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Brian S's 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe

Brian S. of Racine, WI, was hoping for a little more thump from his 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe. "Even though my truck had the upgraded Monsoon system, it lacked bass," he says. However, the factory amplifier presented a difficult challenge for replacing the speakers, because the amp would need to be bypassed to make the system work. He also wanted a touchscreen receiver, so he decided he'd upgrade the head unit and add some subs instead, and incorporate the factory amp and wiring using an integration adapter.

Brian S's 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe

Items installed:

Bass first

Brian started his installation by placing the Kenwood subs into the sealed Sound Ordnance box, and placing the setup in the cargo area. He says he ran into some difficulty finding the right box to match with the subs, but at 1.26 cubic feet per chamber, the sealed Bass Bunker is a solid choice, and he gets the bass response that's worth showing off to his passengers.

Because he was using the factory Monsoon amplifier, Brian needed to add the PAC SEOM-4 to the wiring mix to ensure he could get the signal from his new stereo to the amp. So he incorporated the SOEM-4 into the harness he'd be connecting to the rear of his new Sony receiver, allowing him to keep the wiring to the Monsoon amp and factory speakers.

Brian S's 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe

The PAC SOEM-4 factory integration adapter installs behind the stereo when used to connect an aftermarket radio to a factory amplifier. It can also be used for other applications, such as converting factory radio speaker-level outputs to preamp-level signals, or adding an aftermarket amp to a factory premium system.

With everything leading up to the receiver taken care of, he added the subs and enclosure to the back of his Santa Fe. Looks pretty good so far!

Brian S's 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe

Getting in touch with his stereo

Brian's first attempt to install his Sony XAV-64BT DVD receiver didn't go so smoothly. There was an issue with the original recommended Metra dash kit, which didn't fit correctly. Brian did some research and discovered that the 95-7313 kit by Metra fit should work. However, when he attempted to attach it to his dash, he realized that it needed to be installed upside down to make it fit. Luckily, this didn't dissuade him from going forward with his installation. As he tells us:

"After playing with it for a while i noticed i had to install the kit upside down on the new stereo; however, that didn't make a difference on the look because it's the same all around. The only reason that I had to install the kit upside down was because you need to go one screw hole lower on the truck than the original stereo was (due to clearance issues with the car dash)."

Brian S's 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe

The Metra dash kit was a bit of a mystery until Brian figured out it needed to be upside down to work with his dash.

Brian S's 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe

Here Brian went one screw hole lower on the dash kit to make the stereo fit.

Good fit, great finish!

Like Brian says, "After installing the kit one hole lower, the car's dash fit in there perfectly and the final product was like factory."

Brian S's 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe

Nary a gap or awkward space to be found anywhere around the Sony XAV-64BT.

Here's what his Santa Fe's Monsoon radio looked like at the beginning of his project:

Brian S's 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe

The stereo looks a little forlorn, huh?

And here's his Sony XAV-64BT after the installation.

Brian S's 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe

Beautiful.


One happy Hyundai owner

Brian's now proudly rocking his new system. "I love showing off my Sony head unit," he tells us, and why shouldn't he? It's a gorgeous touchscreen DVD receiver with lots of features. As for the future, he would still love to add a 4-channel amp, and upgrade all his speakers.

Brian S's 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe


Vehicles in the Custom Car Showroom are submitted by customers and fans, and edited by Crutchfield writing staff. You can find more of these articles on the Showroom main page.

Please share your thoughts below.

  • Michael G from Courtland

    Posted on 3/15/2022

    Where will you pass the power cable from the battery to the amp to power some subwoofers? The firewall?

  • Ricardo A Tortolero from Troy, MI

    Posted on 12/8/2018

    Hi I have a Hyundai Santa Fe 2003 and I have tried to install a new radio but the only problem if that the speakers signals I don;t know where they are..... Could you tell me where they are in the radio connector??

  • Commenter image

    Alexander Hrabe from Crutchfield

    Posted on 2/29/2016

    Calvin, your Santa Fe is an ideal vehicle for a DIY installation of a touchscreen receiver. While "easy" is a relative term depending on previous experience, if you order your new stereo from Crutchfield, we'll give you everything you need for a smooth installation, including step-by-step vehicle-specific installation instructions and free tech support for any questions you may have along the way. For an overview of what's entailed, check out this article. Find out what fits your car using our vehicle selector.

  • Calvin from Tuscaloosa, Al

    Posted on 2/28/2016

    How difficult is it to install a touchscreen radio into my 2003 Santa Fe by myself?

  • Commenter image

    Dominic Devito from Crutchfield

    Posted on 9/21/2015

    Hi Norberto - we sent your question to our sales team for the best answer. They'll be contacting you via email soon. For immediate help, you can contact them via phone or chat.

  • Norberto from Dover, NJ

    Posted on 9/8/2015

    Can I add an amp to the factory radio (not premium) on my 2007 Santa Fe GLS, looking to add a sub woofer and some power to rear doors speakers

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