td11pump
New member
HI all! It took 3 days of work to put this stereo in but it was worth the work. I used to install high end radio's a long time ago so some things in the new car electrical systems have changed.
Well, here goes! I used the factory head unit because it has all the features that I wanted. First I took the radio out and assessed the wiring. The radio faceplate comes out by removing the storage area covers and then using a flat head screwdriver to pull the faceplate off. I know someone put picture up for this. Remember that your negative wires have the black stripe! I had to run a power line from the engine compartment to the trunk. There is a large grommet on the firewall just behind the brake fluid container. You have to go under the drivers floor area and cut a hole in the grommet to fish your power wire to the engine compartment. Once you have this done (I use 4 gauge power wire) you have to start removing the interior trim. This is easy. Just start with the center pillar trim and start popping off the trim! Do this to the front and rear trim and all you have left to do is take out the back seat! Once the interior trim is off you'll have the exposed wiring harness in both sides. To take out the back seat, all you have to do is pull the rear seat from the back (by the seatbelt locks) and pull the seat up. Then you pull it from the 2 locking clasps in the front. Now you have the interior ready to run your wiring! The first wire to run is power so I ran 2 wire since I am using an Audio Control LC6i. This wire was 14 gauge.
I used the front speaker wires from the radio and spliced them at the radio with 12 gauge speaker wire and ran that back to the trunk. I then used the front speaker wire at the radio ( That I cut) to run 14 gauge SIGNAL wire to the LC6i. I had to remove the trunk carpet from the rear pillars to fish the wires to the trunk on both sides of the car. I used small tie wraps to keep the wiring on the wiring harness so keep it clean. While the trim is off I went midway up the center pillar and spliced the speaker wire, and ran new speaker wire to the trunk. I also spliced wires for the rear channel for the LC6i at the pillars and put everything back together! The wring takes the most time!
The speaker are easy to put in. Scosche makes the speaker adapters for 2006 and up GM vehicles. To take the door trim off, you have to pop the interior door handle covers off and expose a 7mm screw and at the center of the door, pop the cover off and remove that screw. You'll feel around the doors and there is an overhang to pull the door cover off. Once you get one anchor to pop the others come off with little effort. Once you expose the speaker all you have to do is remove one 7mm screw and the speaker will come out.
My front speakers are Pioneer TS-D160R and the rears are Pioneer TS-D170R. These speaker are AWESOME! I also have 2 Pioneer TS-W259D4 10" Subs in a NON-ported box. I have these subs wired down to 2 Ohms and they really bump!
I have an Infinity Kappa 5 running the whole system. This amp is crystal clear at any volume and is also 2 Ohm stable!
Now the electrical part! Most newer vehicles have constant power running in the interior. There is no accessory power running from the ignition like they used to have in most older vehicles. What I did was go to the fuse box in the engine compartment and use a 10 amp NON used fuse. I think its fuse number 5. This is where I ran the LC6i auto turn-on wire to. I tested to find when the ignition is on the first click which fuse would work and it was #5.
I use 2X3 wood and 1/2 inch birch to make a mounting point for the Amp and LC6i. I painted them black and used sheet metal screws to mount the wood to the underside of the read deck.
After this you put all the wiring from the LC6i to the amp and then start to tune your system!
I'm going to enter this Sonic in some stereo competitions and see how I do! I will post pictures soon! My wife took my camera USB so I have to wait to get ti back, Sorry.
I hope this will help the do it youself folks out there. Just remember to take your time and do it right! Good luck with your Sonic System!
Well, here goes! I used the factory head unit because it has all the features that I wanted. First I took the radio out and assessed the wiring. The radio faceplate comes out by removing the storage area covers and then using a flat head screwdriver to pull the faceplate off. I know someone put picture up for this. Remember that your negative wires have the black stripe! I had to run a power line from the engine compartment to the trunk. There is a large grommet on the firewall just behind the brake fluid container. You have to go under the drivers floor area and cut a hole in the grommet to fish your power wire to the engine compartment. Once you have this done (I use 4 gauge power wire) you have to start removing the interior trim. This is easy. Just start with the center pillar trim and start popping off the trim! Do this to the front and rear trim and all you have left to do is take out the back seat! Once the interior trim is off you'll have the exposed wiring harness in both sides. To take out the back seat, all you have to do is pull the rear seat from the back (by the seatbelt locks) and pull the seat up. Then you pull it from the 2 locking clasps in the front. Now you have the interior ready to run your wiring! The first wire to run is power so I ran 2 wire since I am using an Audio Control LC6i. This wire was 14 gauge.
I used the front speaker wires from the radio and spliced them at the radio with 12 gauge speaker wire and ran that back to the trunk. I then used the front speaker wire at the radio ( That I cut) to run 14 gauge SIGNAL wire to the LC6i. I had to remove the trunk carpet from the rear pillars to fish the wires to the trunk on both sides of the car. I used small tie wraps to keep the wiring on the wiring harness so keep it clean. While the trim is off I went midway up the center pillar and spliced the speaker wire, and ran new speaker wire to the trunk. I also spliced wires for the rear channel for the LC6i at the pillars and put everything back together! The wring takes the most time!
The speaker are easy to put in. Scosche makes the speaker adapters for 2006 and up GM vehicles. To take the door trim off, you have to pop the interior door handle covers off and expose a 7mm screw and at the center of the door, pop the cover off and remove that screw. You'll feel around the doors and there is an overhang to pull the door cover off. Once you get one anchor to pop the others come off with little effort. Once you expose the speaker all you have to do is remove one 7mm screw and the speaker will come out.
My front speakers are Pioneer TS-D160R and the rears are Pioneer TS-D170R. These speaker are AWESOME! I also have 2 Pioneer TS-W259D4 10" Subs in a NON-ported box. I have these subs wired down to 2 Ohms and they really bump!
I have an Infinity Kappa 5 running the whole system. This amp is crystal clear at any volume and is also 2 Ohm stable!
Now the electrical part! Most newer vehicles have constant power running in the interior. There is no accessory power running from the ignition like they used to have in most older vehicles. What I did was go to the fuse box in the engine compartment and use a 10 amp NON used fuse. I think its fuse number 5. This is where I ran the LC6i auto turn-on wire to. I tested to find when the ignition is on the first click which fuse would work and it was #5.
I use 2X3 wood and 1/2 inch birch to make a mounting point for the Amp and LC6i. I painted them black and used sheet metal screws to mount the wood to the underside of the read deck.
After this you put all the wiring from the LC6i to the amp and then start to tune your system!
I'm going to enter this Sonic in some stereo competitions and see how I do! I will post pictures soon! My wife took my camera USB so I have to wait to get ti back, Sorry.
I hope this will help the do it youself folks out there. Just remember to take your time and do it right! Good luck with your Sonic System!
Last edited:
