If you are looking to replace the radio in your 2010 2011 2012 2013 Acura MDX TSX or TL with navigation this wiring combo will help you replace the factory radio while also bypassing the factory amplifier. When replacing the factory radio in your MDX with navigation with an aftermarket radio you will not be able to achieve full volume control. This is because the factory amplifier and factory radio utilize a proprietary CAN BUS communication system. That system is responsible for raising volume, fader controls and muting the amplifier. Due to the design of the system both the factory amplifier and factory radio must be replaced in order to install an aftermarket radio. This wiring combo will help you replace the factory radio and the factory amplifier.
Installing an aftermarket radio in your 2010 2011 2012 2013 Acura MDX TL or TSX will result in the loss of the factory navigation system from being responsive. Your backup camera will not work and the map will not show The installation can be simple if you plan to give up certain speakers. If you want to retain them all you will have to be creative with your wiring.
This wiring combo provides you with the harnesses to plug into the cars factory harness so that your aftermarket radio will have power without wire tapping or splicing any factory wiring. Included in the harnesses are also the leads to keep the factory steering wheel controls working with your aftermarket radio. The other harness in this combo allows you to bypass the factory amplifier and use the aftermarket radios built in amplifier to power the speakers in your Acura MDX TL or TSX. Included in this combo is 8ft of speed wire which allow you to connect the speaker outputs from the aftermarket radio to the amplifier bypass. The radio is located in the center of the dash while the amplifier is located in the passenger kick panel.
This wiring harness combo is for an advanced DIY’r there are multiple wiring decisions that must be made. The MDX/TSX/TL has a total of 10 speakers which include 1 center channel speaker (3.5″), two tweeters(.5″), 4 door woofers(6.5″), two satellite speakers (3.5″), and 1 subwoofer (8″). All the speakers except the subwoofer get the power from the factory amplifier. The subwoofer has its own amplifier inside the enclosure. To get the factory subwoofer to work the signal provided must have DC offset and you will have to wire tap pin 23 on the 28 pin harness going into the amplifier. This pin/wire #23 is the amp turn on trigger for the factory subwoofer amplifier. You must power it with 12V+ either from the remote wire of your aftermarket radio or another source.
If you try to wire all the speakers in your MDX directly to your aftermarket radio you will most likely short the built in amplifier in your radio. You need to decide either which speakers to replace or which speakers you will not hook up. You can also use an amplifier to retain all the speakers. We have a 8 channel amplifier you can use to do so. The most common way to hook up your speakers to your aftermarket radio is to hook up the front left, front right, rear left and rear right speakers. This will also keep your tweeters working as they are wired with your front speakers. Wiring the combo in this configuration will eliminate the center speaker and the satellite speakers they will no longer produce sound.
To keep your factory subwoofer working you will need to wiretap the amp turn on wire which is white on pin 23 of the connector with the thin wires going into your amplifier you will also need to hook up the subwoofer wires to one of your rear speakers to provide it signal. The way the factory subwoofer amplifier turns on in your Acura MDX is with a remote wire and DC offset. So you need to tap the white wire and send a speaker level signal to amplifier for it to turn on and produce sound.
If you want to add amplifiers to the factory radio then you can checkout out our amp T harness.
