by Eric L. Haschert

Created on: July 26, 2009

I got a surprise when I installed a radio in my mother's 1998 Mercury Mystique. All the wires matched. In the old days you had to translate the three different color codes for the wires of the new radio with the wires of the old radio and the wires to the car. Now all the wires are the same color for the same functions. The basic job of the technician is reading what color wires do what job. I am assuming that since 1998 or possibly 1996 all the wires in every car built for Americans have had the wire codes changed so that they would all be standardized so that anyone could install any radio in any car if one only read the instructions. I know this must be the case because having a color code for one radio completely match the color code for another car would be astronomical odds.

As for installing alarms and other devices a basic knowledge of electricity or yet again color coding is required yet these alarms and remote starters do come with instructions the worst thing you can do is patch into the wrong circuit and blow a fuse or waste a few hours of your time in attempting to install your device. I would say that most electrical or electronic jobs in a car are safer to perform than replacing an outlet or switch in your own home. Except with the BIG EXCEPTION HYBRIDS. I would not perform any electrical or electronic work on a hybrid because if you tap into the wrong circuit there you could electrocute yourself much like working on a house without the circuit breaker being thrown.

When it comes down to it the hardest thing to install is an alarm the next a radio or a remote starter. Next an amp or bass speaker system. If you are or know the kind of person who enjoys working on cars or audio systems or anything electrical and mechanical then there is no reason you should not try to install your own electronics. If however you think you are smart say "Smarter than the Average Bear" but don't normally work in such fields but you want to save yourself a few bucks and do it yourself. Be my guest it's your car and all you need do is read the instructions. That's the key that even a Professional Auto Technician follows is to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. If however you are all thumbs when it comes to tools and you feel overwhelmed by just reading the instructions please get someone who enjoys doing it as a hobby or even as a profession and save yourself the aggravation and time. Good Luck with your installation(s).

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