Relacing the standard fit cd/radio

Having recently got my C3 1.4 HDI Desire 07 plate.
I spent time looking on this forum and others about changing the factory head unit.
The Citroen non standard wiring gives anyone trying this problems.

The first thing I done was to replace both the front and the back standard loudspeakers.
The fronts I replaced with Pioneer TS-E1702i as I read in this forum that these fit and clear the front window glass.

The only problem encountered was I tried using Peugeot / Citroen speaker adapters between the speakers and the harness.
They are not the same connector so I ended up chopping the original plugs off and crimping spade terminals onto the wires in the doors.

The rear speakers I replaced with some Alpine two way 5 inch I had from another car.
This is bit more involved as the door cards have to be removed to get to the speakers.
Again I adapted the wires by removing the end plug and fitting spade type terminals.

If your car was not originally fitted with rear door speakers, it's possible that the plastic mounts will not be fitted in the rear doors.

Changing the speakers did improve the sound of the standard head unit, but it still lacks quality and has not much power.

I already owned an Alpine CDA-9847R and 6 disc A-I net changer that I had in my old car, So I gathered together The ISO convertor the steering stalk adaptor and the patch lead to suit the Alpine.

When I took the original head unit from the car and connected everything up the Alpine would come on and play, but when the ignition was turned off it lost the radio memory.

I rigged up a separate feed from a permanent live that goes to the ignition switch/lock through an inline fuse and took this to the permanent live on the radio.

The radio now remembers it's pre-sets and where it was on the cd and turns off with the key.
But if you leave the radio switched on and the key switched off the radio will power back up by it's self after a few minutes!
To stop this you have to switch the radio off before the ignition switch.

Another problem is how do you set the clock and calendar with the original radio missing?

I now will probe the power outlet on the centre console, it appears to be controlled by the ignition switch, If it is I can use it for the switched ignition feed to the radio.
So than when it's switched off it will stay off.

Still have not worked out how to set the clock without the original radio.
I always disconnect the battery lead while swapping the radios over so the clock needs reset on reconnection.

When I took the original head unit from the car and connected everything up the Alpine would come on and play, but when the ignition was turned off it lost the radio memory.

Classic symptoms of the ISO power plug pin 4 and pin 7 swap.

The ISO power pins 4 and pin 7 have their functions reversed on the citroen C3 factor wiring. 4 and 7 do the main power and battery back up.

Swapping the ISO power plug pin 4 and pin 7 over will get the memory/power thing sorted.

If you fit a head unit that is more powerful than the 4x35w standard clarion units, then upgrade the power cable and supply to the radio (with its own suitably rated fuse).

The pin 4 and pin 7 are under computer control, so don't worry, after swapping them over the radio won't switch off straight away, it will eventually, depending on the BSI computer.

If your car was not originally fitted with rear door speakers, it's possible that the plastic mounts will not be fitted in the rear doors.

You can get them here - Citroen C3 Rear Speaker Brackets

Another problem is how do you set the clock and calendar with the original radio missing?

Sorry, I don't know. Do you have a photo of your dash display module?

The Dash Display Module on the later cars has no setting buttons on it.
The time and date and a few of the control options like the rear wiper linked to the front wipers being on are selected through the original radio!!

As Baldrick says " I have a cunning plan"
The centre dash panel is double din, with a little storage tray beneath the radio, so I plan to leave the standard fit radio in place and connected to the through the power lead.

Using a cable I will either make up or have made, I will disconnect the speaker leads from the radio and run them to a din socket that I will plug into my Alpine head unit.
I already have a permanant live from the battery for the Alpines memory/power soarce, so I will then take the ignition controlled feed from the console to turn the Alpine on/ off with the ignition key.

I may have to raid a scrap C3 for the radio connector / car side to make up my adaptor lead.
When I get round to this I shall post how it goes.

I may have to raid a scrap C3 for the radio connector / car side to make up my adaptor lead.

From what I have seen the rear connectors on the radio (and the plug on the citroen wiring) fits standard ISO, but the wiring connections are just a bit off.

If you want to take a short cut to finding a scrap Citroen C3, then you could use female to male ISO and just chop off the bits you don't need.

As Baldrick says " I have a cunning plan"
The centre dash panel is double din, with a little storage tray beneath the radio, so I plan to leave the standard fit radio in place and connected to the through the power lead.

Sounds like a plan.

The time and date and a few of the control options like the rear wiper linked to the front wipers being on are selected through the original radio!!

With the citroen radio removed, would you mind taking some pictures of the front and of the model number for the radio to help build up some information on these troublesome units.

and I you can capture an image of the rear showing the connectors to see if its ISO or Fakra Quadlock that would help

Will the top display fit from an older c3? I got hold of a double size display form a 2004 to replace my standard single line jobby... It was a straight swap, and no errors generated.
The older display is adjusted with buttons, and the module itself can be separated from the housing, so I would expect it to look OK - the question is whether the cable will fit ?

I may be completely wrong with this suggestion

John

Hans Zarkov wrote:Will the top display fit from an older c3?

That's an interesting idea. There are quite a few displays that fit, even if you have to change the cowling to get the really big ones in. As for the different units having the correct software inside to access the features required, only trying one in the car will provide the answer

There is a topic by C3CAR and some pictures of the connector for the display and a write up on upgrading from a single line to a later dot matrix display (from a Citroen C5), just a straight swap, which may give some ideas.
https://citroenc3owners.com/citroen-c3-t ... -t476.html