DIY car radio replacement. A quick guide to changing your own car radio or stereo head unit.

Doing it yourself: Replacing your radio

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02/06/2012 01:51 PM
Electric cars and our crumbling infrastructure
The UK minister for transport was quoted last year as saying "if you don't like the rising price of gas, buy an electric cars". This comment was naïve at best and demonstrated a lack of understanding on two fronts. First, power infrastructures in the developed world are crumbling through neglect. Here in America, in England and in many parts of Europe, the power grids are one disaster away from complete failure. Right now they're supplying households and industries quite well but what happens when people start jumping on board and buying electric cars that get plugged in every night to recharge? Do we really think our power infrastructure can handle this? More to the point, until the manufacturers can agree on a common standard for the charging gear, drivers are faced with the prospect of changing their charging equipment as often as they change cars. Only Tesla have come even slightly close to solving this problem by beginning to install their own charging infrastructure around LA.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, making the comment that high fuel prices can be circumvented by buying electric is nonsense. I can guarantee with 100% certainty that when the power companies see enough people using electric cars, the prices will skyrocket, or you'll have to pay an additional "car charging" fee.
I'm sure electric is the way of things to come but it won't be cheap and it won't be plentiful or reliable for decades to come. And until we come up with an even half coherent energy policy, electric cars are essentially still burning fossil fuels, just all in one place (the power station).

Also remember the competition to win a CarMD vehicle diagnostic system is still open : Win a CarMD
Chris - www.carbibles.com

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Ok so you have a mechanic's heart - naturally you want to install your new stereo system by yourself. Your friends told you over and over to get a professional to install it, but you held your ground. Let us help ease any stress you may have and give you the breakdown on how to install a new radio into your vehicle.

First things first, purchase a new radio and make sure to buy one that fits into your vehicles existing mounting location. You'd be surprised how many people get home with a radio that doesn't fit! The DIN size radio fits into most vehicles, while a Double DIN radio will fit in certain newer and higher end vehicles. You can get wiring harnesses adapters and installation dash kits that make installing a new radio a breeze; no cutting of the OEM wiring harness or dash required. Do your best to pick up the set required for your vehicle.

Now you will need a few tools to get the job done, here is a generic list, as some vehicles require tools above and beyond the standard:

Time to remove the stock radio from your vehicle. Make sure your car is in park (automatic) or neutral (manual) and the parking brake is set, then disconnect the negative battery terminal cable. Doing this will prevent electrical shock or sparking which could harm you or your new equipment. Make sure to write down any security codes or information that you may need for your electronics before disconnecting your battery.

Most installation dash kits come with instructions on how to open the dash and remove the factory radio. Seeing as each vehicle is different, you will need to refer to your dash kit, factory manual, or online websites for this information. The concept of removing a radio is the same throughout each vehicle; remove dash or trim pieces, unscrew any retaining bolts, slide out the radio and unplug all connections.

Once your radio is removed, keep it around in case you need the mounting bracket or mounting cage for your new radio. The wire harness that comes with the new radio must be connected to the harness adapter you purchased separately. We recommend that you do a temporary install first, join wires together with electrical tape and test them. If the radio functions, remove the tape and solder or crimp all wire connections. The wires on your new radio and the separate harness should share a universal color code so just match the colors and connect them together. Depending on your vehicle and what is being installed, you may not need to connect all the wires, so use electrical tape to protect the ends of unused wires.

Test the functions of the car stereo car stereo, making sure that all speakers work and pay close attention to the fade and balance controls. If everything functions, it means it's time to put everything back together. Most vehicles require a dash kit that converts the opening size to fit your radio as well as brackets to install it. Follow the included instructions to piece it all together. Your radio may have come encased in a metal sleeve; you may or may not need this, so pay close attention to instructions and anything you find online. When the radio and dash is in place, test the functions of the radio one last time in case any of your bridge connectors or soldering disconnected. Make sure to try AM/FM stations to ensure your radio works and that the antenna adapter is in place.

For more information on audio electronics including car speakers, please visit Sonic Electronix.