I need some advice on installing a new head unit. I have a 2006 Sonata with the basic radio. I bought a new radio from crutchfield.com and I have the Ford wire harness. I know from searching this forum that the antenna wire is not pinned correctly. I know I'll have to hook up to the "frog wire" somehow. My first question is: the wire harness from crutchfield has a blue antenna wire, which I gather is in the wrong place for the Sonata. What do I do with it? Just tape it off, or can I rip the wire out? It shouldn't connect to anything should it? What about re-pinning? That sounds great, but the harness doesn't have a spare spin that's the right size. Looks to be the same size pin as the ground wire. I guess I can't move that one though. I've never re-pinned anything before. If I get another harness to salvage a pin from do I just push/pull the pin and wire out and then poke it up through the correct hole? Please assume that I'm a complete idiot when you answer. Ha! I'd probably be less confused if I actually had my car! It's still in the shop getting the sun roof fixed. I'm trying to get as much of this radio hooked up as I can in case I ever do get my car back.

Thanks
Scotty

What?! No reply? Where's the love, man?

I finally got my car back from the dealership(part for sun roof was back ordered...sheesh!) and last weekend I installed the new radio(yes, I know "head unit" but I don't care if I sound cool or not.) It was a tip from this forum that led me to Crutchfield.com and I couldn't be happier with their service. As for the antenna/frog wire issue, I went to Wal-Mart and bought a Ford wire harness kit for 5 or 6 bucks and went about destroying it. Ha! With my handy dandy pocket knife I removed a wire and pin. Took a few minutes, but it came out nicely. It didn't snap right into the crutchfield harness, that would be too easy, but I positioned it to match the height of the other pins and put a spot of super glue on the back side to hold it. Worked like a charm. The blue antenna wire from the crutchfield harness was taped off and I connected my newly installed wire to antenna wire on my new radio. AM and FM reception is fine, so I guess I did everything right.

The trim pieces popped off with little trouble, Cruchtfield's directions were spot on! I got an Alpine CDA-9885 and the free ipod connector. I ran the ipod cable through the glove compartment...through the track/hole in the side where it rides open and closed. I don't have the smallest hands, but I was able to push the ipod cable through the glove compartment and then reach my hand into the hole where the radio used to be and pull it through. Everything works and sounds great! Very easy installation. Between Crutchfield.com and this forum, I had everything I needed.

No picture of the new Alpine, but here's my car: