1993 Mercury Sable Radio Wiring

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zounds
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Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:09 pm

1993 Mercury Sable Radio Wiring

Unread post by zounds » Wed Jan 15, 2014 9:57 pm

I'm about to buy a new stereo to replace the original in my 93 Sable and was wondering if anyone had a wiring diagram for the stereo on this make/model. I have 2 wiring harnesses connected to the current original stereo, as well as another connector that is for two blue/red wires. The two connectors have these wires going into them:

Black Connector:
Orange/green
Grey/white
Pink/green
Orange/blue
White/green
Green/orange
Pink/blue
White/brown

Grey connector:
Green/white
Black
Yellow/black
Blue/red
Blue/black
Black/green
Orange/blue
Orange/blue
Blue

So basically I'm just trying to figure out the functions of each of these wires. My replacement stereo needs connections for: Amp Turn-on, Illumination, 12v battery, 12v ignition, ground, and +/- for the front left/right and rear left/right speakers. Thanks!

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carriedi
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Re: 1993 Mercury Sable Radio Wiring

Unread post by carriedi » Thu Jan 16, 2014 2:42 am

you should check with the dealer that you bought your radio from for factory wire harness adapters. you just plug them between the factory harness and your new radio. No cut wires. if not you might be able to use the jpeg
Attachments
93 sable radio.jpg
Mercury Sable Radio Wiring diagram schematics.
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zounds
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:09 pm

Re: 1993 Mercury Sable Radio Wiring

Unread post by zounds » Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:21 pm

Thanks so much for that! Just what I needed. I got a harness and wired everything up. It worked, but only when the headlights were on. Dimming the headlights dimmed/powered off the stereo. All speakers seemed to work as they should, but obviously I had something wired wrong with the power harness. I had it wired like this:

Car Wire --> Harness Wire --> Stereo Wire (with manufacturer's wire identifiers)

Green/Yellow--> Yellow ------> Yellow (12 v Battery)
Black --> Not used
Yellow/Black--> Red -------> Black (ground)
Blue/Red --> Orange ------> Red (12v ignition/accessory)
Blue/Black --> Not used
Green/Black --> Black --------> Orange/white (illumination)
Orange/Blue--> Not used
Orange/Blue--> Not used
Dark Blue --> Blue/white ----> Brown (telephone mute)

Note: the wiring diagram for this car posted says I should have a red ground wire...I don't, but in it's place I have a green/black which set off my DMM's continuity test with the black wire...so if they're connected, then it too is a ground? That's what I figured.

After noticing how bogus my wiring was, I started from scratch. I now have it wired like this:

Car Wire --> Harness Wire --> Stereo Wire

Green/Yellow--> Yellow ------> Yellow (12 v Battery)
Black --> Not used
Yellow/Black--> Red -------> Red (12v ignition/accessory)
Blue/Red --> Orange ------> Orange/white (illumination)
Blue/Black --> Not used
Green/Black --> Black --------> Black (ground)
Orange/Blue--> Blue ----------> Blue/white (amp turn-on)
Orange/Blue--> Blue ----------> Blue/white (amp turn-on)
Dark Blue --> Blue/white ----> Brown (telephone mute)

I tried it without the amp turn-on disconnected, then with it plugged. Both ways I get nothing - no sound, no power - regardless of dimmer settings. This wiring, simple and color coded as it is (I really over-thought things the first time around), appears correct (save for the amp turn-on...that's probably not). Any tips?

Here is a link to my stereo's wiring to cross compare: http://resources.jvc.com/Resources/00/0 ... 0-002A.pdf

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carriedi
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Re: 1993 Mercury Sable Radio Wiring

Unread post by carriedi » Fri Jan 17, 2014 8:09 pm

you cannot assume that any grounded wire is a ground circuit. The lighting circuit will look like it is a grounded circuit because they are all grounded. But when you turn on your headlights that circuit you used as a ground in now hot. you have to verify the circuit by the wiring diagram. If the wiring diagram doesn't match your vehicle you will have to verify each wire manually. There are different wiring diagrams depending on the radio system installed on the vehicle. There are some constants though, they all show red as ground. they all show light green/yellow for memory (power all the time). they all show yellow/black as keyed on power. Black is also a ground. (Should be used as a ground)

it sounds like you may have had it right the first time but you had the keyed radio power hooked up to the headlight circuit.

zounds
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Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:09 pm

Re: 1993 Mercury Sable Radio Wiring

Unread post by zounds » Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:30 pm

I'll start fresh again on this tomorrow and test all of my wires. The adapter harness I got (for Ford cars 1986 and up) has all 8 ins for the wires from the car, but only 6 outs to go to the stereo. The car's wiring harness is identical (except for the red ground) in color and order as the diagram you posted, but the adapter harness just doesn't have a wire coming from the black ground connection or the blue/black connection. That's why I opted to use the black/green wire, but you're right, I need to verify what that is since it doesn't match the diagram. I'll test that wire and see if its actually a ground before using it for anything. Hopefully it is, since my adapter harness isn't letting me make use of my black ground wire. It looks like I have proper connections for illumination, keyed on power, and memory, so ground is the only iffy one right now I guess. Thanks a a ton for all the help.

zounds
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:09 pm

Re: 1993 Mercury Sable Radio Wiring

Unread post by zounds » Sat Jan 18, 2014 3:59 pm

After testing, I've found both the black and green/black to be earth. Green yellow is constant/battery and blue/red is illumination. However, blue/black, which is supposed to be not used according to the diagram, is actually the keyed power hookup. It seems that yellow/black is actually not used. The magic of the multimeter! So now I just have 4 wires - constant, ground, keyed power, and illumination (and an unusable adapter harness [no output for blue/black]). The stereo works when I put the key in,and works with the lights on. The only problem now is that it powers down for about 2 seconds every time I switch between headlights/parking lights/no lights. That's not a major issue as you tend to flip that once during a drive and not touch it again, but it's a little odd. Not sure if you have any insight into that, but thanks so much either way for your insight and guidance.

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carriedi
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Re: 1993 Mercury Sable Radio Wiring

Unread post by carriedi » Sat Jan 18, 2014 5:17 pm

I would use a test light and see what the keyed on power does when you turn on the headlights. does the power wire from the keyed on power dim or go away when you turn on the headlights? It shouldn't. you could also disconnect the headlight power from the radio (wire out of the harness for illumination) and see if the headlight on problem still exists. Not all radios are wired the same. your generic wiring for the radio may not match up with all the factory radio systems. you may want to have the illumination circuit on you radio to feed off the keyed power so that your radio light are just always on when the radio is on. Just things to check...