help.

I still think it is a good idea to research out the alarm you have. My guess is there are probably a few "Gremlins" associated with it, and a wiring diagram or installation instructions from the mfr. will go a long way toward any troubleshooting.

Glad to hear you got it all sorted out though.

[ShyCabbyGirl]

Thanks. I definitely will see if I can find out what type of alarm system it is, it keeps me from doing a lot of crap and it gets irritating. I would go look now, but I had to leave my car at work because the windshield wipers wouldn't work! We're going to pop a new fuse in it and see if that works (please, please, please). Here eventually though I just want the whole thing re-wired... It's a mess, I should have taken pics before we cut some of it out, lol.

[Briano1234]

Replacing the fuse is good, but Rain-ex is better. I usually don't need to use my wipers. The trick is to put 2 coats of it on the windshield, and when you do the last buff off (after allowing to haze) use a damp cloth.

Chasing your wiring after some one has "hacked" it is always a wonderful wild experience. That is one reason, I keep all my installation materials in the trunk annotated with my installation notes (which wire I spliced in to for what reason).

Like I said the Chiltons covers more of the mark3 car than the mark1 and the schematics for the wiring leaves a lot to be desired.

The Haynes as lacking as it is has great copies of the VW wiring schematics.

[gull]

The Haynes Book, (Bentley is the best) and the Bentley both have the factory wiring diagrams. The Haynes has better reproductions than the Bentley (I guess that Haynes had the better scanned copies) and are easier to see than the Bentley's.

The Haynes diagrams don't cover later Cabriolets very well. For later years they only cover the A2 cars, so you sort of have to figure out what you have based on the older A1 diagrams. Fortunately the harness didn't change too much over the years, but it still adds more guesswork.