How to Install a Head Unit in Your Car

Installing a aftermarket head unit in your car can be confusing. I will show you the simplified basics to installing aftermarket, radio, cd player, ipod ready head unit, HD radio ready receiver.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Screw driver set,
• Car interior
• Dash kit if needed
• Wiring kit if needed
• wire strippers
• electrical tap
• But connectors
• Wire crimper

1. Look on crutchfield and go to outfit my ride, and see what fits your car. You can order head units, wiring kits, dash install kits and instructions online for a great price and have it at your door in a week!
   You can also go to your local best buy and they will look up everything you need to install it in your car, and its almost always in stock.

2. 

   First search online and see how you take your dash apart or how to take your radio out. A lot of times it is already online. If not just look at it and see what needs to come off in order to take the radio out.
   Disconnect the negative cable off of the battery, then take apart your dash or whatever you need to remove the old radio, unscrew the skrews that hold the radio in, and pull it out enough to disconnect the wiring in the back of the head unit and antenna plug. and remove the old radio

3. 

   If you need a wiring kit and dash install kit go ahead and put the dash install kit together and connect all the wires from the wiring kit to the wiring coming out of the back of the head unit, there is a wiring diagram on the head unit or with the wiring kit, use but connectors and a wire crimper to connect all of these.

4. 

   Then install the head unit in your dash install kit, then plug in the new wiring harness into the existing wiring harness that you unplugged originally to get the old radio out. Plug in the antenna, sometimes an antenna adapter is needed. Check your wiring and make sure everything is tight and connected to the right wire.
   If you are installing and amplifier, cd changer, i pod cable, HD radio receiver, or aftermarket satellite radio receiver read the instructions and install it now.
   Now its time to test it. Reconnect the negative battery cable and turn on the ignition to your car, and the head unit should turn on. If it does not make sure to check your wiring and make sure everything is correct.

5. Now turn the ignition off and use electrical tape to wire the wires tight together so its not a tangled mess behind the radio. Then screw in the new head unit or the dash install kit with the radio in it. Put your dash or radio cover on and your ready to start listening to some tunes.

Tips & Warnings

• Disconnect the negative battery cable
• Search online for cheap prices for good stereo equipment.
• Search online for guides for your specific car.
• Ask a friend who has done it before.

Resources

• Crutchfield - outfit my car

[jurbrar]

on 6/15/2009 HEY !THAT SOUNDS PRETY EASY I'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND

[gahazeleyes]

on 6/8/2009 Very informative. Thanks for sharing.

[greatgreat8]

on 6/5/2009 this is great information