What steps do I need to take to replace my factory 2001 f-150 radio & install a new pioneer cd/mp3 player?

Question

I dont have any kits or anything yet, & need a walkthrough from step 1(taking out the factory radio) up through the finished installation of the new cd player

Answer 1

You need:

-Ford radio removal keys, available in the car audio section of most discount stores
-A mounting kit for your vehicle
-A wire harness for your vehicle. There are different Ford harnesses out there so make sure you purchase the right one. The Metra part number for your truck is 70-1771. If you aren't certain, pull your factory radio first and take it with you when you buy the harness.
-A soldering iron, solder and shrink tubing or good quality electrical tape, OR
-"Solderless" crimp-cap connectors and a good quality crimping tool. DO NOT use wire nuts.
-Wire strippers
-Useful but not required: a "cotter pin" hook tool

1. Carefully pry away the oval dash piece that goes around your factory radio. If there's a wire plug on the left side on the back of the dash piece, unplug it; if you have an airbag switch on the right side, you won't be able to disconnect it. Just carefully let the panel hang down below the radio.

2. Insert your Ford radio removal keys into the holes on the sides of your factory radio. Push them in until you feel them snap into place, then flex them away from each other and use them to pull the factory radio out of the dash. Unplug the factory wire plugs and antenna plug from the back of the radio.

3. Verify that your wire harness will fit the factory plugs. You may have two plugs that came out of the radio, and only one of them fits your wire harness; that's normal in this truck, and the one that fits has all the connections your new radio needs. If neither plug fits what you have, then take your radio and buy a new harness.

4. Before connecting the harness to the vehicle, you need to connect it to the wiring that came with your new radio. The radio plug's wires will match, color to color, with the wires on the wire harness. If your radio wires include an orange/white wire, match it with the solid orange wire in your wire harness. The radio wires may include a blue, blue/white or both; these won't be present on the wire harness, so just insulate the ends and don't connect them.

Cut the radio wires so that they are all the same length. If there are in-line fuse holders or filter boxes on the new radio wiring, do not remove them. Strip the ends of the radio wires about 1/2"; do the same with the wire harness. Match the wires by color and twist them together. Secure them by soldering or with crimp caps. Make sure there's no exposed wiring when you're finished; insulate the ends of any unused wires. Bundle the wires together with tape or with cable ties. When you're finished, attach the finished harness to the vehicle plug.

5. Follow the instructions that came with your mounting kit to prepare it for mounting in your vehicle; you may need to break off tabs or inserts. Snap the kit into place in the truck's radio cavity, make sure it feels secure and won't pull out.

6. Remove the mounting ring or "can" from your new radio; insert it into the mounting kit and secure it by bending the tabs into place. A cotter pin hook tool works best for this step, but you can also use a flat-blade screwdriver.

7. Connect the wire plug and antenna to the back of the new radio; slide it into the mounting can partway. Turn your key switch to the ACC position and test the new radio to make sure everything works correctly. If it does, push it back into the can until it snaps into place. Watch out for loose wires that get caught up in the edge of the can, pinched or shorted.

8. Connect any loose plugs back into the oval dash panel, and snap it into place around the new radio and kit.

Answer 2

This may help, it only goes up to 2000 but worth a try http://www.installdr.com/InstallDocs/FLM/F-150.html

You can get an adapter harness and install kits from here http://www.metraonline.com