Car Stereo Wiring Guide

Vehic le Aud io Systems

N on -Am pl ified Fac to r y Aud io System

! WARNING: Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery before beginning any installation

I.AFTERMARKET CAR STEREO HARNESS / INTERFACE WIRING COLOR KEY

When removing a factory radio and replacing it with an aftermarket radio, you will need to use a wire harness or interface.
Wiring harnesses allows you to make color coded connections without modifying the factory cabling and connectors . Some vehicles
require the use of an interface*; an interface prevents vehicle errors, provides full integration to factory equipment
(Amplifiers, Steering wheel controls) when removing the radio due to factory data-bus systems.
*Consult Metra, Axxess Interfaces, Scosche, PAC-Audio, American International vehicle application guide)

Yellow +12V Constant

Red +12V Accessory

Black Ground

Orange Illumination

Orange / White stripe Dimmer

Blue Power Antenna

Blue / White stripe Amplifier Turn on

Brown Mute

Aftermarket Vehicle
Harness Connector

Purple / Black stripe Right Rear (-)

Purple Right Rear (+)

Green / Black stripe Left Rear (-)

Green Left Rear (+)

Gray / Black stripe Right Front (-)

Gray Right Front (+)

White / Black stripe Left Front (-)

White Left Front (+)

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 Car Stereo Wiring Guide
Vehic le Aud io Systems

N on -Am pl ified Fac to r y Aud io System

! WARNING: Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery before beginning any installation

II. AFTERMARKET RECEIVER WIRE HARNESS

When installing an aftermarket receiver you will match the functions of the aftermarket wire harness with that of the
aftermarket receiver. The wire colors of your new receiver may, or may not, match the wire colors of the aftermarket harness.
The aftermarket harness will include a key that indicates the wire color and function, you will match these with the aftermarket
radio harness by function. These connections must be soldered and insulated to prevent accidental shorts. Insulated crimp
connectors are also suitable.

Brown Mute

Light Green Parking Brake (-)

Blue / White stripe Amplifier Turn on

Blue Power Antenna

Orange / White stripe Dimmer

Black Ground
*Note:
Red +12V Accessory
Yellow +12V Constant

Aftermarket
Receiver Wire Connector

Purple / Black stripe Right Rear (-)

*Note: Purple Right Rear (+)

Green / Black stripe Left Rear (-)

Green Left Rear (+)

Occasionally there will be additional wires, Gray / Black stripe Right Front (-)
please consult the receivers owners manual
for wire colors and suitable connections Gray Right Front (+)
White / Black stripe Left Front (-)
White Left Front (+)

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 Car Stereo Wiring Guide
Vehic le Aud io Systems

N on -Am pl ified Fac to r y Aud io System

! WARNING: Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery before beginning any installation

III POWER WIRE COLOR LEGEND

• Yellow - Constant 12 volt power source regardless of key position.
• Red - Accessory 12 volt power source requires turning of the key position.
• Ground - Chassis ground.
• Orange - Illumination wire, provides 12 volts from the vehicle when the vehicle exterior lights are on.
• Orange / White stripe - Dimmer wire, provides 0 - 12 volts from the vehicle and is adjustable with interior light dimmer control.
• Blue - Power antenna, provides 12 volts from the receiver when the FM or AM radio is being used. Turns off on any other source.
• Blue / White stripe - Amplifier turn on, provides 12 volts from the receiver when receiver is turned on.
• Brown - Audio Mute (Not common and not used in most applications).
• Light Green - Parking brake, vehicle provides a ground signal when parking brake is pulled up.
• Light Violet - Reverse trigger (+12 volts when vehicle is placed in reverse)

Some radios may alter wire colors on wires such as Illumination, Parking brake, Reverse trigger, Mute and Vehicle speed sense.
Note:
Please consult your receiver installation manual and your wire harness or interface manual to properly connect these signal, they may not match
in color to the legend below.

Light Violet Reverse

Brown Mute

Light Green Parking Brake (-)

Blue / White stripe Amplifier Turn on

Blue Power Antenna

Orange / White stripe Dimmer

Black Ground
Red +12V Accessory
Yellow +12V Constant

Some radios may have the illumination wire coded with a Orange or Orange with a white stripe. You will match this to your aftermarket harness by
Note:
function, not by color.

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 Car Stereo Wiring Guide
Vehic le Aud io Systems

N on -Am pl ified Fac to r y Aud io System

! WARNING: Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery before beginning any installation

IV. SPEAKER WIRE COLOR LEGEND

• Purple - Right Rear positive (+).
• Purple / Black stripe - Right Rear negative (-).
• Green - Left Rear positive (+).
• Green / Black stripe - Left Rear negative (-).
• Gray - Right Front positive (+).
• Gray / Black stripe - Right Front negative (-).
• White - Left Front positive (+).
• White / Black stripe- Left Front negative (-).

Some factory audio systems don’t use the amplifier that is integrated into the aftermarket receiver to power the speakers. Depending on the vehicle,
Note:
the factory amplifier will be used to power the speakers. The factory amplifier can be bypassed but this will require a rewiring of the speakers.
Factory amplified audio systems usually accept low level RCA inputs.

Purple / Black stripe Right Rear (-)

Purple Right Rear (+)

Green / Black stripe Left Rear (-)

Green Left Rear (+)

Gray / Black stripe Right Front (-)

Gray Right Front (+)

White / Black stripe Left Front (-)
White Left Front (+)

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 Car Stereo Wiring Guide
No n-Amp lified Fac to r y Aud io System

V. CRIMP OR SOLDER CONNECTIONS AND INSULATE

Identify matching conductors, solder these connections and insulate to prevent accidental shorts. Insulated crimp connectors are also suitable.

Light Green Parking Brake (-)

See See
Note 1: Note 1:

See
Note 1:

*Note:

Aftermarket Aftermarket Vehicle

Receiver Wire Connector Harness Connector

for wire colors and suitable connections

Occasionally there will be additional wires,

please consult the receivers owners manual
*Note:

Some radios may only be equipped with Orange or an

n Orange with a white strip.
e strip is a dimmer from 1 volt to 1
Note 1: Orange is on/off for illumination, Orange with a White 12 volt to control the intensity of the new receivers illumination.
These can be used interchangeable if only one existss in your application.
 Car Stereo Wiring Guide
Veh i cle Aud io Systems

N on -Am pl ified Fac to r y Aud io System

! WARNING: Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery before beginning any installation

Aftermarket Receiver Rear Panel

+
+ +

AV OUT AV IN PREAMP OUTPUTS

FRONT OUT

+ + +
+ REAR OUT

+ + +
SUBWOOFER OUT

+ +

Aftermarket Aftermarket Vehicle Factory Vehicle

Receiver Wire Connector Harness Connector Radio Connector

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