First off to install aftermarket head units is pretty simple. If you are one of those that when you buy something and just install them by yourself and then when you see all those wires and dont know what to do...then this is for you. To install a head unit you dont need to buy new wires (ie wiring harness). First off you will need a circuit tester, scissors, electrical tape or crimp caps, screwdriver, and a double A battery. Start by taking out your stock stereo. Dont cut any cables off just yet(this is IMPORTANT b'cuz if you do it will be harder to find the right wires). Use your circuit tester and look for the constant 12 volts. Make sure your car is not on though. Once you found it cut it out, but make sure you cut only the constant, then from your head unit's wires get the yellow wire and strip a piece of both wires ends and twist them (constant and yellow(battery)wires) together and tape it or use a crimp cap, make sure they are properly connected to each other correctly. Next, turn your car on the ACC position and with your C.T(Curcuit Tester)look for the Ignition wire when you have located this wire turn your car off and cut the wire off and strip off a piece and tape it to your headunit's red wire(strip a piece of). once you have done this connect the antenna to your headunit and turn your car to the ACC position and place the ground cable (black, coming from your headunit, strip a piece off) to a good ground source (usually to test it place the ground cable to a metal part {chassis} of your car) make sure it turns on. Good job if it does. Turn you car off. Next with the AA battery you are going to search for the speakers. Cut the remaining wires left (but by pairs) strip the ends off and make sure they dont touch each other and place wires (one to each end of the battery)to each end of the battery. If you hear a noise coming out of the speaker (like a bad transmission noise) then you found one speaker and connect and tape it to the proper speaker wires from your head unit. Do this until you find all the speaker wires. Once you finish retest again and if you need a ground cable (black) connect it to a remaining wire. Retest again and if it works then your are finished. But remember; when testing to make sure your head unit turns on you need to connect the antenna cable. then just palce your headunit in the car and enjoy.
BROTHER!!! great instructional piece of writing you have done. Absolutely, educational. I am a novice at install head units...i know what i am doing, but i find issues here and there. I wish i knew that trick with the battery. Man, that was so cool to see that work. I will never forget that trick. Just wanted to make ya feel like a king for a second (til the wife hollars). Definitely a good read. Thanks alot. Question for ya. Do you have any good tricks on how to find pin placements on the back of a head unit
If the factory harness is still there save yourself the headache and buy the harness adapter.
No harness? then the battery is a good idea, but get a buddy to help you check for polarity. If when you connect the battery to the speaker the cone moves out then whichever wire is connected to the positive battery terminal is your positive lead.
Heaven help anyone that while trying to save a couple bucks intentionally cuts up an existing harness. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Not even "penny wise and pound foolish". Just plain DUMB.
Fishy is right, just spent the extra 10 bucks on a wiring harness. It saves you when you sell the car (easy to put factory deck back in), and it tells you exactly what wires to conect to what.
Someone broke in my car and stole my old radio and ripped the wire harness off. So now all I have is wires just hanging there. How do I find out which wires goes to what for my new panasonic cd player. If someone could help I would really be so thankful, I have been tring to install my cd player in myy car for 3 days.