All too often I see people either limiting themselves to the stock unit simply because they're intimidated by the thought of installing an aftermarket radio on their own. Or.. They end up shelling out ridiculous amounts of money to have a "professional" do it for them. Using the harnesses available today, you can revert back to the stock radio whenever you please because no wire cutting is needed. If you can twist wires together, use tape and/or wire nuts and turn a screwdriver, this is NOT "out of your league"!
If you're willing to do a small amount of research about your specific vehicle such as:
- The obvious.. Year of Patriot
- If you have/want to retain steering wheel controls
- Do you have a "Premium Sound" and/or Nav package?
You need to know this information so you can buy the correct harness/adapter(s) for your specific application.
I've used PAC for most of the wiring related adapters and it's a breeze.
http://www.pac-audio.com/
Just enter your vehicle information and they'll show you what's available for your 'Riot.
Next, you'll need to figure out which DIN size radio you plan to install so you know what dash kit is for you. Pretty simple here.. Most commonly either a single DIN or double DIN. I've had both single and double DIN's in my 'Riot and the only difference was the metal bracket in the dash you'll need to remove if using a double DIN unit. No biggie.
I found the dash kit, PAC harness and antenna adapter for my vehicle on eBay for $80 total.
Here's a quick video I made to show how to remove the bezel/radio in my 2011.
Hope this helps those who are interested in exploring the lovely world of aftermarket audio. Enjoy!
If you're willing to do a small amount of research about your specific vehicle such as:
- The obvious.. Year of Patriot
- If you have/want to retain steering wheel controls
- Do you have a "Premium Sound" and/or Nav package?
You need to know this information so you can buy the correct harness/adapter(s) for your specific application.
I've used PAC for most of the wiring related adapters and it's a breeze.
http://www.pac-audio.com/
Just enter your vehicle information and they'll show you what's available for your 'Riot.
Next, you'll need to figure out which DIN size radio you plan to install so you know what dash kit is for you. Pretty simple here.. Most commonly either a single DIN or double DIN. I've had both single and double DIN's in my 'Riot and the only difference was the metal bracket in the dash you'll need to remove if using a double DIN unit. No biggie.
I found the dash kit, PAC harness and antenna adapter for my vehicle on eBay for $80 total.
Here's a quick video I made to show how to remove the bezel/radio in my 2011.
Hope this helps those who are interested in exploring the lovely world of aftermarket audio. Enjoy!
