How to wire a car stereo

Aftermarket upgrades to car stereo systems are becoming more and more difficult to do at home. But the basic wiring for all stereos remains the same. Depending on the make and model of your vehicle, getting to the stereo is harder than the actual wiring job. Once you have gotten the dash apart to reach the face of the stereo, you can move on to the steps below to walk you through.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Screwdriver set including star heads, Allen heads, Phillips and flat heads
• Black electrical tape
• Mounting kit for your car's make and model, including wiring harness if your new stereo does not come with one
• Wire strippers
• Owner's manual for your vehicle (wiring diagram for your stereo)

1. Unscrew the screws that mount your old stereo into your vehicle. In many cases, there are only two, in the upper-right and lower-left corners, or vice versa. Keep these in your pocket or a place they will not get lost. Pull your stereo out of the dash, and unhook the antenna. This is a cylindrical device that is normally black and silver and is normally on the right side when inside your dash.

2. Unplug the wiring harness from the back of the old stereo. This normally has a small clip on the end that you have to push down on to release the harness. Now that your old stereo is out, lay it aside. Take the mounting kit out of the package and follow the directions, since not all mounting kits are the same. Place the front of your new mount around the front or face of your new stereo on your lap.

3. Take the wiring harness from the back of your new stereo or mounting kit, and connect it to the end of your old wiring harness by pushing it into place until you hear a click. This means it is secure and fastened. Reattach your antenna to the new stereo in the same receptacle that you saw on your old stereo.

4. If you do not have a wiring harness, you need to match the colors of the wires. Using your wire stripper, strip the last 1/4 inch of each wire so the exposed area can be used. Do this with all of the wires for each speaker, left and right front and rear, as well as the antenna, power and ground wires on both the old harness and the new wires on the back of your new stereo. You should have no less than seven groups of wires: one for right front, one for right rear, one for left front, one for left rear. one for the antenna, one for power and one for ground.

5. Color-match the wires from the old harness to the new harness, and twist the last 1/4 inch of each corresponding wire together. Once this is done, use electrical tape to secure the combined ends. If a bare wire is showing, it could cause a short. You can snip off the ends and leave it, since there will be no power to it. If there are wires on your old harness that do not have matches on the new harness, you should consult your manual as to the use of the wire.

6. Slide the wiring back inside the hole in your dash and push your new stereo back into the area until it is secure. Replace the two screws in the front of your stereo to hold it in place. Continue with the directions for how to attach your new mount to the dash, since each one is different. Replace the screws or mounting brackets on your dash, and you have successfully wired a car stereo.

Tips & Warnings

• Each vehicle is different, and so is each mounting kit. Depending on your make and model of car, there may be many options as to how to mount your new stereo. Always choose the correct kit for your year, since earlier years will not fit the same way because the wiring and dash are different from year to year. Colors for wires differ from year to year in certain model vehicles, so always consult your owner's manual to find the use for each wire. Generally, solid yellow or blue is your antenna. White, purple and green are reserved for speakers, and black is always your ground. Red will always be your power wire and should be watched to make sure it does not touch metal of any kind in the process of changing out your stereos.