Are you certain that your head unit will actually drive a subwoofer unit?
I ran into a similar problem when I installed a Marauder subwoofer in my 2004 GMQ LS Ultimate edition. The Marauder head unit looks exactly the same as the Alpine Premium head unit that was installed in the LS series cars, and the rear of the LS head unit even had a socket for the subwoofer cable to plug into, but the LS head unit wasn't programmed to drive a sub. I learned that I needed an Alpine head unit from a Marauder (or one out of a few other Ford cars) to actually drive the subwoofer amplifier.

FWIW: The Ford part number for the 2003 Marauder head unit is: 3W3T-18C868-AA. There is a similar part number for the 2004 Marauder, beginning with 4W3T-

For that matter, could an aftermarket signal processor be used to drive the sub amp?

Based on what Ponyguy says above, I'm guessing there's no way I can get an aftermarket player to drive the factory subwoofer and premium sound system that came in my 07 Sport. I still have the CD player head unit, but the car was used for police purposes so they disconnected all but one speaker.

Good question 🤔

If you look at my sig, it’ll tell you what radio I have. Also I went by this guy’s advice on YouTube, watch carefully.

https://youtu.be/T1DzhJ20e08

Here are my factory wire harness connector for the subwoofer.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dt1qakAwMQ63vc5N2oUSAWJGGklofcNc/view?usp=sharing


https://drive.google.com/file/d/161datvkoJXiSHvPu327NwrlY7qCXD8S1/view?usp=sharing


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mdwjpPfNEa60dICnKFn4F1BINFB4lDMJ/view?usp=sharing

I don't know about crown vics but other ford vehicles the radios that came with sub woofers looked the same but are setup differently with bass going to the subwoofer and not the car speakers. I never tried running a normal radio with the subwoofer so I don't know how that would sound.

This whole thread is reminding me that I should look for one of those stock subwoofers.

Well, it looks like mine will be available.

I just pulled the 6 CD head unit out of the dash looking for cut wires because I swear I was only getting sound out of the right front speaker and the balance/fader doesn't work.

Nope, no cut wires and I was getting sound out of all four speakers but no discernible thump from the subwoofer. Of course, the treble bass adjustment doesn't work either, so no real way to tell if I'm getting anything. In any event, sound didn't go very loud and didn't sound very good. Not crappy, but not special either.

Since I'd MUCH rather have a phone sync, carplay, backup camera gps android head unit than an obsolete CD changer tied to a ford subwoof system that doesn't work, I'll likely be pulling the whole thing

Ok it’s been over 3 or so weeks and no one has been able to help me.

I'm following this thread and your video links closely. I just got my aftermarket Android headunit which can power an amp and sub. Based on that guys linked advice in the video, I should be able to do the same splice to my factory sub and amp, which uses the same connector he shows, and tell you what happens. I'm eager to try.

Based on my preliminary use of the stock 6-cd radio in the car, I can tell you it works, all four speakers work with the sub/amp connected or disconnected, but if the sub and amp are working they aren't working well. Sound is very much on the order of blah-normal compared to my previous cars. I'll do a much more thorough preconversion test before I swap and I'll let you know what I think.

If the stock sub/amp doesn't blow my ears back, I'll swap it out for aftermarket.

BTW, on thing I've noticed about the factory head unit is that it is hot as blazes at all times in the dash. great big hunk of steel that is like a fresh ingot at all times. Probably because my blend door is busted on hot and is deep frying center dash at all times.

UPDATE: I decided to go the aftermarket route. Bought a Kicker mono sub amp CX400 and a little Tang Band 5.25 inch subwoofer to replace the stock OEM Ford subwoofer speaker. Unfortunately, I had to reorder another OEM MM subwoofer assembly since the one I got before lacked the mounting bracket. As of right now, I am mounting the Kicker amp to where the original OEM amp was. Unfortunately, the stock amp and sub will not work on my 1998 Crown Vic LX. Tbh, I must have spent well over $500 on this stupid battle of tryna get the MM factory subwoofer working but to no avail and then another $400 buying a Kicker mono amp and accessories.

Will keep y'all posted still haven't got them running yet due to busy work week with school and 2 part time jobs!

good call. I don't want to sound rude, but I have never understood why people try to put factory subwoofers into their cars. It just doesn't make sense to me because of how much more difficult, and often times expensive, it becomes for them to get an ultimately inferior product to an aftermarket setup, which doesn't need to be big or take up a bunch of space. While it doesn't make sense to me, I'm not gonna knock anyone for trying it or wanting to do it

I certainly appreciate your feedback. I must have drank that "Mercury Marauder/Crown Vic premium audio" retrofit koolaid by the quarts. However, seeing how it has fully bolt-on subwoofer enclosure, that's why I decided to go that route, however using its factory amp and plugging it into that "amp plug" proved futile to the max. Worst decision ever! Anyways I ain't gonna go down that rabbit hole no more and keep y'all updated on my progress with pics and possibly a youtube video if I'm inclined to.

Thank you all for your feedback!

I think using that factory sub box is a viable idea as long as your sound expectations are within reason, but it's almost a given the box itself is the only part reused. Even if you use a factory head unit is likely worthwhile to use aftermarket amps and processors to drive the speakers. Factory head units can sound great and don't draw much attention from thieves looking into parked cars anymore, which is what I wanted.

Slightly off-topic, but I was once stuck in traffic near a vehicle with God's Own subwoofer. For over an hour, as I inched along, I was subjected to the most annoying series of booms, rattles, and buzzes. I guess I should have pulled off into the breakdown lane and waited for that horse-ass to go by, but I was already late for an appointment and kept hoping this nightmare would end soon.

I always thought a subwoofer was supposed to extend the frequency range downward, not completely crush it into a non-musical series of grunts, booms and rattles approaching the brown note.

/rant