Have you just missed the new album launch of your favorite artist? Are you currently stuck in bad weather on your way home from work? Did you miss the recent developments in your favorite political candidate polls that you wish you had right now?
Is the reason you are missing all these important things the result of too much traffic or a faulty car stereo? If you answered yes to most of these questions, then you definitely need a new car stereo.
Knowing how to install a car stereo is an important step to ensuring a more comfortable car ride and life. It also makes your car the ideal travel companion for your family and provides discussion topics on rides home. My daughter cannot seem to remain quiet on the way from school about everything that comes on the new stereo.
Here are some tips on how to install a stereo system in your car.
How to Install a Car Stereo As a DIY
Installing your cars stereo is actually a very easy procedure. For those who prefer to do their own stuff, this might prove interesting and might save some bucks.
What You Need
- A #2 screwdriver
- A voltage meter
- Pliers
- Sand paper or file
- A small battery
- A soldier/ crimper
- Wire ties and electrical tape to keep the car stereos wires in place
- Utility knife
- User manual for the new stereo system
Preparing for Installation
Making preparations for the car stereo installation is important because you do not want to discover that you are missing important items midway. To prepare, you need to do the following:
1. Purchase
- A car stereo wire harness to connect the existing wiring for your old head unit to your new one.
- An amplifier wiring kit containing all the wires to get power and signal to your amplifier
- Six feet of 4-gauge speaker wires for the subwoofers.
2. Removing the original stereo system
- You will have to remove the old stereo from your car before installing a new one.
- Disconnect the ground or negative cable from your battery. Never work on the electronic system of your car when the ground or negative cable on your car battery is still connected.
- Using the screwdriver, remove the screws holding the radio’s front panel. Keep the screws safely.
- Take the front panel out. A second panel should be visible which you need to pull out gently until it unsnaps.
- Gently unscrew the bolts or screws holding the radio or stereo in place and pull it out.
- Unplug the cable connecting the stereo to the car.
3. The installation
- Normally, there will be a metal clip on the speaker wire that can slide on to the new wires. If there is none, cut the wire off the old speakers and strip off about half an inch and six inches off your new ones.
- Attach the connectors to your new speaker ensuring you connect the negative black wire to the negative terminal and the red to the positive and screw the speaker in place.
- Connect the harness of the stereo to the connector that was on the old radio. Then connect the antenna cable to your new head unit.
- Use the cut, strip, twist and tape method above if your speaker wires are separate from the harness.
- Put the speaker enclosures back together.
- Attach the positive power cable of your amplifier to the positive terminal of your battery using the o-ring at one end of the wire.
Put the Fuse in the Fuse Holder
- Start by running the power cable through your cars firewall, preferably under the plastic molding under the car seat where your amplifier will be located.
- Run the remote wire from the amp kit to the amplifier and the RCA signal cable to the amplifier from the head unit through the dash.
- Choose a location for your amplifier and subwoofers. Make sure the ground cable is as short as possible preferably not more than three feet.
- Sandpaper the metal surface where the o-ring will be before screwing it tightly.
- Now attach the remote and RCA signal cables to your head unit.
- Connect your speaker wires to the left and right channels of the amplifier and attach them to the connectors of the subwoofer box.
- Mount the head unit onto the dash, double-checking to ensure all connections are in place.
- Reconnect the negative cable to your battery and test your stereo by listening to the speakers as you move the car around.
- Lastly put the dash back in place and you are done.
Hiring Someone Else
Another alternative is to get your stereo installation done by someone else. Several automotive companies provide such services. Some electronic stores install the stereos free of charge upon purchase from their stores.
Conclusion and Warnings
It is advisable to read the installation guides that come with the new stereo equipment, especially for the head units to get additional insights on proper installation and wiring procedures. In addition, follow the required safety precautions when handling the battery and electrical components of your car to eliminate the risk of suffering an electric shock.
There are many benefits of installing a new car stereo. Many people install new stereo systems in their cars to update their existing stereo systems. Some people install new stereo systems because they want to listen to their favorite tracks in high definition.
In any case, knowing how to install a new car audio system can save you a lot of money and allow you to personalize it the way you want.
I hope that this article provided some valuable tips on how to install a car stereo. Please share the article with your friends and followers on social media.
