How to Install a Car Audio Receiver
When driving in your car, you want to enjoy listenting to your car receiver, or stereo. Your receiver may include a DVD playback, MP3 files, built-in Bluetooth, built-in screens, flip-out monitors, an iPod connection and a built-in navigation system, the GPS. Satellite radio receivers are clearer. You don't lose a station, but you have to pay by the month for it. You can save money by installing the receiver yourself.
Supplies needed:
- Car stereo
- Head unit (single-din, 180x50 mm panel, or double-din, 180x100 mm panel)
- Wire harness (designed for your car's make and model)
- Crimpers
- Dremel
- Drill
- Flashlight
- Pliers
- Ratchet set
- Rubber mallet
- Screwdriver
- Tape (black)
- Tape (double sided)
- Wire cutters
- Wire harness
- Wire tires
- Wire tubing
- Read the car manual page information about your stereo. Learn what wiring may be behind the radio area or what may be missing. Use paper to make a diagram of where every wire is.
- Read the stereo instructions to learn each piece and where it goes.
- Set the parking brake.
- Remove the negative cable from the car battery, if you need to remove the manufacturer's stereo.
- Insert DIN tools into the holes that are on each side of the stereo. When you hear a click, you have released the clips that secured the radio.
- Spread the DIN tools apart. Pull out the stereo.
- Pry the plastic trim away from the dashboard, if the stereo is bolted in place.
- Find and unscrew the screws.
- Take out the stereo.
- Unplug the radio from the harness. Wiggle the wire harness to separate the connection between the wires and the harness.
- Disconnect the antenna.
- Make sure the head unit that controls your system is the right size. Adapter plates can enlarge single-din units to a double-din unit.
- Splice your wire harness to your new radio. Use the old harness or buy a new one. Using a harness keeps you from having to cut any wires that are inside the dash. Match wire colors and descriptions. Attach the iPod control, the GPS and the rest of the features to the harness.
- Connect the antenna cable.
- Slide in the new radio receiver into the same spot where the old one was.
- Turn on your car engine to test the connections.
- Pull out the radio if there is no radio sound or if the speaker and tracks are reversed or are in the wrong area of the car. You most likely made a mistake when you were splicing in the wiring harness.
- Pull out the radio from its new home.
- Recheck the connections.
- Make sure your new radio works.
- Put the dashboard back together if it does.