I have a 2008 Xterra X. I'm trying to install a Pioneer head unit but the person I purchased the Xterra from cut the factory harness out. I tried to match wire colors but that did work. Any body have a color coded wire diagram for this model? Also, does the head units ground need to be screwed into the chassis or can it be attached to the mounting brackets? And will the head unit work without the ground? Any help would be appreciated!!!! This forum rocks and I love the new SUV. Thanks

I am obsesive complusive when it. To stereo installs so here is what I would do. I would but a factory wiring harness and put it back in. Then I would go to circuit city and get smart cables. You would need 2 of them. 1 would be Nissan xyerra to smart cable and the other one would be smart cable to pioneer. I know this sounds like a lot of work but it's not the smart cables will plug I to eachother then one will plug into your factory harness and the other end will plug into the stereo. They are 20 a piece but it does a really clean job and if you ever get another head unit it makes it easy to switch over. My 2 cents. Welcome to club x!!!

That would be a great way to do it but I spent all my mopney on the downpayment for the SUV. I guess I may have to wait until I can afford to buy those harnesses. Would I get the factory harness from Best Buy or nissan? Thanks for the quick reply.

Unfortunately I think they changed some stuff for 08. You might follow the links in this thread http://www.clubxterra.org/forums/showthread.php?t=4836 and see if an 07 manual will help. The wiring will have a ground in it so a seperate ground will be unneccessary.

I'll check out the thread. Why change a good thing ya know? I went to Circuit City and the harness they had didn't match what the factory picture looked like so it must be way different. Thanks for the help. - D

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?i=120707552&tp=2977&tab=review
Did a quick search on crutchfield, is that what you are looking for?

hmmm try circuit citys website they have to make them cause thats what they use when they install radios in peoples cars rather then splicing the wires

That's not it either. Mine has 11 wires coming from it. I must have a different harness than most. Even Best Buy didn't have a harness for mine. I'm really going to have to do some research. Anyone have a friend that works at NIssan in the install department??? !!!

can you take pictures of what you are dealing with in your xterra?

The 08 uses wiring harness Scosche NN04B harness, NAA2B antenna adapter.

I can take a pic right after work and post it. Thanks all!!!

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I hope I uploaded these right. My camera apparently sucks. I didn't notice until I took these closeups. Anyways, the colors on the harness are 2 red, 1 orange, 1 blue, 1 brown, 1 light green (aqua), 2 dark green 1 with a black stripe, 2 grey and 1 black. None of these match anything I've seen. Usually red is constant, yellow is switched, black is ground, blue antenna and orange is illumination. The ones with two colors have to be the front two mids and two tweets and the two rears. The rest is a mystery?? Thanks for looking at this.

If I came upon this problem I would get a test light,turn the key on and go to work, Like you said Red should be a hot, Orange or Yellow a hot, and black should be ground, you've got to have one hot key off, one hot with key on. If you have two hots and a ground the radio will turn on. You can test them with the test light. Next would be the hard part, go in and look at all your speakers the wire colors.
I pulled my radio out and looked at the harness and it didnt tell me much,the factory harness would look like, To ths side Yellow,then brown,blue,green,black,green black,grey,red. flip it over you got Light blue,red,grey,orange. (Your radio would be Yellow Hot all time,red hot key on)
I'm thinking front door and tweeters on same wires.2 right 2 left wires.

I found this for a Nissan Frontier is similar
2008 Nissan Frontier Truck Car Radio Stereo Audio Wiring Diagram

Car Radio Battery Constant 12v+ Wire: Yellow
Car Radio Accessory Switched 12v+ Wire: Green/Black
Car Radio Ground Wire: Chassis
Car Radio Illumination Wire: Red/Blue
Car Stereo Dimmer Wire: Red/Yellow
Car Stereo Amp Trigger Wire: Green/White
Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Brown
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Blue
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Light Green
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Red
Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Green
Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Black
Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Gray
Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Orange

I looked at the Frontier. It was close but not the same. The tester lights a great idea. That's where I'm headed next. Thanks for all the input. I hope that works, I'd hate to have to take off the door panels to look at the speaker wires!

I'm thinking a light blue/red is right front,grey/orange is right rear,brown/blue is left front,green/black left rear. Once you get power you can try some combos to see if you hear sound.Without looking at the speakers.

I am not sure about the wiring diagram, but I have an 08 and found out the hard way that the wiring harness sold at Best Buy and Crutchfield was the wrong one. I had to buy one for an 08 Versa (I found that out from another forum from a guy that works at Circuit City). It worked great. Also had to get the antenna adapter for the Versa too. However, when I just went to the link someone posted above to Crutchfield...it looks like they have finally updated their website with the right wiring harness. It should have ONE connector...not two like the they sold me first. Just thought I would let you know in case you decide to add the connector later. If I run across a wiring diagram somewhere I will post it.