In some cars putting in a new car stereo can be very simple, especially if the new one you buy is exactly the same size as the old one you take out. Plus, many times you can get a special wiring plug, or compression springs, to adapt the factory radio to your new one and that will make everything just snap together nicely. If you run into problems though, it will be because the stereo you take out wasn’t the factory unit and was installed by someone that didn’t know what they were doing. Here are some tips on how stereo decks are installed.
Best To Get Expert Help When You Buy Your New Deck
Most professional car stereo shops will have a book they can look up your car in and know what size the opening is in the dash. Cars have been standardizing their stereos for quite some time so there are many that have the same opening. If you have the standard cutout, everything is going to be much easier for you, just buy an identically sized unit to replace the old one.
If you have a non-standard hole in the dash, you might have to do some cutting to put in a larger deck. That can be difficult, and you might want to have it professionally done. Decades ago, everyone had to cut on their dashes to get stereos to fit, it was common practice, but now it’s better to get the right size, the right adapters, the right audio transformers, and just plug things together.
When You Buy Your Stereo Ask About The Adapters
For most cars now, you can buy a stereo adapter that makes putting an after-market deck into it a breeze. In that case, you’ll be able to just pull out the old deck, snap on the electrical adapter, and the case adapter, and then just plug everything back in. It will noticeably snap into place and you’re done.
A lot of the Japanese cars are that way, like Nissan, Toyota, Subaru, and others. They come with standard Japanese made stereos and plugging in a new stereo is very easy. On the other hand, many American made cars have oddly shaped stereos that can be difficult to match up. You’ll have to visit the installation shop, like Northside Collision repair shop, and get advice from an installer on what adapters are available for your car.
You Can Try To Go Without The Adapter
Some of these adapters can be costly, especially at a high-end shop. You can usually find nearly the same adapters online for a lot better price, you’ll just have to wait a couple of days for it to arrive. Before you buy one, take the time to read the online reviews to see what problems other customers had when they used the same adapter in their car. Hopefully, everything went nice and smooth and the adapter did its job. But that’s why you need to read the reviews to get the tips and information about the exact adapter that you need combined with the car you have.
Putting in your own car stereo can be made really easy with the right electrical connector and the right adapter. If there isn’t one available and the new stereo isn’t the same size, you should have an installation technician give you some experienced advice on how to proceed.