# 95 pathfinder Clarion "active sound" system Correct wire colors???



## boogar420 (Jul 23, 2006)

I have a 1995 Pathy with the Clarion 8 speaker sound sys in it.


My question is ...what are the correct wire colors for adding an aftermarket deck to this pathy?


Ive have removed the 2 factory amps and now I need to patch the wires, in order to avoid running all new speaker wires.


Im only looking for first hand knowlege, not websites claiming to have to right diagram.


Thanks for your time
Mike


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## 88pathoffroad (Jun 6, 2004)

Just run new wires, it's an easy job and less of a headache.


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## boogar420 (Jul 23, 2006)

*UPDATE...... Active stereo system cracked...Rewire with out killing your Pathy.*

More information to follow.


This post will show you how to by pass all the nissan Clarion gear....as soon as I get to finishing it that is.


First off

The Wiring harness for the clarion active sound system is diffrent than the regular one, however......they may have the same plugs in the dash.
Also....these plugs may or may not be the plugs for a 94 or 95 nissan pathfinder.

Either way...the pin placement in the plug will NOT work with an adaptor harness from Metra or any other source......you MUST splice into it.

In this post I will also cover speaker placement, amp placement and sources of power.

More to follow as I learn more about this messed up system.

Hope this helps

Mike


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## 88pathoffroad (Jun 6, 2004)

Um, yay and stuff? Heh.


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## boogar420 (Jul 23, 2006)

OK ....you dont think anyone wants to know this......Figuer it out for yourself.

Im not gonna waste my time to give out info I worked hard to discover, so some smartass MOD can take me down to his level.

So go ahead and jag up your dashboard wiring....and when you do , Thank 88pathoffroad for being nothing more than a total prick.

Or maybe the Guru of Pathfinders can tell everyone out there in off road land how to do this, the right way.....not just cutting plugs and rewiring.

So with no further delay......eat me 88pathoffroad.


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## 88pathoffroad (Jun 6, 2004)

boogar420, bugger off. This topic has been covered so many times by so many different people on so many different forums that I'm just sick of hearing about it is all. It's a fairly simple procedure to bypass the stock stuff and either resplice the speaker wires together or run new ones. You worked hard to figure this out? (laughs) The "right way"?? Please define that for us so we know what you're talking about. You're making a mountain out of a molehill. Nobody is missing out on anything here except you, I guess.


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## chris97hds (May 12, 2006)

Tracing the speaker wires from the head unit is a bit complicated because of the AMPLIFIER. When you disconnect the factory amplifer, there is a gap between the HEAD UNIT and the Speakers. Even when you trace it using a multitester, there is no continuity. Here are few color codes,,,
DRIVER--------PASSENGER----------SIZE---------------LOCATION

BLUE/WHITE---(+) BROWN-------front 5 x 7--------DOORS
BLUE/YELLOW (-)BROWN WHITE 

RED (+)BLUE rear 5 x 7 REAR HEADLINER
GREEN (-) PINK

P.S. Go back to the location where the factory amplifier was removed. You have to fill the gap. And from the dash, using a multitester, first you have to trace are the Constant(+) 12v, (+) 12V when acc is on, power antenna wire(+) 12V reading when you turn on the head unit- activates the your amp or power antenna, Dimmer, and the (-) terminal. The rests are your speaker wires.


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## boogar420 (Jul 23, 2006)

*Clarion Active sound puzzle solved.*

Hello again.


Ok this is what I came up with.

After removing the factory headunit, and stripping off the factory mounting brackets( to be used later) Tip #1 Dont buy a dash kit for this install, you wont need it.

I went to my local nissan dealer and asked the nice guy behind the service counter for a 94/95 pathfinder 6 or 8 speaker stereo wiring diagram.
From that I found Wires to get 12v constant and a switched source for the amps remote turn on.
As a ground wire isnt in the harness for the pathy I used a body ground behind the radio.

Tip#2 Dont buy a metra or anyother wiring harness adaptor if you have the Clarion Active Sound System....it wont work.

It seems nissan likes to throw curve balls....with the late 94 and early 95 models of pathfinder, they might have use 2 diffrent types of radio plugs.


Either way youll want to have a multi-meter handy to pick out the right wires to cut out of the dash harness

Now to the fun part....the amps.....Behind the passengers side rear panel in the cargo area, you will find 2 small silver amps.

Unplug those amps and remove the mounting screws...after that set them on fire.

The plugs your left with contain the wires you will need to wire your speakers.

For this portion of the install you will need a 9 volt batt, this is to "pop" the speakers...dont worry its safe..its only 9 volts, and when done right gives you a popping noise thru the speakers.....this will help you locate the right speaker wires.

Now that you have the amps out, go around and pull all the speakers out, while your doing this take note of the wire colors in the plugs for each speaker.

These colors are what you will be looking for in the amp wiring harness...write them down so you dont space them.

A word on speakers.

Depending on what speakers you pick to replace the 5x7s,6x9s or 4x6 that came with your pathy, you may have to open the speaker holes a bit more to get a good flush mount.
Spacers also work well on the door speakers...providing you remove the stock baskets in the doors.

Install all the new speakers however you choose.

Ok ....with the 9 volt batt and diagram from a nissan dealer.
Start to locate the wire colors you wrote down earlier.
Now....at this point you can make the polarity of the wires what ever you want.
Seeing as how all four pairs of wires has both a striped wire and a solid colored wire, I set all the striped wires as positive and all solid colors as Negitive.

Now that you have the colors matched up for front and rear, right and left, 
you start cutting ONE pair at a time...this way you dont get confused.
Using the 9 volt batt...hold one of the speaker leads to the positive on the 9 volt and tap the other wire on the negitive..it will make one of the speakers pop...( not in a bad way...its safe I tell ya)
This will conferm you have the right speaker.

Repeat this step 3 more times on each set of wires you trace back with the diagram.

What you will end up with is 8 wires. to save time clamp butt connectors to these ends.
Now get a roll of speaker wire from rat shack or best buy.
Depending where you place the amp you might need more or less wire than most...mine took 50 feet, and I put the apm behind the drivers side seat on the floor, inside a covered amp rack....no neon....thats just tack.

Anyhow......place the amp where you want it and stretch out 4 strands of this speaker wire.
Strip back the ends on both sides, and connect the ends to the leads you set up earlier.

Now you have 8 really long speaker leads, that are hooked up to the wires running thru the body of the pathfinder and to your speakers.

Now route those wire thru or under the carpeting and youll be in good shape.

I know it sounds like alot of work, but running all new speaker wires between the little door jamb harnesses and under the dash is a major pain in the ass. no to mention getting wires into the celing and back to the amp.

This way DISPITE what some people have to say, is the best way of replacing an entire stock clarion "active sound" system.


Items youll need

Interior panel puller or small blunt pry tool
Phillips screw driver
Black tape or butt connectors
razor knife
wire crimper
Multi tester
Tone generator or 9 volt batt.

I hope this helps someone...if I forgot anything im sure SOMEONE will let me know.

Peace for now
Boogar_the_Great


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## grabaho (Feb 18, 2007)

i have 95 path and replaced clarion stereo & speakers with kenwood,but i have not removed clarion amps its working fine with a wiring harness kit from wal-mart. I did not know about the amps,why is it so hard to bypass,I dont know but im about to see,i appreciate any advice


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## Pathbird (Oct 7, 2005)

OK after I removed and destroyed my amps I traced the wires to their respective speakers. It is a PITA to run the wires into the doors and ceiling, this is why I traced the wires and spliced. I connected the rear speakers directly to the head unit by splicing the wire in the drivers C pillar. All is working but I have a blown left headliner speaker.

How in the heck does it come out? I am assuming the headliner needs to come down. 

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks


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## grabaho (Feb 18, 2007)

*blown headliner speaker*

u only have to drop the headliner to replace the tweeters,the covers on the 5x7s pop off but be careful they break easy,theres a clip in each corner holding them on.i thought mine were going to break before they let go but they will pop loose


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