Hi Line - New MG Double Din Installation

italianstallion · 8th March 2010, 21:34

UPDATED - 25/04/2010 - How do I install the new MG Rover Chinese Head Unit on a Highline / Harmon Kardon? Car Thread

Instructions - How to install the new MG / Rover Double Din on a Hi-Line / Harmon Kardon spec car:

What cables do you need to buy before starting? For aerials - 2 x 5 or 6 metre Car Aerial Extension Cables for Radio and TV aerials. For Amplifier - 1 x red Positive, 1 x brown Negative, and 1 x blue AMP on / off cables, lengths dependant on power source and AMP location. I used the car battery conveniently located in the boot of my 260.

Step 1) Swap the New Head Unit - First You will need to remove the old Hi-Line Unit, second the air-con unit including its panel and screws. Second remove the functions unit including its panel and screws. Lastly remove the cup holder / cigar lighter unit, this has two clips at both sides of the compartment which when compressed allows the unit to be pulled out.

Doing the above will will finally expose either two hidden ISO Connectors or two BMW connectors that will require a BMW to ISO adapter. These ISO connectors or adapted BMW to ISO connectors are then plugged into the new unit, and hey presto you have full power & sound to the cars speakers.

Step 2) Install steering wheel controls - Connect the steering wheel control cables up by doing the following. From the red plastic connector that comes with the unit, you will find black and green wires that are labeled steering wheel controls. Find a connector that has yellow / green / blue and plastic all in one connector at the back of the console. You can't miss this, as its shaped to fit the new unit. From this connector, the middle green plastic part will have purple/blue, orange/blue wires coming out of it. Splice or solder the purple/blue to the black wire cable, and the orange/blue to the green wire cable as mentioned above. I don't think it matters if you do it the other way round. This makes the steering controls function perfectly.

Step 3) Route GPS antenna - Route the GPS antenna cable and reciever from the back of the unit, then underneath the steering wheel column and out to the top right corner of the dash. Placement in this area gives excellent signal.

Step 4) Route TV / Radio aerials - Connect 5 meter aerial extensions to the the existing Hi-Line aerials that are found in the rear of the car. The radio aerial connector is found in the boot. The Tv aerial is behind the plastic upper panel, that is located just above the near side passenger seat belt. Once the extensions are connected to the aerials, route both the TV aerial, and the Radio aerial extensions from the rear of the car, to the front behind the centre console. Then connect the radio aerial cable to new unit. The TV aerial can then be connected to a free view box placed in the glove compartment. I haven't purchased a free view box yet, but the TV aerial cables now sitting their ready to go.

Step 5) Reconnecting the Harmon Kardon sub - 1st Route red / white stereo jack plugs from the back of the chinese unit to the boot where amp is going to be located. 2nd Route the blue amp switch on / off wire from unit to the boot where amp is going to be located. 3 - route a red permanent live positive from battery to where the amp is located. 4 - Route a brown negative cable from cars body to where amp is located. 5 - route 4 speaker wires from the harmon sub to the amp. You will not be able to use the Harmon Kardon amp using this method, as it has an non standard connector that is specific to the Hi-Line HK setup. You will need to buy an alternative amp, which is what I'm in the process of doing.

Cable Routing Instructions from rear to front - The best way is take the new wires from the behind the centre console, then behind the steering column, round the back of the boot release, and then down the drivers side of the car, under the carpet in the footwells, and then on into the boot area. This is easier then it sounds, unless you discover a swimming pools in the footwell like I did

Hope this helps some people who are planning on installing the unit on a High-Line / Harmon Kardon spec car. Any questions ask away.

P.S - If the rest of this thread doesn't make sense after reading the above, its because the original post was deleted and replaced with the above instructions to assist people looking for answers

8th March 2010, 21:34	#1
italianstallion Loves to post Currently - Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Wakefield Posts: 447 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	How to install the new MG Double Din Head Unit on a Hi-Line & Harmon Kardon spec car UPDATED - 25/04/2010 - How do I install the new MG Rover Chinese Head Unit on a Highline / Harmon Kardon? Car Thread Instructions - How to install the new MG / Rover Double Din on a Hi-Line / Harmon Kardon spec car: What cables do you need to buy before starting? For aerials - 2 x 5 or 6 metre Car Aerial Extension Cables for Radio and TV aerials. For Amplifier - 1 x red Positive, 1 x brown Negative, and 1 x blue AMP on / off cables, lengths dependant on power source and AMP location. I used the car battery conveniently located in the boot of my 260. Step 1) Swap the New Head Unit - First You will need to remove the old Hi-Line Unit, second the air-con unit including its panel and screws. Second remove the functions unit including its panel and screws. Lastly remove the cup holder / cigar lighter unit, this has two clips at both sides of the compartment which when compressed allows the unit to be pulled out. Doing the above will will finally expose either two hidden ISO Connectors or two BMW connectors that will require a BMW to ISO adapter. These ISO connectors or adapted BMW to ISO connectors are then plugged into the new unit, and hey presto you have full power & sound to the cars speakers. Step 2) Install steering wheel controls - Connect the steering wheel control cables up by doing the following. From the red plastic connector that comes with the unit, you will find black and green wires that are labeled steering wheel controls. Find a connector that has yellow / green / blue and plastic all in one connector at the back of the console. You can't miss this, as its shaped to fit the new unit. From this connector, the middle green plastic part will have purple/blue, orange/blue wires coming out of it. Splice or solder the purple/blue to the black wire cable, and the orange/blue to the green wire cable as mentioned above. I don't think it matters if you do it the other way round. This makes the steering controls function perfectly. Step 3) Route GPS antenna - Route the GPS antenna cable and reciever from the back of the unit, then underneath the steering wheel column and out to the top right corner of the dash. Placement in this area gives excellent signal. Step 4) Route TV / Radio aerials - Connect 5 meter aerial extensions to the the existing Hi-Line aerials that are found in the rear of the car. The radio aerial connector is found in the boot. The Tv aerial is behind the plastic upper panel, that is located just above the near side passenger seat belt. Once the extensions are connected to the aerials, route both the TV aerial, and the Radio aerial extensions from the rear of the car, to the front behind the centre console. Then connect the radio aerial cable to new unit. The TV aerial can then be connected to a free view box placed in the glove compartment. I haven't purchased a free view box yet, but the TV aerial cables now sitting their ready to go. Step 5) Reconnecting the Harmon Kardon sub - 1st Route red / white stereo jack plugs from the back of the chinese unit to the boot where amp is going to be located. 2nd Route the blue amp switch on / off wire from unit to the boot where amp is going to be located. 3 - route a red permanent live positive from battery to where the amp is located. 4 - Route a brown negative cable from cars body to where amp is located. 5 - route 4 speaker wires from the harmon sub to the amp. You will not be able to use the Harmon Kardon amp using this method, as it has an non standard connector that is specific to the Hi-Line HK setup. You will need to buy an alternative amp, which is what I'm in the process of doing. Cable Routing Instructions from rear to front - The best way is take the new wires from the behind the centre console, then behind the steering column, round the back of the boot release, and then down the drivers side of the car, under the carpet in the footwells, and then on into the boot area. This is easier then it sounds, unless you discover a swimming pools in the footwell like I did Hope this helps some people who are planning on installing the unit on a High-Line / Harmon Kardon spec car. Any questions ask away. *P.S - If the rest of this thread doesn't make sense after reading the above, its because the original post was deleted and replaced with the above instructions to assist people looking for answers* Last edited by italianstallion; 25th April 2010 at 18:34..