How to Wire Door Speakers

Although car stereo and speaker installation can be an intimidating task for many, the proper set of instructions can alleviate the task's difficulty greatly. Keeping in mind that every car and every stereo has different specifics on how to go about setting up its speakers, this article will help discuss the typical steps needed to take in order to set up your stereo's door speakers.

Things You'll Need

  • Door speakers
  • Stereo removal kit
  • Speaker wire, 16 gauge
  • Screwdriver
  • Car stereo wiring diagram
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Instructions

  1. Removing the Stereo and Installing the Wiring

    • 1
      Every stereo is a little different, so you will need to find specific instructions for your car.

      Remove your stereo from the car's dash using your stereo removal kit. This task can vary greatly depending on what kind of stereo you have. Typically, if it is an aftermarket stereo, the stereo should have come with a set of tools needed to pull the stereo from the dash. If it is a stock stereo, this task usually involves removing the entire dash board to get to the stereo's wiring.

    • 2

      Locate the stereo's speaker wires using your stereo wiring diagram. Once again, depending on what kind of stereo you have, the color coding of the speaker wires will vary greatly. Typically, however, the speaker wires will be paired in solid and striped colors. Using the 16-gauge speaker wire, run lines from your stereo to the door panels where you will be installing the speakers.

    • 3
      The wiring diagram should define the colors of the wires.

      Remove the door paneling and/or speaker covering which hides your car's speakers from view using your screwdriver, and find the wiring which you ran from the stereo to the door. Attach the wiring to the speaker, being sure to match the positive side of the speaker to the positive line, and the negative side of the speaker to the negative line. If you followed your wiring diagram correctly, the negative wire should be striped, and the positive wire should be solid.

    Installing the Speakers

    • 4
      Be gentle when using your screwdriver; a slip could damage the speakers.

      Screw the speakers into the door using your screwdriver and the screws that should have come with the speakers. Be careful not to puncture the speakers with the screwdriver, as the speaker's siding is very delicate.

    • 5

      Replace the door paneling and/or speaker paneling that you removed in order to install the speakers. Depending on how many speakers you have installed, the number of panels and speakers can vary. However, every speaker's installation process is exactly the same.

    • 6
      Replacing the stereo is just as difficult as removing it.

      Replace the stereo back to its original place in the dash. Again, if you have an aftermarket stereo, this should just mean pushing the stereo into place; the bracketing of the stereo should lock the stereo down once it is correctly replaced. If you have a stock stereo, this may mean replacing the dashboard, which you removed.