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Amp and Sub install to stock head unit w/o nav or infinity system

63K views 12 replies 12 participants last post by  Gee 
#1 ·
2011 KIA Optima Amp Installation to stock head unit W/O Nav or Infinity sound system
-First remove dash and all components that connect to dash. (Dash removal is already explained in earlier thread)
-Yes take the head unit out (its going to be the best and easiest way to hook up your amp).
-Run red power wire from battery through the fire wall. There is enough space in the grommet under the dash to fit a power wire. NO DRILLING needed.
-The factory head unit doesn’t have RCA jacks on the back so you’ll need to get a LOC (line out converter) basically its an adapter that turn the signal from your speaker wires to RCA.
-I found the wiring diagram at www.kiatechinfo.com very useful. All you need to do is register and you’ll have access to the whole cars harnesses and wiring schematics.
-To install LOC, if your looking at the harness clip face up you’ll need to splice into the RR+&-,RL+&- which are located at the 4 corners for the harness. Once you get you LOC spliced and installed run your RCA’s to it from you amp and you’ll be good to go.
-Now you need to run your remote (switch) wire, so that the amp knows to turn off and on when the vehicle is turned on and off. Many people do this different ways but I found the easiest way to do it was to splice into the cig lighter positive wire. “NOT BLACK”. Make sure you put this clip back on all the way or you’ll end up throwing a check engine light and your car will run very sluggish.
-Run that remote wire back to you amp and you should be good to go.
-Grounding your amp in the trunk, make sure you grind the paint off of a concealed area in the trunk and connect your ground to the amp.
-Make sure you test your speakers and amp. To make sure everything works. FYI, do not ground your LOC, some LOC’s may come with a brown ground wire, do not ground it or you will experience issues with check engine lights, push button start lights and so on. FYI- I ran my RCA,POWER, and REMOTE wire all down the same side of the car and no hissing or humming. Worked for me but I know you’ll find conflicting info on this.

If yall have futher questions message me..Keep in mind this is my first time doing this and am not a tech GURU by any means
 
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#5 ·
I ran a 8 guage and it fit fine!
 
#9 ·
So you don't have to take apart your dash to install an amp?
 
#10 ·
You don't HAVE to... But it depends on the vehicle. Some cheap cars make it difficult to run wiring and so on without removing the dash. Most of the time, you just pull the head unit and splice everything together behind it. You'll usually have two sets of RCA's and a 9 wire(which is about 5/8") to find a path for with a 4/5 channel amplifier.
 
#12 ·
I would also like to see some pics of it..atleast how you have the converter hooked up
 
#13 ·
i personally dont like the remote cable connected to the cig lighter, this is because, when u turn ur key to acc, or maybe push it once, it activates, if u start your car, the power will be isolated for a while then turn back on, what effect does this do the the amps? power surge and possibly burnt power IC
 
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