Radio Update

[Fishy2007]

I've been browsing the forums for a little bit, but I have been scouring the internet after working on my dads radio for over a week at this point. I've been attempting to update his factory radio with a new Head Unit mostly due to his CD player no longer working. Below I have listed the items I have purchased thus far. From what I'm reading I might need a canbus, however, I can't seem to find a good link for anything to actually work.

At this point I can get power to the radio if I connect the Red wire from the HU to the Yellow wire from the harness but the power doesn't shut off. Additionally, I attempted to load a CD and no sound was coming out of it. I was going to take the red wire from the headunit and attach it to my cigarette lighter but I hear that can cause odd issues. Any help would be great because I'm really struggling here.

2008 Dodge Ram 1500 - Infinity system with no Nav
New HeadUnit - Kenwood DDX5707S
Harness - Maestro HRN-RR-CH2
New Speakers - Kicker 40CS693440CS5440CS354

Also got a new Bezel as I cracked his old one and got a Double Din replacement as well as some LED lights to replace the blown bulbs that were the backlights for the AC control panel.

Any help is great.

 

[GTyankee]

Check out the Crutchfield website

fill out the vehicles information & look for that radio in the truck.

That site could very well have the information that you need

 

[Atcer2018]

At this point I can get power to the radio if I connect the Red wire from the HU to the Yellow wire from the harness but the power doesn't shut off.

The yellow wire is typically constant 12V in car audio electronics. That’s the wire that will keep your head unit memory active when you shut the vehicle off. It preserves your presets and preferences. On most aftermarket head units they require both a 12V constant and a 12V switched to operate. On the wiring harness of the kenwood head unit do you have a solid yellow wire and a solid red wire? Those both need to be hooked up for the unit to function correctly. The red wire goes to a 12V source that de-powers when you turn the ignition off. The yellow wire goes to a 12V constant source.

As for the CD player if the kenwood unit powers on and plays the radio it should play a CD. There is no special wiring for a head unit with an internal CD. Could be a defective head unit.

 

[Fishy2007]

I honestly haven't given the CD part much of a shot. I've been trying to sort out the power. I was reading I might need a canbus, bust most of the links I find aren't yielding actual products anymore. The HU does have a solid yellow and solid red. I took the day off (I've been working on this thing for a week), but tomorrow I was going to try to connect the red cable from the HU to the 12v cigarette lighter which SHOULD be a switched power unit.

If I can get that part to work ... I'll have to work through the speaker part. The pain is the fact that I've already heatwrapped all this stuff.

 

[Atcer2018]

I honestly haven't given the CD part much of a shot. I've been trying to sort out the power. I was reading I might need a canbus, bust most of the links I find aren't yielding actual products anymore. The HU does have a solid yellow and solid red. I took the day off (I've been working on this thing for a week), but tomorrow I was going to try to connect the red cable from the HU to the 12v cigarette lighter which SHOULD be a switched power unit.

If I can get that part to work ... I'll have to work through the speaker part. The pain is the fact that I've already heatwrapped all this stuff.

I’m not really sure what you mean when you say you, “might need a CANBUS”. The CANBUS is the communication protocol vehicle systems use to connect with each other. I’m not familiar with the older models as I have a Gen 4 truck but I’m fairly certain you will need an interface module to integrate the new head unit into the vehicle CANBUS communications network. Something like an i-datalink maestro. You list that you have the harness but not that you have the interface. I’m pretty sure you’ll need both. Unfortunately the interface is expensive. If you are unsure about the power source feeds you can try the add a circuit fuse box taps. A 12 count variety pack is about $8 on Amazon. You’ll need a constant 12V supply and an ignition switched 12V supply. Those two power supplies along with a suitable ground and a T-harness or splicing into the factory speaker feeds will get you basic sound but no integration with steering wheel controls, back up camera or onscreen controls that the OEM radio had.

 

[GTyankee]

Dodge products for 2008 would use Can Bus B
( i am not good with electronics, but i think that means something like, )
the main computer sends a signal or command to say a Radio

Where as by 2011, Dodge products were using Can Bus C
which means the wiring was in twisted pairs.
The main computer would send out a signal or command, say to the Radio, the Radio has a mini computer & it can reply to the signal or command or even forward that signal or command

I recall reading an informational guide, that read that there are something like 16 computer type devices in a Ram trucks made recently