Need wiring diagram
Step 1
Understand
the basics of all car stereo systems. A car stereo system consists of 4
main components and the wiring that connects them. These are the head
unit, the main speakers, optional amplifiers and the subwoofers, which
are also optional but generally considered a necessary part of any good
system.
Step 2
Know
that the core of any car stereo is the head unit, which is the cassette
or CD player that goes in the dash. All the other components are
connected to the head unit by at least one pair of wires.
Step 3
Know
about car speakers. The main speakers are usually 2 in the front and 2
in the back, although with what are known as component speakers, each
speaker is broken down into two speakers: one for the highs and one for
the bass. Each speaker or speaker set (known as a channel) connects to
the head unit via a pair of wires. Generally if you are installing a
new head unit you want to install new speakers.
Step 4
Know
about amplifiers. Amplifiers provide extra power to your speakers
and/or extra channels of power for additional speakers. The most common
use for an amplifier (amp) is to power subwoofers. The amp connects to
your head unit via an RCA cable and often a "remote on" wire, and also
connects directly to your car battery through a fused "hot" wire and to
the car's chassis with a short ground wire. This article assumes the
use of a single amplifier connected to a pair of subwoofers. If you do
not have these components simply ignore the steps specific to the amp,
doing so will not affect the rest of your installation.
Step 5
Know
about subwoofers. Subwoofers are part of any good stereo system. They
provide the deep bass that small speakers cannot achieve. Subwoofers
are connected to the amplifier which can usually be mounted right to
the subwoofer box. If you do not have subwoofers you can simply ignore
the steps specific to them.
Preparing for the installation
Step 1
Be
properly prepared. This is extremely important since you do not want to
realize you're missing something in the middle of the installation.
Step 2
Purchase
the following: A car stereo wire harness which connects the existing
wiring for your old head unit to your new one (this will be specific to
BOTH the model and year of your car AND to the make of your new head
unit); an amplifier wiring kit which will contain all the wires to get
power and signal to your amplifier; six feet of 14-gauge speaker wire
for the subwoofers. Your speakers should have come with their own
speaker wires.
Step 3
Obtain
a guide to removing the dash, doors panels (or whatever compartment the
speakers are in), and floor molding of your car. You may be able to
find a guide for this online. If not, you can get a repair manual for
your car at most automotive stores and online).
Step 4
Gather
the following tools: Screwdrivers to fit the job, pliers, wire cutters,
wire strippers, a utility knife, sand paper or a file, electrical tape,
a 9-volt battery, and any other tools that the instructions for
installing the head unit and your car guides specify.
Installation Process
Step 1
Disconnect
the ground (negative) cable from your battery first and foremost. NEVER
work on the electrical system of your car with this connected.
Step 2
Install your new speakers. Start by removing the paneling of the speaker enclosure. Unscrew and disconnect the old speaker.
Ideally
the speaker wire will be connected to the old speakers with a metal
clip that can then slide right on to your new ones. If not, cut the
wire off the old speakers, strip about half an inch of it, then cut the
last 6 inches or so off the speaker wire that came with your speakers
so you have the proper connectors with a little wire attached, strip a
half inch of those wires and twist connect them to the existing speaker
wire. Bend the twists so they are in-line with the wire and wrap each
connection in electrical tape so no wire is showing to protect them.
Attach
the connectors to your new speaker. Make sure to connect the negative
wire (-/black) to the negative terminal on the speaker and the positive
wire (+/red or white) to the positive one. Screw the speaker in place.
If you have component speakers, and therefore a crossover, make sure
the crossover is secured in the speaker compartment so that it does not
bounce around while you drive.
Wait to put the speaker enclosures back together until you have installed the head unit.
Step 3
Follow
the instructions you got for removing whatever part of the dash covers
it and take out your existing head unit. Connect the car stereo wire
harness to the connector that was attached to your old radio and attach
the other end to your new one. Connect the antenna cable (the single
wire with the big plug at the end) to your new head unit as well.
If
the speaker wires are separate from the harness connect them using the
method of stripping, twisting, and taping described above. Do this one
at a time or use masking tape to label the wire to avoid confusion. If
you are having trouble figuring out which wires go to which speaker or
which is positive and negative read the tip at the bottom of this
section.
Do not put your new head unit into the dash yet-you
still need to connect the amplifier to it. Put the speaker enclosures
back together now.
Step 4
Attach
the thick positive (+/red) power cable for your amplifier to the
connector on positive terminal of your battery. The kit you purchased
should have come with an o-ring on one end of the wire (you may have to
crimp it on yourself, if so do it on the end with the fuse), this ring
can be sandwiched in the bolt on the connector that connects your car
to the battery.
Step 5
Put the fuse in the fuse holder.
Step 6
Run
the power cable through the firewall of your car (there is usually an
opening on the drivers side) and along to the back of the car where
your amp is. It is usually best to run this wire under the plastic
molding that goes along the bottom edge of your car, you never want the
power cable to come near any speaker wires. At the same time run the
remote on wire (a really thin wire from the amplifier wiring kit),
through the dash where the head unit will sit, along with the power
cable to the amp.
Step 7
On
the other side of the car run the RCA signal cable through the dash
from the head unit to the amp (it's a pair of wires together with
connectors on each end).
Step 8
In
the back of the car pick exactly where your amp and subwoofers are
going to go. Part of choosing this is that the thick black ground cable
(negative) needs to have a place to connect to the metal frame of your
car. This should be as short as possible, you never want the ground
cable to be longer than 3 feet.
Step 9
Find
a good screw or bolt, take if off and sandpaper the metal surface that
the o-ring will make contact with, then screw it down tightly.
Step 10
Attach
the RCA signal cable and the remote on cable to your head unit and
attach the power, ground, RCA signal, and remote on wires to your amp.
Step 11
If
you have not already done so, place your subwoofer box in the trunk and
attach your amplifier to it if that is what you are doing. If you are
not going to screw your amp to the subwoofer box then it must be
secured to something else.
Step 12
Attach
the 14-gauge speaker wires to the left and right channels of the
amplifier and to the speaker connectors of the subwoofer box.
Step 13
Mount
your head unit into the dash. Double check all of the connections on
the back of it to make sure they are secure. Then slide your head unit
into its slot in the dash and screw it securely in place. Before you
re-attach the dash, reconnect the ground (negative) cable to your car
battery and turn the stereo on and move around the car listening to
each speaker to make sure everything is working properly. Then put the
dash back on. That's all!
Good luck.
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