Here’s how to get the job done.
If you haven’tbought a head unit yet, ensure you get one that fits the space in your vehicle.
To that end, you should understand the difference betweensingle DIN,double DIN, andDIN-and-a-half.
Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen
This will avoid headaches later on.
If something doesn’t quite fit, you may need a different tool.
Trying to force a square peg into a round hole, so to speak, rarely works out.
Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen
To get into the fasteners, remove the trim piece.
Some units are held in place with other methods.
Don’t force off the trim piece, faceplate, or dash components if they will not budge.
Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen
In some cases, you may need to disconnect various switches and wire connectors as well.
In doing so, be careful not to yank out the wires.
Some vehicles also have climate controls connected to the head unit.
Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen
(In the vehicle pictured above, the stereo is held in with four screws.)
The bracket and the space in the dash are capable of holding a larger head unit.
In this example, the single-DIN collar is too small to fit directly into a dash.
Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen
It also doesn’t fit inside the existing bracket.
That means we won’t be using it.
Instead, we’ll screw the new head unit into the existing bracket.
Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen
Note that the existing screws may not be the correct size.
However, this limits the number of head units you’ve got the option to use.
In the vehicle pictured above, the plug and connector do not match.
Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen
There are a few different ways to deal with such a situation.
The easiest is to buy an adapter harness.
Some harnesses can be wired directly into the pigtail that came with your new head unit.
Lifewire / Jeremy Laukkonen
Simply strip two wires, slide them into a connector, and then crimp it.
At this stage, it’s vital to connect each wire properly.
Some head units have wiring diagrams printed on them.
Every factory head unit has its own system for speaker wire colors.
In other cases, each pair of wires will be different shades of the same color.
Aftermarketcar radios use a fairly standard set of wire colors.
When you locate the power wires, confirm to note which one is always hot.
you’re able to also determine the identity of each speaker wire with a 1.5v battery.
You will need to touch the positive and negative battery terminals to different combinations of wires.
Verify that the radio works.
If it doesn’t, double-check your wiring job.
After you are satisfied that your new radio works, you’re in the home stretch.
