Morning guys...my radio on my '97 Dakota is going berserk,going from one station to another on it's own,even sometimes when I use the turn signal(but not always)...so am thing since am going to replace it anyway,why not upgrade to cd/radio instead of tape...not much experience with replacing radio /cd's,so does any1 know if the pins on harness will accept cd/radio conversion,or what hardware is needed?...thx.

 

Check Crutchfield.com. They will supply you everything needed for a plug and play installation of an aftermarket head unit.

 

Thanks jkeaton,you are quick!...I guess I should have been more specific...I want to replace it with a Dodge radio/cd unit I can get from ebay,salvage yd,or from wherever...thx again.

 

You're limited to radio's from about '97-'00. In '01 they changed the bezel to a more "rounded" appearance to fit the new dash.

Your radio should have 2 connectors on the back. Make sure any replacement has the same.

Do you know if you have Infinity sound? It should have tweeters in the doors if you do.

 

Hi Dan,thx. for info...I don't know if I have the Infinity sound system...I will look...is there a way to tell on the face of the radio?...and are there a certain amount of pins on each of those 2 connectors that will allow the conversion from tape to cd?...just want to be sure as much as I can that once I buy a cd/radio,the cd part will work once put in...any help would be helpful...thx.

 

As long as the replacement radio has the same two connectors on the back of its case it should work fine. One connector is gray, the other is black and the number of pins on each will be the same if you buy the same vintage replacement radio. A radio from a 97 to 2000 will fit the dash and have the correct connections. Your factory radio will also have a ring terminal with a silver braided ground strap bolted to the case. If you buy a replacement OE Dodge radio you should be able to plug in the gray and black connectors, bolt on the ground strap and plug in the antenna and the new radio should work whether you have the Infinity system or not. Some Chrysler/Dodge radios had the Infinity logo on the face of the radio and some did not. The best way to tell is if you have separate tweeters up high on the front door panels you have the Infinity system. The molded tweeter grilles may also have the Infinity name on the bottom edge of the grille. I would caution you to be very careful about buying a radio from the junk yard or ebay. Be sure either one will give you a refund if the replacement radio does not work. There is no way to tell if it works or not until you plug it in and test it yourself. A good aftermarket radio will have more features, some even have Blue Tooth integration and some aftermarket units could even cost the same or less than a questionable 15 year old used OEM radio. Crutchfield is a good place to start shopping. So is Sonic Electronix. It is a super easy job to replace the radio in your Dakota.

Jimmy

 

I'll add to 01SilverCC's comments - over on AllPar.COM, there's some really nice writeups on the various decks that Mopar has used through these years, including the most common failures (solder joints, who'da thunk?) and how to tweak them.

I've got a dual CD/cassette deck I need to go through - picked it up for $12, the CD doesn't play and the right front is dead. Both are moderately common failures with age, it appears - first is "Tweak the LED first" and the second is "Well, duh, no workee with cracked solder joints!" *grins* Easy peasy to fix on both with a decent bench.

RwP

 

I am REALLY glad I found this site,& for all the good info & suggestions from all...what do I need Haynes/Chiltons for?..I got all I need here!!!...saves me $20!...01SilverCC/RalphP,you have such good info,I am rethinking on getting a 10-15 yr old unit that might work for a week/year,might go the aftrmkt way,might even help w/selling truck when/if I sell...had '01 G. Caravan a few yrs. ago,changed radio on it & it was easy,Silver,hope my '97 will be same...& thx again jkeaton/dakdan...help from all,am going to also give back on here when I feel I can contribute something useful.......every1 is now on my Christmas card list!...Mark.

 

If you buy from Crutchfield they supply an instruction sheet with directions to remove the old radio and install the new one. They also give you a free dash kit and wire harness too if you buy a new deck that is $99.00 and up, which saves you a good $25.00 to $35.00 right there.

It really is very easy to install a new deck in a 97 Dakota, just put the gear shifter down in low if you have an automatic, start at one end of the dash bezel and pull out on it to release the retainer clips from the sub-dash. Set the bezel aside and remove the two 10mm bolts holding in the radio, remove the 10mm bolt on the back of the radio for the ground strap, unplug the connectors and antenna. Then mount the new deck in the installation kit, wire up the harness matching wires color for color, don't forget the blue/white amp trigger wire if you have the Infinity system. If you use a Metra 99-6500 Ford/Chrysler installation kit leave the Ford mounting tabs on the sides of the kit intact. They will butt up against the sub dash on the sides of the radio cavity and give a lot more stability to your new deck. It also may help to not use the factory ground strap, just use a short piece of 12 to 14 gauge wire to extend the ground wire of the new deck down to the passenger kick panel and ground it there under an existing bolt or screw. The factory grounds can become contaminated over time and may not be the best ground connection for a modern high powered deck. Good luck with it and let us know if we can help.

Jimmy

 

Hi 01silvercc...your are the 2nd or 3rd to push me in Crutchfields corner,will go with them ,esp. if I can save a few bucks...nice heads up on the grounding thing,would have never thought to do that,good call,thx...I appreciate the time you have taken on last texts to help,it really can make things go easier...others too...whatdoIoweya?...whitty.