Discussion/questions/updates about "Stock head unit information..." FAQ thread

[Leonardo]

Hi peeps,

I just got a 2014 Impreza Sport Limited with the CM631UD head unit and wanted to upgrade to a larger screen OEM one to gain SAT radio. What would be my options without gong aftermarket?

Love the steering wheel controls!

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[Bill Shoffner]

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...30285-9999.pdf

This above site will show you the OEM radio model numbers for all Subarus made from 2014 to 2018. You can add a system with navigation to a Subaru without navigation if you buy a compatible head unit. If your Subi has HK audio then only another radio with HK with or without navigation will work. If you don't have HK then you cannot add it by swapping radios.

Radios with Harmon Kardon amps and speakers are not interchangeable with the basic radio or the radio in most Premium models. The wiring is different and the HK radios do not have internal amps; the HK radio requires a separate HK amplifier that is probably located under one of the front seats.

For example, look at page 8 and find the 2017 Outback/Legacy. If you have a 2017 Outback Premium with the audio unit 86201AL85* FB856UM which has an internal amp built into the head unit then you can not substitute a HK audio unit 86201AL87* FB876UM which requires the external HK amp. The wiring harnesses are different and the speakers are different.

If you don't have Harmon Kardon then you can not add HK.

But, you can add a radio with navigation to a car that doesn't have navigation. The 2017 Outback/Legacy audio unit 86271AL85* FB856US (see 2017 Outback/Legacy on page 5) can be substituted for 86201AL85* FB856UM, because both radios have internal amp and use the same wiring harness.

In short, the HK system is not interchangeable with the non-HK systems.

You can interchange a non-HK system for a non-HK sytem to gain navigation and you'll only need an antenna for the navigation. (You can't use the builtin StarLink antenna for navigation, too) but an add on generic GPS antenna is cheap. Just pay careful attention to the Fakra plug on the end of the generic GPS antenna to be sure it will plug into the jack on the back of the radio. Fakra connectors are color coded and come male and female.

You could buy the OEM navigation antenna from Subaru or ebay but it will cost 3 times as much. Subaru does not install the OEM navigation antenna on models that don't have navigation. Many people assume that it will be there in case they need it, but you'll have to add one.

I had a 2017 Outback Premium with the 6 speaker system (no HK) and no nav. I stumbled across an OEM radio with nav in a junk yard for $65 so I added it. The two radios look exactly the same and were interchangeable. I bought a GPS antenna on Amazon for $12, took the plastic Fakra casing off the plug to make it plug into the back of the radio. Fakra plugs can be a nightmare because you must have the right one or it won't fit the jack. Removing the plastic from the metal plug solves that problem. I also added a Pioneer mini amp, 6 new co-axial speakers and a powered sub but that's a story for another day.

I don't have an Impreza but I check this forum occasionally for useful info. If you reply to this post then I'll try to help you if I can. But the radios in Imprezas may be enough different from Outback radios that I may not be of use to you. The link above is my contribution to this forum.

I agree that this topic should be subdivided to make it easier to use.

[MrCommunistGen]

Originally Posted by Bill Shoffner

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...30285-9999.pdf

This above site will show you the OEM radio model numbers for all Subarus made from 2014 to 2018. You can add a system with navigation to a Subaru without navigation if you buy a compatible head unit. If your Subi has HK audio then only another radio with HK with or without navigation will work. If you don't have HK then you cannot add it by swapping radios.

Radios with Harmon Kardon amps and speakers are not interchangeable with the basic radio or the radio in most Premium models. The wiring is different and the HK radios do not have internal amps; the HK radio requires a separate HK amplifier that is probably located under one of the front seats.

For example, look at page 8 and find the 2017 Outback/Legacy. If you have a 2017 Outback Premium with the audio unit 86201AL85* FB856UM which has an internal amp built into the head unit then you can not substitute a HK audio unit 86201AL87* FB876UM which requires the external HK amp. The wiring harnesses are different and the speakers are different.

If you don't have Harmon Kardon then you can not add HK.

But, you can add a radio with navigation to a car that doesn't have navigation. The 2017 Outback/Legacy audio unit 86271AL85* FB856US (see 2017 Outback/Legacy on page 5) can be substituted for 86201AL85* FB856UM, because both radios have internal amp and use the same wiring harness.

In short, the HK system is not interchangeable with the non-HK systems.

You can interchange a non-HK system for a non-HK sytem to gain navigation and you'll only need an antenna for the navigation. (You can't use the builtin StarLink antenna for navigation, too) but an add on generic GPS antenna is cheap. Just pay careful attention to the Fakra plug on the end of the generic GPS antenna to be sure it will plug into the jack on the back of the radio. Fakra connectors are color coded and come male and female.

You could buy the OEM navigation antenna from Subaru or ebay but it will cost 3 times as much. Subaru does not install the OEM navigation antenna on models that don't have navigation. Many people assume that it will be there in case they need it, but you'll have to add one.

I had a 2017 Outback Premium with the 6 speaker system (no HK) and no nav. I stumbled across an OEM radio with nav in a junk yard for $65 so I added it. The two radios look exactly the same and were interchangeable. I bought a GPS antenna on Amazon for $12, took the plastic Fakra casing off the plug to make it plug into the back of the radio. Fakra plugs can be a nightmare because you must have the right one or it won't fit the jack. Removing the plastic from the metal plug solves that problem. I also added a Pioneer mini amp, 6 new co-axial speakers and a powered sub but that's a story for another day.

I don't have an Impreza but I check this forum occasionally for useful info. If you reply to this post then I'll try to help you if I can. But the radios in Imprezas may be enough different from Outback radios that I may not be of use to you. The link above is my contribution to this forum.

I agree that this topic should be subdivided to make it easier to use.

Thanks for the wealth of information! This answered my question about whether I could swap my 2015 base headunit (no NAV, no HK speakers) with one of the other units -- it looks like the answer is "no".

[Robbo770]

Originally Posted by SVXdc

This thread is for questions, suggestions, updates, etc. about the FAQ thread

Stock head unit information -- pin-outs, subwoofer, aux inputs, and more

Please post your questions here, not there!

If you have a question related to your own car, please be sure to post the model, year, and country where the car was originally sold.

.

I have been studying multiple pages and threads to allow me to fit the genuine steering wheel phone controls into my ongoing rebuild of a uk black limited edition forester SH 2.0TD 150HP manual car uk spec.

There is a blue and white wire on the steering B68 connector, but I don’t know where it goes to, I think it might be pin 7 of the 24 pin kenwood with Nav stereo connector but I am needing help to verify this, or it might be pin 14

I have a genuine amp under my passenger seat which is obviously right hand drive in the UK.

I hope the forum can help me sort the out, other issue is the stereo is currently stuck on security on the screen and I have not managed to get passed this issue any ideas?

Thanks Rob

Currently away to change engine as the diesel has blown a head gasket
Full suspension overhaul
Turbo rebuild
All wheel refurbishment
Then new mot and full paintwork restore and valet.

[Robbo770]

Anyone able to help with wiring help?

[Josh_145]

Hi all,
I am I'm the process of fitting the OEM reversing camera to my 2015 Australian market Impreza. It currently has the high end head unit but without nav. I am currently stuck as to what pins to connect the camera to on the head unit. Can't find much on this head unit for pin outs as all the USDM models seem to have a seperate connector for the camera and the AUDM connects using the 28 pin plug. The head unit model is pf-3677. And has CM244KL written on the front face. Any help would be greatly appreciated.