replace clarion xmd3

mattias

mattias

Member
Jan 27, 2019
105
Powell, Ohio
Boat Info
240 SD

Tow Vehicle = 2014 Diesel Grand Cherokee
Engines
350 Mag
Bravo III drive
We have a 2005 240SD. It has the original Clarion XMD3 radio with 2 wired remotes (helm & transom). It looks like the head unit has quit working (the 2 remotes stopped working quite some time ago)! I have been wanting to replace this with a bluetooth unit anyway (streaming music from our phones is all we listen to anyway - no AM/FM, satellite, CD's, etc...). The unit I am looking at just mounts in the hole on the dash - this is round and not oval like the original, but I think the hole is round anyway. What size is that hole? Is the one on the transome the same size hole?
 
mattias said:
We have a 2005 240SD. It has the original Clarion XMD3 radio with 2 wired remotes (helm & transom). It looks like the head unit has quit working (the 2 remotes stopped working quite some time ago)! I have been wanting to replace this with a bluetooth unit anyway (streaming music from our phones is all we listen to anyway - no AM/FM, satellite, CD's, etc...). The unit I am looking at just mounts in the hole on the dash - this is round and not oval like the original, but I think the hole is round anyway. What size is that hole? Is the one on the transome the same size hole?
Click to expand...

The holes for the remotes should be round. Are you looking at the round Clarion head unit? If so I think it's meant to go in a much larger hole. You could always expand the remote hole but those round units are meant to fit in something larger like a speedo dash hole.
 
The head unit is a double din unit. The 2 remotes are oval. However, i am pretty sure they are round holes they are in. The unit im looking at fits a 3" round hole. Are the holes in my boat 3"?
 
mattias said:
The head unit is a double din unit. The 2 remotes are oval. However, i am pretty sure they are round holes they are in. The unit im looking at fits a 3" round hole. Are the holes in my boat 3"?
Click to expand...

I can't remember off-hand but I believe the remote holes are much less than 3"

I had some issues with my XMD3 when I first got the boat, and almost put a Clarion GR10BT at the helm. If this is the same one you're looking at, it seems like a great deal for what it does but in my case it would've been a tight at the helm.

The Clarion M608 would be a good replacement for the XMD3 since it's the same size, but there are issues getting your current remotes to work with this new head unit. I've seen adapters to make the remotes work but never tried them.

In the end, I kept the XMD3, fixed what was wrong with it and added an Aux IN port at the helm. That is good enough for me and I don't have to deal with BT cutting in and out. I do use BT to connect a tablet to vessel view mobile above the dash. I'm planning to add another aux in by the aft seat so guests can plug in their phone for music too.
 
mattias said:
The head unit is a double din unit. The 2 remotes are oval. However, i am pretty sure they are round holes they are in. The unit im looking at fits a 3" round hole. Are the holes in my boat 3"?
Click to expand...
No. IIRC they are about 1 1/2”. I turned mine into a 3” to add a Sony remote. Then 6 years later I had to fill in the hole and re-gel coat it with Spectrum, when I decided to stop monkeying around and just go with the Fusion head unit, external wired remote and ANT.
 
I really like that Fusion unit but i really dont care if i have remotes or not - i can control everything with my phone...

Will a single din head unit fit when i pull the xmd3 out?
 
mattias said:
I really like that Fusion unit but i really dont care if i have remotes or not - i can control everything with my phone...

Will a single din head unit fit when i pull the xmd3 out?
Click to expand...
Cannot control everything, the volume can only be controlled by the app, the buttons on your device do not control the volume. Idiots did that.
 
They always find a way to "get" you! So, if I put in a single DIN head unit with an AUX input and connect that via a cable to my phone, would I be able to control the volume that comes out of my phone still? (I would just leave the volume all the way up on the head unit and just control the volume on my phone?)
 
I dont know that much about how single DIN units attach vs. double DIN units. Will a single DIN attach OK in a double DIN opening?
 
If you get a Fusion unit, they have a nice app for your phone that controls volume, sub, zones and Spotify.
 
mattias said:
I dont know that much about how single DIN units attach vs. double DIN units. Will a single DIN attach OK in a double DIN opening?
Click to expand...
You could order an adapter kit, https://www.amazon.com/s?k=universal+double+din+to+single+din+adapter&crid=1SWRN3LIWUX9C&sprefix=universal+,aps,69&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

...or, as I did, custom make one. I purchased some birch at Menards, cut it, pre-drilled the mounting holes, sanded it, stained it antique grey and then mounted it in place with black painted screws. Looks better than stock IMO and was inexpensive to build. Just takes a couple days of your time.

The Fusion app ( Fusion Link) works great. I can also operate basic functions from my Garmin watch while floating in the water. We have a wireless ANT remote on the stern so if you're on the swim platform and want to skip a song or change the volume, it's convenient without having to climb completely in the boat. If you ever purchase a Garmin chart plotter you can NEMA2000 the functions into that as well.
 
Last edited:
JimG said:
If you get a Fusion unit, they have a nice app for your phone that controls volume, sub, zones and Spotify.
Click to expand...
It sounds good but in real life it is a PIA. So you are in your boat listening to music and a neighbor stops by to tell you something so you need to turn down the volume, you cannot just hit the side buttons and turn it down, like most BT devices, you must put your passcode into the phone, go to the app, open it, now you can adjust the volume. Your neighbor is thinking why doesn’t he just turn it down? Great hardware, but as is typical, a hardware company often sucks at software…
 
OllieC said:
You could order an adapter kit, https://www.amazon.com/s?k=universal+double+din+to+single+din+adapter&crid=1SWRN3LIWUX9C&sprefix=universal+,aps,69&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

...or, as I did, custom make one. I purchased some birch at Menards, cut it, pre-drilled the mounting holes, sanded it, stained it antique grey and then mounted it in place with black painted screws. Looks better than stock IMO and was inexpensive to build. Just takes a couple days of your time.

The Fusion app ( Fusion Link) works great. I can also operate basic functions from my Garmin watch while floating in the water. We have a wireless ANT remote on the stern so if you're on the swim platform and want to skip a song or change the volume, it's convenient without having to climb completely in the boat. If you ever purchase a Garmin chart plotter you can NEMA2000 the functions into that as well.
Click to expand...


I wear my phone on a lanyard in a waterproof bag that allows most phone functions to work, including talk to text, that is how I control mine…
 
MonacoMike said:
I wear my phone on a lanyard in a waterproof bag that allows most phone functions to work, including talk to text, that is how I control mine…
Click to expand...
I'm overkill for the size of my Weekender. Fusion Head unit in cabin, NRX3000 at the helm, NEMA 2000 Garmin at the helm, ANT at the swim platform, Garmin watch, and Fusion Link in the watch, chart plotter and phone. I only did it because I could - but I like my tunes while floating around.
 
MonacoMike said:
Cannot control everything, the volume can only be controlled by the app, the buttons on your device do not control the volume. Idiots did that.
Click to expand...
The side buttons control volume for me. The setting is on the Fusion App: Settings (Gear Icon)...Phone Volume Synch. Then, there are check boxes for each defined zone. This is the Apollo 770, not sure if it is implemented for all models but worth a look.
 
alnav said:
The side buttons control volume for me. The setting is on the Fusion App: Settings (Gear Icon)...Phone Volume Synch. Then, there are check boxes for each defined zone. This is the Apollo 770, not sure if it is implemented for all models but worth a look.
Click to expand...
Sadly the RA-70 does not, I believe some do. I was reading reviews of the clarion 508 and users were complaining about it not working with the side buttons either, and it does not have a good way to control volume in different zones.
 
MonacoMike said:
Sadly the RA-70 does not, I believe some do. I was reading reviews of the clarion 508 and users were complaining about it not working with the side buttons either, and it does not have a good way to control volume in different zones.
Click to expand...
Looks like all Fusion models starting with MS have the feature starting with the RA-210 which is all but the RA-70. One can tell by looking at the manual and checking which zone settings are available.
 
OK - now I'm really at a loss and could use this groups expert help! I changed the Clarion XMD3 head unit since I had power at the head unit but it wasn't coming on. Swapped with a PYLE head unit since it had the AUX port that I needed (ant not a whole bunch of expensive stuff that I dont need). Why I'm at a loss = after cutting and splicing everything back in to the new harness, I have power at the head unit (yellow and red wires) in fact, the USB input backlight on the head unit comes on but the radio still won't turn on? Why? What to you guys think is the issue?
 
I had a similar problem, I ended up running a wire to red and yellow from the fuse block under the dash. Never did figure out why it didn’t work.

That gave me a good reason to add an isolated house block
 
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