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(More customer reviews)I just finished installing this a few days ago, expecting a simple plug & play. I was wrong. Still, the product was intelligently designed and included (almost) everything necessary to convert the dash to accept a standard 1-DIN head unit. Here some things you might like to know when considering this kit:
First off, MAKE SURE YOU TURN THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL ALL THE WAY TO ITS COLDEST SETTING BEFORE REMOVING ANYTHING. I had to figure this out the hard way. The reason is, once you unplug the temperature control cable from the back of the faceplate, the knob spins freely and it's possible to misalign the knob position to the actual temperature position when reconnecting. The nice thing about spinning it to max cold first is there's a little notch that will hold it in that position when it's time to reconnect everything, making sure hot lines up with hot so it's aligned perfectly.
Anyway, that said, I can't tell you how relieved I was when I opened the kit and saw the 2-piece factory wiring harness adaptor in the bag. Nothing I could find would truly confirm it was included. Feel free to quote me, "the 2-piece factory wiring harness is included." Not only did the two parts plug perfectly into the existing factory wired radio harnesses (Grey and black plugs), they saved hours during installation, helped make the install reversible (if you ever decide to take it out or replace it), and even came correctly color-coded, eliminating the need to tediously match up wire-for-wire connections.
As for the installation, Saspus is also correct in that the one-folded-sheet for a manual isn't that helpful, but fortunately the faceplate was manufactured with simplicity in mind. The environmental controls were a snap (literally in come cases) to transplant from one faceplate to the other, and everything fit perfectly.
Well, almost perfectly.
The manual mentions that you'll need to cut away a small amount of plastic that blocks the new faceplate from inserting properly. It might be because work was done on this particular FORD dash beforehand, but there was no corresponding plastic to cut from the opening. Instead, I had to cut small recesses above and below the sides of the opening where the clips spring outward to hold it into the dash. The clips needed little tabs about ? an inch high and recesses above and below to allow the release mechanism to extend into. It's difficult to describe, and I'm doubtful you'll have to deal with it. Just be mindful that you may need to make a couple more logical cuts into the opening (covered by the faceplate of course) to get it to clip in.
When I finished the preparations and got the faceplate to clip into the dash, there were a few millimeters of play/looseness, allowing the whole thing to slide forward and backward in the dash. I suspect this was because of the undocumented cuts I had to make in the sides of the opening. Fortunately, once we slid the Head unit in, it wedged up against the insides and locked everything in place. It's plenty firm now. Unfortunately, the kit does NOT come with the DIN removal tools necessary to remove the factory faceplate. You can either buy them for $10 on Amazon here [ASIN:B00063ZANS Assenmacher Ford Radio Removal Tool Set - 2040], or make them yourself out of a wire coat hangar. For instructions, search google for "Coat Hangar Ford DIN Radio Removal Tool."
The hardest part was getting the temperature cable reconnected. It's simply too short to reattach outside of the opening. You literally have to plug it in from behind once the new faceplate is installed. The only way I could do it was by removing the center console, removing the accessory / cigarette lighter bucket, and reaching up through the hole it was in while looking in from behind with my head basically on the gas petal. It's doable though, and certainly no fault of the Kit. The temperature cable in the FORD is just too damn short. Oh well.
The only other thing I was a little confused about was the labeling on the Red and Yellow wires on the Grey "power" harness adapter. Since the wording they used was unclear ("+12v memory" and "+12v power") and the instructions warn you that the colors MAY not necessarily match with your head unit, I was afraid that they might be reversed from the industry standard. I went over to Crutchfield and found in their hands-on-research that the colors are in fact correct - the yellow wire is "+12v always on" and the red wire is for ACC (on when the car is on). Just ignore the funky labels and you're good to go. Like I said, every color matched perfectly to my new head unit.Overall,
Others might be right to say it LOOKS of poor quality and of cheap plastic out of the bag. But when all was said and done, I have to admit it looks pretty darn factory, fitting the interior well, doing a great job of replacing the environmental controls, and certainly free of any visible "hacks." Certainly not bad for the low comparative price.
Good luck!
Click Here to see more reviews about: Metra 99-5720 Dash Kit For Escort/Tracer 97-04 Kitwith Harness
Turbokits&##153; from Metra...a quick and simple way to install an aftermarket radio in the original factory radios location. Custom Kit for Ford Escort/Mercury Tracer 1997-Up Professional Installer Series kit offers quick conversion from DIN to 2-shaft Fits the Escorts radio opening perfectly, and all functions are pre-wired for an easy plug-in installation Includes night time illumination and rear window defroster switch Utilizes the factory heating and A/C switches The power/4-speaker wire harness is included with this kit Turbokits are uniquely designed to provide a combination of strength, appearance and versatility.Because Turbokits are made from ABS plastic they can be easily modified for custom jobs.The faceplates are designed to fit the dash opening perfectly with no gaps, and DIN radio ISO mounts are included in as many Turbokits as possible.A Turbokits brackets are designed to emulate the factory radio brackets, making the installation of an aftermarket radio the fastest in the business.Note: Except for vehicle specific kits, Turbokits are designed for multiple applications and fit multiple car models perfectly.Likewise, many vehicle makes and models have multiple kit options available.Although your specific year, make or model may not be listed above, if the Metra Installation Kit Wizard directed you to this item, then this kit is designed for use with your vehicle.
Click here for more information about Metra 99-5720 Dash Kit For Escort/Tracer 97-04 Kitwith Harness
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