’91 Honda Accord, Kenwood KDC-C515FM

I have a '91 Honda Accord. I replaced the factory stereo when it stopped working, with another Honda AM-FM/Cassette stereo from a '94 Accord. This was a simple plug and play change. I don't know if it's a CD ready stereo however I do know there is nothing about CD's control on it. Now, I have a Kenwood KDC-C515FM 10 disc CD changer I want to install. The newer '94 stereo has an 8 pin, what I guess to be, a CD output on the back of the stereo. The Kenwood changer is a 13 pin. The changer has a black, red and yellow wires coming of the FM modulator as well as the seperate CD controller wire and antenna. I have no idea if the '91 Honda is wired for CD but the newer '94 stereo appears to be. I wired up the changer with quick splice connectors. I got power but nothing happens or nothing plays anyway. The changer loads CD's and it switches from stereo to a dead station sound when the changer kicks on. I can't seem to get any sound other than a staticy radio station in the background noise. I tried changing to FM1 and AM but nothing really helped. I've read somewhere that there is a certain AM station necessary to make the CD's play. I have no book/manual for the Kenwood. I got it from a friend who had it and I know it works/worked. How do I hook this up? Just as I did, direct wire, and is there something else I need to do or is there an adapter to plug into the rear of the newer stereo. Would that work? Please help. THANKS!

Anybody have any ideas?

It sounds to me that you would like to interface the Kenwood changer to the factory, 94' Accord radio in your 91' Accord that you installed prior, correct? If so, that 8 pin port on the back of the radio should be your changer input as that is the amount of pins the factory changers have. Contact a changer interface manufactuer and see if they have something for you. I use PIE interfaces and have been quite happy. There number is 1-800-330-9754 and they are open 8-5 California time.

I checked with P.I.E. but they don't have one. I should say, they do have one but it's to plug into something pre wired in the trunk of a CD equipped car. My stereo is a '94 Honda stereo but the car is a '91 and does not have this pre wired device. I would think too, that I could plug it in from the stereo into the Kenwood but they tell me I can't. They tell me it would go to a factory or an Alpine? CD changer but not a 13 pin Kenwood. This all aside, it should work the way I wired it but it powers up only, wont play CD's. Is there a certain AM station the factory stereo must be on to work? Seems strange to me but....? When I powered up the seperate Kenwood head unit for the changer it did click off the stereo and the CD functions were available, and the CD's loaded into the changer but all I got was a faint radio background noise. It did seem to be working, just no sound? This is frustrating to say the least. I wish I had a Kenwood owners manual. I checked the Kenwood site but the area is under construction.

Oh, I guess then that this '94 stereo is CD ready? Meaning if I could install the P.I.E. type 'interface' then I could eliminate the seperate Kenwood control unit? Is P.I.E. giving me the correct advice? I would think if I had an adapter I could plug and play directly from the back of the stereo to the Kenwood CD changer. They say NOT but what is this thing in the trunk they say I would need to go through before going to the CD changer? I could figure out the pins on the factory stereo and Kenwood [found those diagrams online], cut the one end off of the Kenwood cable connector and build my own using whatever 8 pins I need on the other end. Maybe buying a factory Honda stereo/single CD player would be best? I've got this Kenwood and would like to use it but if it's this much hassle I'll throw it on eBay and buy a factory stereo on eBay, probably cheaper even if a single CD player.

OK. Call Honda dealerships and find out how much that cable is. If it is not too expensive, buy it . Make sure you tell them that you have a 94' Accord. I said dealerships because you may not get the answer you want from the first dealership. From there you can use the PIE interface. Also try EBAY and junkyards. Be cautious when doing either though. If you find one at a junkyard, make sure you can remove the cable without the main harness. 

Thanks but I'm just going to get a new stereo w/ single CD player to install. Anyone want/need this Kenwood 10 disc CD changer w/ all components?