How to remove head unit: http://www.justanswer.com/ford/5pzby-remove-radio-2012-ford-focus.html

 

Wow I couldn't find shit on that to save my life. There's half my journey, thank you

 

Here is some pics I took of how I attacked the wiring to hook up my LOC. Probably might help you out too. Mine is the SE model with base 4 speaker audio. Yours my vary a bit. Rep is always welcome.

 

Here is some pics I took of how I attacked the wiring to hook up my LOC. Probably might help you out too. Mine is the SE model with base 4 speaker audio. Yours my vary a bit.

Your the man!! Thank you for this!!

 

Got all my goodies today and started the install.... Eyeball, that info was the tits. Also, removing the panels beneath the door to run the wires was punctually much easier then I had planned. Have a huge problem though... Where to run the amp power cable through the firewall.... It appears like I have no holes where I can slid a 4 gauge wire through.... My focus is manual so i can't use the hole for the clutch cables. really don't want to drill a hole, but if i got to I better try to find a drill somewhere... Also, where have people been using as a ground in the hatchbacks? Any info on the firewall dilemma would be awesome... everything is in my car and wired up, just waiting on power...

 

a seat bolt is a good ground, take a seat bolt out and sand all the paint under the bolt off and if the bolt is painted sand the paint off the bolt. you want to make sure to get all the paint off where the wire will be touching, some sand paper and a wire brush will clean all the paint right off.

 

There is a rubber grommet on the passenger side of the firewall where the main wiring harness goes in. What I did was cut a small X with an exacto knife away from the center so you don't nick any of the wires. Then you should be able to shove the power wire through that. I used 2 gauge wire so it was kind of a pain, but 4 gauge should be easy.

 

Sub wiring was done by me. I know it's right.
I had the LOC installed at Best Buy, cause I don't know what I'm doing and it's only $20-
My sub does not sound very good at all. Sounds incomplete, not full. That got me suspicious of the wiring of the LOC.
Turns out only the front right side was hooked up! Opposed to both sides.
Would that definitely affect the sound coming from the sub? If so, I'm taking it back ASAP.
If not I'm assuming my set up just sucks.

 

Okay, I am a total noob when it comes to stereo installs but the local shop wanted to charge me $200 just for labor and another $70 in parts to install my subs and amp. I am very familiar with electrical work so i thought why not at least try it, as I've heard it's not too complicated.

So I've looked into what goes into it and have found a few questions. I've heard you can splice the LOC into the rear speaker instead of up near the head unit? I've heard you can use an amp which has line in inputs instead of an LOC? And if I instal the LOC near my dash, how many channels do I need on my LOC? I have a SE hatch with the tech package. So it has 4 speakers and two tweeters. I'm just trying to add a amp and two 12"s. Ive also seen a vast difference in price between LOC's, from $15-100. Get what you pay for? Or buy cheep? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want to do it right.

 

Which wire did you guy splice into for the amp remote wire? Installing now and need advise fast. Thanks. Would the antenna power wire work(yellow/orange)?

 

You could go off a fuse for the remote wire from something that is only on when the car is on?

And I have only heard of people tapping into the rear speakers, if your amp comes with an adapter/converter thing that should be fine. Most LOC I have seen are mounted in the trunk?

 

I used the remote antenna wire for my loc. Fuse would work too though.
LOC in the trunk would be easy if the new Focus would have speakers there. But seeing it doesnt, it would be more work installing it there and then running wires from your doors to the trunk for the LOC and then run wires back again to the door from the amp.

 

Ah, I haven't had the chance to look at the new ones everyone I know has first gen.

 

"I'm hooking up an amp to my 13' focus se hatch. I will be mounting (behind the rear seat) one amp and loc for subs only. What are the best speakers to use (front or rear) for the LOC? Do you have to wire in a fuse on the power antenna or is there one already there from the factory? I will be mounting (behind the rear seat) one amp and loc for subs only.

 

X2

and can you tap into the power antenna wire for the remote turn on for the amp?

 

I ended up using my front speakers for my LOC. I also used the Audio control LX2i and it uses the speaker wires to turn everything on so I didn't even need the power antenna wire. But you could use it if you bought something else. Mine sounds great and is definitely overkill.

 

alright got most everything installed now and fed the wires under the carpet but....i only have to tap into the wire by the shifter...how do u take off that "retension plug"....I dont want to break anything so I would rather ask

 

I used a fuse for my radio I can't remember exactly which but I also put a switch in near my fuse panel to turn my amp on and off. I've had it in for a few years now and still working fine.

There may be a better solution but I like being able to turn it on and off as I want.

 

yah that is what i have done in my previous cars, was just run a remote wire from the battery to a fused switch, and then to the amp. I was just hoping to get around that by splicing into the remote antenna wire.

 

As long as the remote wire gets a voltage potential across it the amp will turn on. Doesn't have to be 12v, but its nice.



When the remote wire gets a voltage, the amp turns on. That's all it is.

You can tap the remote wire into anything. When that "anything" turns on (gets a voltage) then so will your amp.

Choose where your remote wire taps in by when you want it on.

Want it on with the head unit? Tap into the stereo.

With the ignition? Tap into that



I'd stay away from the power antenna because that only turns on if your radio (fm/am tuner) is on.



An easy way to make this circuit is to buy an add-a-circuit fuse. Its a fuse replacement that you put into the fuse box on the circuit you want to tap into and it runs another circuit off of that.

 

Here is a link to an add a fuse.

You can get them at any parts store.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/261414361917?nav=SEARCH

 

This is what I have. Sorry that's what I meant by my fuse, just wire into that and stick a fuse in and wire your switch between the add a fuse thing and the amp. No remote wire coming from my battery.

 

I used the add-a-fuse and tapped my sunroof fuse in the trunk.

 

I'm in the same boat as Dansae, I had a reputable company install my amp/sub and it still sounds incomplete.... Also my steering wheel control for back, and fm/am switch is inop now.

 

what exactly do you mean by "incomplete"? That could mean a lot of things haha



Did you specifically have them install a harness for the steering wheel controls? The only reason you should have lost any control over that is if you got a new head unit and didn't install an adapter harness. Installing a sub/amp combo into a stock system should not have affected the steering controls whatsoever.

 

They've installed something behind the head unit, I've fixed the incomplete sound today. I moved the wire running from the sub to the amp next to the other one (I'm assuming it's the in/out) Still no previous, or am/fm function on the steering wheel though. They did a complete sub/amp install including a inline converter