Probably, you have just bought a Kenwood car stereo and wondering how to wire it in your car. You now have a wiring harness with different color codes but don’t know where to start. If you’re determined to install a Kenwood car stereo by yourself, it is possible with the help of a wiring diagram. In this article, we will guide you through the Kenwood wiring harness color code, including a stereo wiring diagram to make everything easier for you.
Single Din Kenwood Wiring Harness Color Code
Here is a wiring diagram for a single-din Kenwood head unit with a 16-pin harness:
Wiring harness color code for the above wiring diagram:
Yellow- It is hooked to the battery.
Red- It is hooked to the ignition.
Black- It is hooked to the grounding point.
White- Connects to the positive terminal of the left front speaker.
White/black- Connects to the negative terminal of the left front speaker.
Gray- Connects to the positive terminal of the right front speaker.
Gray/black- Connects to the negative terminal of the right front speaker.
Green- Connects to the positive terminal of the left rear speaker.
Green/black- Connects to the negative terminal of the left rear speaker.
Purple- Connects to the positive terminal of the right rear speaker.
Purple/black- Connects to the negative terminal of the right rear speaker.
Brown- Connects to the mute control wire.
Light blue/yellow- Hooked to the steering control.
Blue/white- Hooked to the antenna/power control.
Double Din Kenwood Wiring Harness Color Code
If you are wiring a double din Kenwood stereo with a 20-pin harness, here is the wiring diagram to use:
The wiring harness color code for the above wiring diagram is as follows:
White- Connects to the positive terminal of the left front speaker.
White/black- Connects to the negative terminal of the left front speaker.
Gray- Connects to the positive terminal of the right front speaker.
Gray/black- Connects to the negative terminal of the right front speaker.
Green- Connects to the positive terminal of the left rear speaker.
Green/black- Connects to the negative terminal of the left rear speaker.
Purple- Connects to the positive terminal of the right rear speaker.
Purple/black- Connects to the negative terminal of the right rear speaker.
Purple/white- Hooked to the reverse sensor.
Brown- Connects to the mute control wire.
Light blue/yellow- Hooked to the steering control.
Blue- Hooked to the antenna control wire.
Blue/white- Hooked to the power control.
Yellow- It is hooked to the battery.
Red- It is hooked to the ignition.
Black- It is hooked to the grounding point.
Orange/white- Hooked to the dimmer control.
Conclusion
While most Kenwood car stereos may follow the same color codes, it will help to check with the manual of your specific model. Regardless, most Kenwood single-din and double-din car stereos use the above color codes for 16-pin and 20-pin wiring harnesses. Thus, if your car stereo did not come with a wiring diagram, make use of this guide to get the connections right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all Kenwood car radios use the same wiring harness?
Kenwood single din head units share the same harness. Also, Kenwood double din head units use a similar harness.
What is the purpose of the red wire on the Kenwood stereo?
Basically, the red wire connects to the 12V ignition.
Where does the yellow wire go on the Kenwood stereo?
You connect the yellow wire to the constant 12V supply from the battery wire.
What color is the ground wire on the Kenwood car stereo?
The black wire is the ground wire on both single din and double din Kenwood car stereo.
Michael Evanchuk is a San Francisco-based sound engineer with 20 years’ experience installing, troubleshooting, and repairing commercial, automotive, and household sound equipment. Evanchuk owns an auto stereo center, where he offers highly competitive car audio installation and repair services. He has written dozens of articles on different sound engineering topics, all of which have been published in leading journals, blogs, and websites.
