Wiring Up Subwoofer with Stock Head Unit

[mtrizzle27]

Hey y'all I'm new to this forum. My friend was trying to figure out how to wire up a 10 inch sub to my factory head unit (2020 Mirage LE non Rockford Fosgate) and he can't figure it out. He said that he doesn't think it's possible because there is no remote wire to wire it from and he even went and got some kind of rca adapter thing and that didn't work. He says I would have to buy an aftermarket head unit to be able to wire it up. Is this all true or is there a way to wire in a sub with stock radio?
Sorry if my terms and lingo are off I don't know much about subwoofers just kind of relaying what he told me.

[Fummins]

Your friend is an idiot. Do not let him touch your car. He'll **** it up.
What exactly are you trying to wire up? A powered sub? A sub and amp? They make more than one sub.

Either or....as mentioned your friend sounds like he shouldn't be attempting this simple job. Others on the forum would be more up to date than myself with amps and crap but the last time I checked you can use any 12volt power for the remote wire to trigger the amp/powered sub to turn on.

For an amp you need 12v from battery(fused), a ground wire(chassis or body ground) and a remote wire which is just another power wire, there should be a wire you could find at the back of your radio that has power only when the key is on, find it and use it. Or....wire it however you want, run a fused toggle switch to control the amp if you want.

Maybe google how to google.
As for the amp signal input, depends on the amp. I've had some that you could just tap into the speaker wires and run them direct to the amp without the need for rca wires. I've used adapters that you run the existing speaker wires into a converter box that has rca outputs that you run a cable to the amp. Some amps don't need a remote wire and turn on when they sense an input from the rca or speaker inputs.

[Top_Fuel]

...how to wire up a 10 inch sub to my factory head unit

Just repeating what Fummins said. This process will be easier if your sub-woofer amplifier has these 2 things...


1. Speaker Level ("high-level") Inputs

The factory radio doesn't have low-level (RCA) outputs. But speaker-level inputs will let you tap into the car's speaker wires and run the radio signal directly to the amplifier. If your amp has this, you don't need that "RCA adapter thingy" your buddy was trying to use.

2. Signal Sensing Turn-On

Your amp needs to know when to turn on/off without a specific turn-on wire from the radio. With this capability, your amp will automatically turn on every time the radio turns on.



Check out Crutchfield's How-To amplifier videos HERE

[mtrizzle27]

It is the dual tbx10a powered 300watt sub. He tried to use the adapter and converter box option that you mentioned but again said that wouldn't work because it was missing the wire on the back of the radio (he said it was a remote start wire I think). He said something about taking off the door panel and wiring it through the speakers somehow but I wasn't too keen on having to take the door off.

[Fummins]

Revert back to post 2 and 3.

[BillAce]

Cheap way is to use the 12V+ switched ignition lead at the radio as the amos remote turn on. Grab the speaker outputs there for the signal input. DO NOT GO INTO THE DOOR AND DO NOT LET YOUR FRIEND TOICH ANY WIRING IN YOUR CAR.
I would use the rear speaker outputs so you can use the fader to control the sub bass level without limiting your ability to listen to music.