Retain Factory Aux Plug With Aftermarket Stereo.

If you are going to be changing out the factory stereo in a vehicle that is equipped with a 3.5 Aux plug located somewhere other than the stereo itself, you will typically lose the functionality of that Aux input plug unless you wire it to the new stereo. If you would like to keep the factory Aux plug functioning with the new stereo, you will first want to make sure you purchase a stereo with an audio Aux input on the back.

The vehicle I will be doing this on is a Second Generation Toyota Tundra.

Once you have got your new stereo, you will need to figure out if the audio Aux input on the back is a 3.5 plug or if it is left/right RCA audio plugs. The best thing to do is purchase a basic (3.5 aux to left/right RCAs cable) so you will have both types of connections. The picture above is what the cable will look like. I will actually need both ends for this install. The RCAs to run to the new stereo, and the 3.5 to identify the factory wires coming off the back of the factory Aux plug.

You will then need to cut the 3.5-RCA aux cable, making sure you have enough length on the side you will need to run to the back of the new aftermarket stereo. Then plug the 3.5 Aux side into the factory plug. 

 Now the easy part, you will need a continuity tester. Most multi meters should have the capability of testing continuity. Once you locate the wires on the back of the factory Aux plug, just test continuity between the wires on the back of the plug and the exposed wires coming off the cut 3.5 plug that should be plugged into the front. 

On this Toyota Tundra you would want to connect the wires shielding the smaller gauge red and white wires to the white wire coming off the back of factory Aux plug, because there is continuity between both them. You would then connect the other two wires using the same continuity test. The red wire goes to the black wire coming off the back of the factory Aux plug, and the white wire goes to the red wire coming off the factory Aux plug. 

This is a fairly easy process, that can also be used to hardwire audio into the back of the factory Aux plug. For example if you where keeping the factory stereo and you where installing an overhead, headrest monitors or a portable satellite radio. so you don't have an Aux cable showing to give it a cleaner look. 

-Jeremy's Car Audio Tips

#caraudio #12volt #sandiego #california #toyota #tundra