Car Stereo Installation

So you’ve purchased a new car stereo and want to replace your old one, what about installation? Well, there are actually two things you can do to have your car stereo installed. First, if you don’t really have the “know-how’s” for car stereo installation and you’ve got the budget, then you can hire an expert to do it for you. Second, if you’re the “do-it-yourselfer” person, then you can purchase a car stereo installation kit and do the installation yourself.

When doing a DIY car stereo installation, there are some important things and tips to remember for safer and easier installation of the car stereo. Follow these easy steps on how to install a car stereo to ensure that your car stereo installation is a success:

Step 1

Before starting the installation, turn off the car’s electricity by removing its “negative battery cable” from the terminal. If the old factory stereo holds an “anti-theft” device, get the “code” from the device before detaching the battery.

Step 2

Take out the “trim panels” around the stereo. Cars differ slightly in this part. Perhaps you may have to take out a number of screws and clips to get its “trip” pieces off. This may be a little difficult to find because car manufacturers usually try to conceal as much of these “fasteners” as possible. A number of cars may even have few screws on the glove box’s sides or at the back of cupholders.

Step 3

Remove the old car stereo’s head unit. This typically requires removing its screws that hold it to the dash. After taking off the screws, pull it straight out until you’ll be able to reach its wires attached to the back. Disconnect its power cable, release its wiring harness, and remove its antenna cable.

The “wiring harness” is a plastic connector which joins all the speaker system’s wirings into one connection or “harness”. Factory stereo comes with an “adapter” matched with the “factory-installed harness”. A number of cars like Ford have a pair of small holes on every side of the head unit’s face. If the car has this system, then you may need to purchase a basic “stereo removal tool” from stores of car parts to be able to remove the old stereo from its place.

The wiring harness’ end must have four to eight “color coded” wires that come from the back of it. Two wires go to every speaker (positive and negative). The majority of negative wires will be indicated with “black stripe”. Positive wires will either have white stripe or solid colors.

Step 4

The new car stereo possibly doesn’t come with its own adapter that will fit the “harness” inside the dash. You will need to purchase a “wiring harness kit” from electronics stores. They will normally cost from $10 to $15, but they’ll be worth the cost. Without the kit, you’ll have to “cut” the factory harness’ wires. It’ll still function if the harness is eliminated, but you’ll be having a “disservice” when you want to change the car stereo in the future.

Step 5

If installing a car stereo smaller than the previous one, you’ll need an adapter kit to appropriately adjust the unit’s fit.

Step 6

Install the “new” wiring harness. It will have to connect to your new stereo. Match every “color coded wire” to its pair, and then crease them together. When all wires have been connected to their “color match”, the car stereo is ready to be installed.

Step 7

Hold the new stereo near enough to its dash in order to plug every connection into the back of the new stereo. Check and test what you’ve done to ensure that every wire has been matched correctly. Check is if the balance and fader adjustments function properly. If all is functioning well, then push back the radio into the dash and secure it with its screws.

Step 8

After the car stereo is correctly mounted, put back the “trim pieces”, and reconnect its hardware that holds it in place.

Replacing an old car stereo with a new one is an excellent job for those who have the “do-it-yourself” skills. DIY car stereo installation will save a good amount on installation fees, especially for those tight with budget.