How to Locate the Ignition Wire for your Car Stereo?

In this article, I’ll focus on how to locate the ignition wire for your car stereo. Read all the tips thoroughly. You’ll need to locate your stereo ignition wire in your car. After reading this article, you’ll be applicable to locate the ignition wire for your car stereo. 

There are two ways to locate the ignition wire for your car stereo. You can check it through the vehicle’s radio diagram. The second way is to test the wires running through your stereo using a multimeter.

All you need is a wiring diagram that clarifies your car’s wiring, a multimeter, or a test light. Now, let’s look into how to locate the ignition wire for your car stereo. 

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How to Locate the Ignition Wire for your Car Stereo?

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Finding Ignition Wiring 

If you decide to locate the ignition wire of your vehicle’s stereo using a wiring diagram, you should pursue the following steps to achieve your purpose. 

1: Using a stereo ignition wire diagram, find your ignition wire’s make, model, and year. 

You can’t find an easier way than this when finding a way how to locate the ignition wire of your car stereo than surveying for it in a diagram of the wiring of your vehicle.

Start your searching by stalking the specific make, model, and year of your stereo ignition wire. It’s essential regarding the change in some vehicles when companies introduce a new model. 

2:Match your location on the diagram with the wiring on your car: 

Once you have the right ignition wire diagram, all you have to do is, try it and read it. 

The next step is to compare the thing you see on the radio diagram to what you see in your car stereo. This will enable you to find the ignition wire for your vehicle’s stereo. 

Fortunately, there is a meaning to locate the ignition in your car without having a diagram. I am going to explain it in a pretty simple way! Don’t get confused on seeing the different wires appearing out of the stereo.

It might seem not very easy, but after reading this article on how to locate the ignition wire for your car stereo, you’ll be able to do it independently. Without delay, let’s get started! 

Tools needed 

In the procedure on how to locate the ignition wire for your car stereo, the tools you’ll need are not too many to check the wires appearing out of your stereo.

A multimeter or a test lamp can work enough. According to my suggestion, a multimeter is a better option in this case. But you can use a test lamp if you don’t have one. 

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Locating Ignition Wire using Multimeter or Test Light 

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As mentioned above, here is the second way how to locate the ignition wire for your car stereo. If using a wiring diagram to locate your car stereo doesn’t assist, here is the suggestion for you to try this second way to get it done. Let’s take a look at the steps for this method. 

How To Find 12V Ignition Switch/Wire For Car Radio

Step 1: Eliminate the Radio from the housing and connect your multimeter for testing. 

The first step is to eliminate the radio from the housing and the multimedia or test light to be connected to access the back wires. After this, connect the millimeter or test light with the clamp to make a test of it. 

Step 2: Understanding the aim of each wire running via radio

Your vehicle’s stereo will have red, yellow, and black wires. These are pertained to as power wires. These wires power up your car stereo. An ignition wire for your car stereo is apt to present in red. The receiver generates, and the ground is the black wire.

Radio wire arises as a solid yellow power wire. You need to test the wiring to be certain because of the possibility of the two red wires, one for ignition and the other for the dimmer. 

Step 3: Begin the testing procedure by checking the 12V wire and measuring for continuity 

For testing, set your multimeter to the appropriate level, then attach the ground lead to an established adequate ground and each wire in the speaker wire with the other lead.

The steady 12V wire is the memory wire that can be organized when the multimeter shows approximately 12V. Commonly in aftermarket head units, it’s the yellow wire. Connect the multimeter to an established adequate ground, and confirm that the black wire is the ground or not. 

Step 4: Checking the dimmer and ignition wires 

Only a few other wires remain to test to locate the ignition wire. Start your engine and ensure that the dimmer and headlights are turned on. With the help of a probe, notice if both wires give a reading of 12 Volts or higher. Now turn the dimmer down.

If your stereo system contains the dimmer site, it will display a different reading. Thus, the other one is the ignition wire of your car’s audio system. So, label these wires instantly to avoid the difficulty of remembrance which wire is which.

CONCLUSION 

Locating your stereo’s ignition wire is an easy peasy lemon squeezy! I have discussed two procedures with you for how to locate the ignition wire for your car stereo. The first method is finding a diagram of your vehicle’s wiring and matching the wires.

Here the thing to notice is that the diagram’s year model should match your car exactly, or it may not get matched up. The second method I explained above is using a multimeter to locate the ignition wire and test the wires. 

Both the methods are helpful and convenient if you are looking for the answer to how to locate the ignition wire for your car stereo. But using a multimeter in the ignition of wire may be easier than locating a diagram.

A thing to remember here is that generally, the wires are colored, and the red one is the ignition wire. But it is always appreciable to test the wires as it’s not always the case. I hope this article will help, and you’re now fully aware of the tips and methods of how to locate the ignition wire for your car stereo.

Reference(s)

• https://ask-the-electrician.com/