How to Connect Car Audio Wires?
3 Answers
Connect in parallel with the two 6-inch speakers on the front door, with the white wire connected to the front right speaker. The gray wire is connected to the front left speaker. Sony's CD player cannot directly drive the subwoofer. If the subwoofer has a built-in amplifier, you can add a low-frequency line to the RCA interface.
Last time I installed a new car audio system myself, I first disconnected the negative terminal of the car battery to prevent short circuits. Tools needed: wire strippers, multimeter, and connectors. Connect the power wire to the cigarette lighter fuse or the battery positive terminal, and the ACC wire to the ignition switch control wire—don’t mix it up with the constant power wire to avoid draining the battery. Ground the wire by tightening it to a clean metal part of the car body, scraping off the paint to expose bare metal. Match the speaker wires by color—red to red, black to black. If the original car wiring isn’t color-coded, use a multimeter to test polarity. When connecting wires, strip the copper and secure them with connectors, then insulate with heat shrink tubing. After installation, test the sound quality first to ensure no distortion. Route the wires along the door channels and secure them, making sure they don’t obstruct other components. After modification, monitor the power load—too much power may blow a fuse, so adding an extra fuse is better. The whole process was easy, took about an hour, saved on labor costs, and I learned a new skill.
Having gained a lot of experience helping friends with audio wiring, disconnecting the battery is the primary safety step. Key points for the power section: the constant wire should be connected to the battery positive or a 12V point in the fuse box, while the ACC wire must be connected to a switch-controlled circuit; otherwise, the audio will stay on and drain power. The ground wire should be connected to a clean screw on the door frame to ensure good conductivity. For speaker wires, matching colors is sufficient; if they don’t match, consult the manual or measure resistance. After wiring, use a multimeter to check voltage and current to avoid short circuits. High-quality connectors and heat-shrink tubing are recommended for sealing to extend lifespan. When routing wires, follow the original vehicle wiring paths for concealment and secure them with zip ties to prevent loosening. Common mistakes include reversed wiring or unstable grounding, leading to unstable audio performance. After modification, check wire temperatures—overheating may require additional cooling or reduced load. Overall, this saves both money and hassle.
