Car stereo installation pro tips

When installing new stereo gear, you’re going to disable your vehicle for a bit. It’s important to know approximately how long it will be out of commission. Even with the help of Crutchfield’s exclusive MasterSheet instructions for your vehicle, some expected delays can happen. These instructions don't cover everything, such as running the wires for a Bluetooth® microphone, a rear-panel USB cable, or a video cable for a backup camera. It’s a good rule of thumb to plan for the installation to take twice as long as you think it will.

Sometimes it can be tough to figure out which options your vehicle originally included. Or previous owners could’ve replaced gear that did away with various features. But it’s often good to know these things to determine which aftermarket products and adapters are compatible with your vehicle.

Cris taught us that he could find the original setup in his 2011 Chevy Traverse by using the Regular Production Option (RPO) sticker that’s usually located in or around the glove compartment. Once he retrieved the codes, he looked them up online and knew exactly what he was working with.

Before Cris started mounting anything, he did quite a bit of scouting. He knew he'd have to run the cables for his receiver's Bluetooth micophone and a USB connection.

Once he removed the factory radio, he placed a worklight over and under the dash to see creases where light showed. He also removed the panel over the center dash speaker. There he found lots of little openings that he could work with in terms of fishing wires through to their destinations. A Pro.Fit Wire Worm comes in super handy for running wires and protecting panels.

You don’t want to damage the gear you just bought, right? When you’re installing a car stereo, you can’t always be totally gentle when you grab it.

Many times, the manufacturer includes a thin, plastic film over the display. This was the case with Cris’s JVC KW-V840BT touchscreen receiver. He left the film on until he completed the wiring, and loosely mounted the stereo in the dash for a sound check. The film protected the screen from smudges and scratches.

If you’re working with a receiver with a detachable faceplate, you can remove it from the chassis while you work the stereo into your dash.

[Check out our great selection of car stereos]

When you remove your older gear to make room for the new, you’ll often pop out fasteners and remove screws. Keep in mind that you’ll probably need to reuse these for the new gear. You’ll want to hang onto them, but you also want them out of the way while you work.

Cris found a spare speaker in our garage, and as he removed the screws, he simply stuck each one to the speaker’s magnet to keep them from getting lost. If you don’t have a magnet nearby, you can use a container with a lid to secure the little bits you’ll use again. A vehicle’s cupholder can be a good spot, too.

Since the video signal from the Boyo backup camera had to get to the receiver location, Cris had to decide on a path for the cable. Once he knew how he’d get the cables from the license plate location into the Traverse, he made the call to run the video cable under the door threshold trim panels on the right side.

He ran the cable along with existing factory wiring there, making sure that there wouldn’t be any airbag or relay connections to contend with. He wanted to stay away from power wires as much as possible, which could affect the quality of the video signal going to the display.

[Check out our selection of backup cameras]

Sure, you're in a rush to get your sound going. However, keeping the various wires you'll run neat and out of the way will mean a lot in the end. As Cris ran a few wires under the driver’s side dash, he noted that taking the time to use cable ties to keep wires organized is crucial. It’s not just for looks. In his case, it keeps the wires safely away from his pedals so they won’t get in the way while he’s on the road.