The most popular accessory that people put in their cars is a new car stereo. Having your car stereo professionally installed can be expensive. If you are already spending hundreds of dollars on your stereo deck, the idea of spending up to three hundred dollars more to have it installed can be intimidating. Not to worry, though. Installing your own car stereo can save you a lot of money, and it can look just as nice as a professional installation. All you need is a couple of tools, a few parts, and a little time.
Let's go down the list of the things you will need to install your own car stereo.
Car Stereo Installation Tool Kit: You can pick one of these up for under fifty bucks. You can probably get them for as low as twenty dollars, depending on where you buy it from. Make sure it has a DIN tool or pick one up separately. Without a DIN tool, you aren't going to be able to pull your original head unit out. Also, make sure your tool kit has a multimeter, wire strippers and crimpers, splicing connectors, and electrical tape. It is also a good idea to get one that includes the tools you need to remove the pieces of your dash's trim safely. (The DIN tool is the most common tool for pulling out your stereo deck. Your car may need a different tool. Ask your stereo salesman about your car.)
In-Dash Receiver Kit: You need to pick this up especially made for your car. You can get universal ones if you have an older car, but if you have a newer car with climate controls or any other controls built into the stereo's trim, you will need to order one specifically made for your car. You can usually pick these up for under thirty dollars from online retailers like JC Whitney or Crutchfield.
Wiring Harness Adapter: Most cars today have a simple plastic connection that plugs in all of your stereo wires. Your speakers, antenna, power controls, and auxiliary hook-ups are usually all bundled into one or two connections. With a wiring harness adapter made specifically for your car, hooking up all of your wires can literally be as simple as a snap.
Your Car Stereo: If you haven't already got a car stereo you want to install or you are still undecided on what to buy, be sure you check with the retailer to make sure that it can fit in your car's dash. Most stereos are compatible with most cars, but some stereos are oversized and made to fit only a few cars.
Time: Be sure you start this project on a day where you have a few hours. Once you get started, you will not be able to stop until you are finished. It may not even take a few hours, but you should still set aside the time so you can enjoy your new tunes.
When you are installing a car stereo, there are a few safety measures we need to go over. You want to make sure that you are doing this in a dry area. Water and electronics don't mix. You also need to disconnect your negative battery cable under the hood. You disconnect this to protect your car, your new stereo, and yourself from electrical current and shorts while you are working. In my younger days, I did burn up a stereo by being hasty and skipping this important step. Now I make sure that the battery is disconnected before I work on any electrical component of the car.
Now that we have all the tools and parts we need and we know all about safety concerns, we can get to work on installing your new car stereo.
Disconnect the Battery: You should loosen and disconnect your NEGATIVE battery cable. Disconnecting the positive cable is not necessary.
Remove the old car stereo: Use your DIN tools to remove the old car stereo. There are holes on the sides for you to insert the tools into. Once you have them all the way in, put outwards pressure on the tools and pull gently, but firmly. Once you have it a little out, you should be able to grab the sides and support the weight of the old stereo while you pull it all the way out. Once you have it out, unhook all of the connections and set your old stereo to the side. (If you are using something other than the DIN tool, these work in the same fashion.)
Install Wiring Harness Adapters: Now that your stereo is out, all of your wires are exposed. This is the time to hook up the adapters you got for your car. Your wiring harness adapter probably has instructions designed just for your car. If you need to do any splicing, be sure you use splice connectors, electrical tape, or heat shrink tube. If you leave any exposed wire, it can cause your sound to be distorted, or even worse, short out your new stereo.
Install Your In-Dash Receiver Kit: If your car needs a kit, follow the supplied instructions carefully. Use the trim removal tools to disassemble the areas around your stereo. Your new pieces should snap in easily. You would need one of these in case your car has anything molded into the stereo's faceplate, like climate controls. Most newer cars would probably use this kit.
Install Mounting Sleeve: Your car should be ready to have the mounting sleeve installed. This is a little "cage" type thing that locks into your dash. Simply slide it in and bend the appropriate tabs to lock it into place. Once you are done with that, it is a good idea to get your wires organized and easily accessible. Next, you are going to put your new stereo in!
Install Your New Stereo: By this time, your dash should look normal, except for a big rectangle hole in it. Take your new wiring harness adapter and plug it into the back of your stereo. There may be a couple of different connections and your antenna. Once those are all plugged in, tuck the excess wire neatly into the dash and then slide in your new stereo until it locks.
Hook Up Your Battery: Be sure and reconnect the battery cable. Be sure you tighten it up really snug, too. Loose battery connections are a leading cause of electrical problems.
Now it is time to take your new car stereo out for a spin. Well, it may be a better idea to sit in the driveway for a bit and get used to the controls. A lot of people spend hundreds of dollars to have their car stereo professionally installed. Now you can save a bundle by installing your own car stereo on a Saturday afternoon.
