Does anyone out here have any advice/tips/tricks for installing an Empeg in a 1999 Passat? I presume I'll be replacing the factory cassette deck in there. The unit and it's amp are being transplanted from a Ford Contour.

I have the Crutchfield mastersheets for the car, but I am wondering where the best location is for the amplifier! I have read the previous thread regarding the nasty 3rd party installer claiming it would be a tough job, but I am wondering if anyone out here ended up doing it on their own, and how difficult it may be?

Now, if my dealership would only get off it's arse and get the car registered, I'd be a happy camper!

Thanks,
-Greg

I think that electrically, the 99 Passat is the same as a MkIV Golf/Jetta/Beetle, although you probably want to confirm that..

Anyway, the Golf has a couple of things to watch out for;
Constant 12V and Ignition 12V are swapped in the factory harness's ISO connector. The easiest way to deal with this is to swap them in the empeg's harness too - the factory harness would cost about $3k to replace if you buggered it up, and if you ever sell the car then it's harness would still be stock.
The stock harness also has the OBDII K-wire fed to the stock HU. You want to double check that the empeg's harness doesn't conect anything to it. (It shouldn't IIRC),

Try searching on Golf / Jetta / Beetle for more information, there's been a few VW installs..

Anyway, the Golf has a couple of things to watch out for;

Additionally; there might be an extra +12V line from the car at pin 5 (the normal +12 and switched +12V should be pins 4&7) of the power/signals harness/plug (there should also be a speaker harness/plug) where most aftermarket HUs output the remote turn on wire. I removed the pins from the plug, insulated it and taped it back along the harness; then inserted a new pin with wire going to the amps remote turn on.

If you have a tuner, you'll probably need a special adaptor so that you can feed +12V down the antenna lead to power the antenna amplifier that your car probably has...

For some info on my installation in a 00/01 VW Polo, take a look here.

/Michael

Yes, there is an extra 12V in the wrong place.... I couldn't help but think that I was missing something, but couldn't be bothered to search..

In my defense, I *did* mention that searching would reveal details