Hello,

my 85 w123 has a becker grand prix. I have a becker europa that I am getting refurbished by becker, and will install it in my car (it was from my 83 123).

My question is, which color wire do I attach to each spot on the radio? speaker wires make sense, antenna wire makes sense... but there is brown, black, red, and grey... more wires than i have spots for.

I assume that red is hot, and brown is ground to the bolt on the back. but the black??? I think grey would be for 'illumination' of the grand prix - not necessary on a europa.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks!

JMH

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Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (116k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (267k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K), 1985 300D (233K), 1993 300D 2.5T (338k), 1993 300SD (291k)

From my mem:

Red is constant 12V
Brown is ground
Black is switched 12V
Grey is dimmer

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

In a 1984 300D - I am installing a new radio, and have everything hooked up, the radio works, except I do not have the power antenna working yet...

I have the red and black from the four-plug hooked up properly and the radio properly gets power. I have also identified the wire out of the radio that will power the antenna...

I have the brown and gray wires left...is one of these the antenna power?

This is an old thread but I have the same issue as docphiliowa had here. Switched out the radio on my '84 300D, everything's great but now the power antenna doesn't work. I'm guessing I forgot to reconnect a wire with the new stereo... does that sound right?

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1984 300DT - Los Angeles - 160k

Brown is likely a ground, grey may be illumination if it had the connector for the digital radio.

What radio are you connecting to? I'd probe the grey to the antenna switch connector for continuity,as that is my guess.

Beware of switched 12v sources indicating false grounds... I messed up on an 85, thinking one wire was ground as it showed 12v from the battery, but when the lights switched on, it was effectively a short.

__________________
Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (116k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (267k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K), 1985 300D (233K), 1993 300D 2.5T (338k), 1993 300SD (291k)

It's not that hard. There's plenty of info out there. Do you have the same issue, i.e. brown and gray wires left? Or is everything great? Sometime's starting a new thread with clear info is the best solution.

Did you replace it with a Becker for a plug and play? Or an aftermarket radio?

The factory antenna wire is probably black, has a female spade fitting - and connects to the antenna switch. If you're not sure, then pop the antenna switch and trace the wire. It may be blue or red/blue. It should connect to the single male stub on a Becker, or the blue wire on an aftermarket. But you also need to make sure the antenna is getting power in the trunk (separate line). If your trunk light works, the fuse is okay.

Search is your friend here, this has been explained many times.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=290014

In my 85 123, behind the radio in the dash, the antenna wire is covered in a black sheath, if you pull back the sheath the wire is blue. For my car that was the antenna wire power. hope this helps.

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