Factory radio question

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joespanova

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My wife has a 2000 LS and the display on the radio went out. I found a replacement on E-Bay for a very reasonable price , and I should state it was NEW. Apparently this place has a big inventory of those. It was under 50 bucks.

The radio was listed to fit our car BUT after the install it just doesnt seem to have the sound quality of the original. It seems the replacement radio was original to 1999 cars. The speaker fader controls when adjusted to the "rear" just all seem to fade to the pass side of the car........fading to "fronts" .....same kind of thing. Power is not the same either.....at least doesnt appear that way. The functions of some of the controls dont completely match the manual either.........however , for the most part everything works.
Main thing is the sound quality has possibly been compromised from improper "phasing" because of changes from factory?

Any opinions on this?

It seems you have to get the EXACT match for the year you are replacing


I wanted to add this:

after looking thru e-bay today , several web sites have these radios. One has this radio for only 30 dollars NEW?

Based on what the adds say , it seems some radios had set up for 7 speakers and some were for 12???

Maybe thats my problem , I got a lower performance model for 7 speakers and my car originally had a 12 speaker model?
Were there changes made between 1999 and 2000?


Here are some ads descriptions:
This LKQ Online listing is in good used working condition and comes as pictured.

This Will Fit:

LINCOLN LS 2000-2001 AM-FM cass/CD cont, Audiophile (12 spkrs), ID XW4F-18C870-AJ
LINCOLN LS 2000-2001 AM-FM cass/CD cont, Audiophile (12 spkrs), ID XW4F-18C902-JC
LINCOLN LS 2000-2001 AM-FM cass/CD cont, Audiophile (12 spkrs), ID XW4F-18C870-B
LINCOLN LS 2000-2001 AM-FM cass/CD cont, Audiophile (12 spkrs), ID XW4F-18C902-KC


and here is another:
THE FORD PART # IS: XW4F-18C870- PLEASE CHECK WITH US OR YOUR LOCAL DEALER TO VERIFY THIS WILL WORK IN YOUR VEHICLE, TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE IT SHOULD FIT THE FOLLOWING:

2000 Lincoln LS
2001 Lincoln LS
2002 Lincoln LS
LINCOLN LS 00-01 AM-FM cass/CD cont, Mach (7 spkrs), ID XW4F-18C870-BD thru BK

NOTICE ONE LISTING IS DESCRIBED AS 12 speaker , the other as 7
 
Why not pay a little more and get an aftermarket radio?

A decent single din can be had for under 100 and will blow those out the water.
 
Hm.
IIRC, for Gen I, it's either a tape deck with base sound, or a CD changer with Alpine. The tape unit has two connectors (standard ford "World" connectors), while the CD unit has three. The third connector goes to the amp for the subs as well as the imaging speakers in the console.
They should swap back and forth, but if you get a unit that has only two connectors but your car has the third, then the subs and imaging speakers just won't be connected. Similarly, if the head unit has three connectors but your car has only two, then well, no change really.

$50 for a NEW radio..... ever heard "too good to be true"? Something is probably wrong with that head unit you got. It happens. I went through a couple on eBay looking for a changer that worked. All of them said "TESTED!" and "GUARANTEED!". Good thing is I got my money back (minus shipping) each time.

1loudLS is an authority on sound systems. Joegr and Mr Howie also know a ton about these cars.
 
There were a few iterations of the gen1 sound:

Base... Cassette with or without 6-disc changer in glove box. There was a different wiring harness to add the changer. 8 speakers. This is what my 2000 had.

Alpine... I don't remember, but I think this was the same as the base with the CD changer, but had 12 (the way Ford numbered them) speakers and more power.

Alpine without the subs. In 2001 (IIRC) Ford ditched the rear subs to save weight now giving the system 10 speakers.

The new base system with an in-dash 6-disc changer. I updated my cassette/CD changer to this in late 2001ish.

For a direct swap you need to change out with the same head unit; base for base and Alpine for Alpine. You can change from to the Alpine from base but you must add some things.

Speaker numbering.... There are 2-way paper cone (base) and 2-way plate (Alpine) speakers in the doors for a total of 8. The imaging speakers in the console and subs under the rear deck add 4 more for a total of 12. Subtract the subs like Ford did to to save weight and you're down to 10.

None of the LS systems have an odd number of speakers. Looks like you have/had the Alpine. Get the LS Alpine head unit and you will be back in business!!
 
joespanova said:
I found a replacement on E-Bay for a very reasonable price , and I should state it was NEW. ...The speaker fader controls when adjusted to the "rear" just all seem to fade to the pass side of the car........fading to "fronts" .....same kind of thing.
Click to expand...

oddball said:
$50 for a NEW radio..... ever heard "too good to be true"?
Click to expand...
new factory radio are several hundred dollars, i dont see how some place on ebay just happens to have a lot of "new" ones for $50.

if the fading on the radio doesn't work exactly as it should, this has to be a problem with the "new" radio. as ford never made any changes to the main harness as far as moving wires around, polarity... every car that uses that plug has those main speaker wires in the exact same position, whether it be a 98 f150, or an 02 LS, all the wiring for the main speakers is the same.
you may either have the two added center channel speakers which have their own amp, or two subs which have their own amp, but the fading or balance to the four main speakers can not be affected by installing the wrong radio.
 
BlackLS06 said:
Why not pay a little more and get an aftermarket radio?

A decent single din can be had for under 100 and will blow those out the water.
Click to expand...

I'm happy with a stock radio.......I like the looks and controls. All I need is one that performs IDENTICALLY to the original.
 
fine call me a doubter, but i didn't buy a brand new, never used radio that doesnt work right.

Contact the seller, i'm sure with such a perfect track record (100% after all) they will take care of you, no problems.
 
are you sure what you bought was new? the listing you posted clearly says "for parts or not working" under item condition...
 
1LoudLS said:
fine call me a doubter, but i didn't buy a brand new, never used radio that doesnt work right.

Contact the seller, i'm sure with such a perfect track record (100% after all) they will take care of you, no problems.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying it doesnt work as designed..........just not for my LS.

I dont know how they can sell them that cheap either........but I asure you it was BRAND NEW. I think it was intended for the 1999 LS.
 
BlackLS06 said:
It was made in 99 but the model years start with 2000.

Typically someone that isn't happy with stock radio sounds goes to an aftermarket radio.
Click to expand...

The original radio sounded "rich" with good fidelity........the replacement just doesn't seem the same...........hell , after all this I'm beginning to wonder.

The original radio had different features also.

The e-bay ad makes me think those are low power units.........in fact , I'm beginning to wonder why I'm even wasting my time with this.......LOL
 
LS4me said:
There were a few iterations of the gen1 sound:

Base... Cassette with or without 6-disc changer in glove box. There was a different wiring harness to add the changer. 8 speakers. This is what my 2000 had.

Alpine... I don't remember, but I think this was the same as the base with the CD changer, but had 12 (the way Ford numbered them) speakers and more power.

Alpine without the subs. In 2001 (IIRC) Ford ditched the rear subs to save weight now giving the system 10 speakers.

The new base system with an in-dash 6-disc changer. I updated my cassette/CD changer to this in late 2001ish.

For a direct swap you need to change out with the same head unit; base for base and Alpine for Alpine. You can change from to the Alpine from base but you must add some things.

Speaker numbering.... There are 2-way paper cone (base) and 2-way plate (Alpine) speakers in the doors for a total of 8. The imaging speakers in the console and subs under the rear deck add 4 more for a total of 12. Subtract the subs like Ford did to to save weight and you're down to 10.

None of the LS systems have an odd number of speakers. Looks like you have/had the Alpine. Get the LS Alpine head unit and you will be back in business!!
Click to expand...

joespanova said:
The original radio sounded "rich" with good fidelity........the replacement just doesn't seem the same...........hell , after all this I'm beginning to wonder.

The original radio had different features also.

The e-bay ad makes me think those are low power units.........in fact , I'm beginning to wonder why I'm even wasting my time with this.......LOL
Click to expand...

See above.......
 
LS4me said:
See above.......
Click to expand...

I already did.....I read ALL the replies.
I guess unless you are very familiar with the serial numbers , you get what you get.

I wasn't aware of all the little changes when I bought this one. It looked the same , said Alpine on it.....so I assumed it was. What can I say.
 
joespanova said:
I already did.....I read ALL the replies.
I guess unless you are very familiar with the serial numbers , you get what you get.

I wasn't aware of all the little changes when I bought this one. It looked the same , said Alpine on it.....so I assumed it was. What can I say.
Click to expand...

There shouldn't be any differences within the headunits. Any gen1 Alpine unit should be interchangeable with another Alpine unit. Same goes with the base units. The P/N on the unit isn't really relevant. The Alpine units have 3 plugs, the base unit 2.
 
LS4me said:
There shouldn't be any differences within the headunits. Any gen1 Alpine unit should be interchangeable with another Alpine unit. Same goes with the base units. The P/N on the unit isn't really relevant. The Alpine units have 3 plugs, the base unit 2.
Click to expand...

OK , thats cool...thanks.
But ya have to wonder................why are they selling the replacements so cheap ( and they are new )..........dunno , oh well ...........LOL
 
joespanova said:
OK , thats cool...thanks.
But ya have to wonder................why are they selling the replacements so cheap ( and they are new )..........dunno , oh well ...........LOL
Click to expand...

Perhaps because they are defective, or they're not really new, or (most likely) they were factory rejects.
 
BTW
Since the display was the only issue with the original. I'm wondering........can I just "swap" the face assys?..........they are both Alpine / cassette / 6 disc glove box CD setups.
 
joespanova said:
Perhaps on the "reject" part.....but , the one I recieved was definately new.
Click to expand...

I would think that it would be very hard to tell new from installed, tested, failed, and removed - all before the car left the factory. Please note that my 06 came with the protective plastic over the screen still on.
 
joespanova said:
BTW
Since the display was the only issue with the original. I'm wondering........can I just "swap" the face assys?..........they are both Alpine / cassette / 6 disc glove box CD setups.
Click to expand...

Yes, that should work.
 
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