finished my aftermarket radio install in my 1991 Subaru KS4 today, since theres very few writeups on it for search function i can post the basics -even though it looks like it, you do NOT have to pull the entire dash for the radio. the faceplate around the radio snaps out and there are 4 phillips screws holding in the radio, 5 minutes to remove -the 1990+ Subaru connector harness adapter does NOT work, the factory stereo has one harness for power and grounds and another one for the speaker. I just ended up hardwiring it in the end -the OEM wiring colour codes are not conventional, the power and grounds harness has 1 constant power (backlight that you connect to the yellow wire on the radio harness), 2 switched 12V (only need one for an aftermarket radio, taped off the other one), and 2 grounds. the ground wires are black with red dots on them, my wiring diagram is a bit confusing but one ties into the cigar lighter and seems to lead into the other main ground. i attached the radios black ground wire to both OEM ground wires in a 3-way twist no issues. dont know if the cigar lighter still works or not -the antenna unplugs underneath the steering column to the left of it, if you plan on keeping the OEM antenna you will need an extension wire to bridge the gap from the radio to the connector underneath the steering column. Canadian Tire had one for $9. you do NOT need an adapter, it is the same plug. you just need the antenna wire extension cable -side cage fins that were on the OEM stereo lined up fine with my aftermarket radio and lined up in the vehicle fine -speaker connector (mine only has 1 speaker on the driver side) has a grey with red and grey with black wire. red is positive, black is negative. solid grey on the radio connector goes to vehicle grey and red and radio grey with black stripe goes to vehicle grey and black stripe -the OEM faceplate fit around the new deck fine but the top snaps will just come out and leave a gap, i just drilled holes through the faceplate on each side and used 2 longer screws to hold the faceplate down through the upper radio hold threads like a sandwich. im sure theres a better way but works for now -OEM fuse held up and didnt blow with the new deck alltogether it was a 45 minute job and most of that was tracing wires and using a test light. if anyone wants a uploaded scan of the OEM wiring diagram for the radio let me know, having bluetooth and AUX is amazing compared to being limited to just AM radio. knowing what im doing now its a 20 minute job
hey, likely it is the same as my 91 was. just had the 2 hot/ground speaker wires, 2 grounds, and the switched/constant hot wires. i just imported a 97 Sambar that i will be installing a new stereo in this weekend, the wiring should be the same as the 80s models. i can post a full writeup on wiring it
Sambars prior to 1994 had the two-connector Subaru radio connectors. Sometime in late 1993 they changed to the single connector that is called the "90 and up Subaru harness" KS/KV until late 1993 uses Metra 70-1780, Scosche SU02B KS/KV after late 1993 uses Metra 70-8901, Raptor SU-8900, Scosche SU03B I do not know anything about the prior models, sorry.. Hope this helps!
yeah i wired up my 97 with a aftermarket stereo a few days ago and my 97 has 1 connector on the factory radio vs the 2 that my 91 had. wiring process was exactly the same where i had 1 excess hot wire left over that i taped off, rest were the constant hot wire, igniton hot wire, 2 ground, and speaker wires i bought the 90 and up Subaru harness adapter from Amazon when i wired up my 91 and it obviously wasnt even near a fit. i hardwired my 97 like i did my 91 but if i get time tomorrow i can see if the adapter works for the 97 single connector
i just tried and the 90+ Scosche adapter actually does fit the factory connector for my 97 Sambar, so likely after 92 like you said the single adapter works. wish i tried before i hardwired it lol
So I got bored and ended up putting in the Kenwood kvt-512 headunit with screen i had. Straight forward install again but the plastic surround that goes around the stereo. For some reason all pictures I upload are too large but a tv screen in these is doable
sorry to resurrect an old thread.. but I am going to be getting a 93 Sambar are these harnesses still a valid option to install on aftermarket head unit?
I have a 93 Sambar - it looks like it uses the Metra 70-1780 since it has 2 connectors. I'll confirm Saturday once I receive it.
The harness is good, although the yellow wire doesn't get constant 12v when the ignition is off (or at all). Hmm. Edit: I blew a fuse. It was the fuse for the custard 12v #13 I think.
can you tell me which adapter you got? Was it this one? Scosche SU03B Compatible with Select 1993-12 Subaru Power/Speaker Connector/Wire Harness for Aftermarket Stereo Installation with Color Coded Wires & Metra 40-SB10 2005-Up Antenna Adapter
I have a 92 sambar. Is there a harness I can purchase to wire like a single din alpine radio in? or do I have to hardwire it all?
As I noted in post #6 above, The earlier models with the 2-connector radio can use either Metra 70-1780 or Scosche SU02B.
I do not recall if there are 2 grounds on the 2 connector version, but if there are, just connect them all together.
I just installed a new radio and speakers into my '94 Sambar and used the following info to save some time chasing and double checking wires. TRUCK HARNESS BLACK AND BLACK W/GREEN STRIPE- both ground, one is for the cigar lighter and one is for the radio. All three can be wired together. If you don't want the cigar lighter for whatever reason you can look under the dash and see what ground wire it uses, I believe it was the all black one. TRUCK HARNESS WHITE W/BLUE STRIPE- 12v constant/memory, goes to stereos yellow wire usually TRUCKS BLUE W/BLACK STRIPE- 12 switched/ignition, usually goes to stereo red wire For speakers I used Cerwin-Vega H746 HED 4x6 speakers. They need very little modification to fit into place. Just one corner needed to be cut off to clear the hole that the cover fits into. They sound great, and are more than loud enough in that tiny cab.
Hello, I posted earlier but now it's not showing up, so I apologize if this gets posted twice for some reason. I'm about to install a whole new audio system in my 1992 KS4, and wondering if anyone has added speakers to their doors? And if so, what size and how did you create a support to mount them to? Thanks in advance!
thank you for sharing these speakers. Just installed them today and they fit without modification. Mine is a 98 so that might be why. Sounds great for that little cab
thank you sir! Just installed a double din stereo in my 98 today . Going to make my own bezel out of wood and then it’ll be perfect.
