Car Audio - How to Install an Amp and Subwoofer

his is a guide on how to add an amplifier and subwoofer to your vehicle's audio system. Why pay someone else to do this relatively simple task when you can do it yourself?

Getting Started

For someone just getting into the practice of beefing up your car audio, it’s a pretty common question to ask how you go about installing a subwoofer in a vehicle. However, the real question is how to install an amplifier in a car. Unless the subwoofer is powered, it’s the amp that requires all the wiring for the power and speaker connections. In this article, I’ll tell you how to do both.

Before you begin, you need to get an amplifier wiring kit. They cost about 30 dollars, give or take, and vary depending on wire gauge size. Check the manufacturer’s specifications for your size amp in order to see what gauge wire you need. The wiring kit should include a main power wire with an in-line fuse, a ground wire, a power-on wire for the stereo head unit, and RCA cables for the audio connection. Some kits also include the appropriate crimpers and clips so you won’t have to buy anything extra.

Power

The first thing you need to do is disconnect your car battery. Make sure your stereo doesn’t have any security features that might disable it if the power is cut, as some do require unlock codes. First, disconnect the negative terminal, then disconnect the positive terminal. You must do them in that order. Be very careful and try not to lean directly over the battery, as they can in rare cases actually explode.

Now you need to run the power cable. This cable connects the positive terminal of the battery directly to the amplifier, and it should have an in-line fuse to help protect the amp from power issues. This fuse should be removed before you connect the wires. What the fuse does is bridge the connection with the cables, so the other end of the power cable won’t be hot when you connect it to the amp.

The most difficult part of this whole process, in my opinion, is running the power cable because you have to go from the engine compartment to somewhere in the interior of the vehicle. I usually run my cables through the rubber gasket that allows all the other wires and cables to go through the dash to the engine compartment. If you look somewhere near the steering column, you should find a place to run the power cable and I don’t recommend drilling unless you absolutely have no other choice. Very carefully poke a small hole in that rubber gasket and feed the cable through.

You will need to snake the power cable under the dash and to wherever you have the amp, which is typically in the back of the car. If you have a center console in your vehicle, you can hide the cable under it. Just be very careful under your dash that you don’t obstruct your pedals or any other mechanical devices in any way. You may want to keep a few small zip ties on hand to secure the cable.