Installing an aftermarket stereo into your Ford truck is easy when you have our comprehensive F150 Stereo Wiring schematic. Perfect for the do it yourself stereo installer or even the professional car audio install, this truck wiring diagram can save you time and money. Car and truck audio wiring specialists love to use our guide to install any aftermarket or advanced factory electronics.
The Ford F150 has enjoyed a long production run, and our guide is as comprehensive as it gets. Still we are missing the earlier generations of F150, because this F150 Stereo Wiring guide starts at the seventh gen F150. This generation starts in 1980 and we show you the wiring diagrams for all the years and generation F150 trucks since then.
Any time you are installing any aftermarket stereo, the biggest challenge is finding the car audio wiring diagram. Whether you are installing a new stereo, speakers or installing an amp and subwoofer, our guide can help you identify the color car audio wires you need.
Although our comprehensive stereo wiring guides have extensive work in them, always test the wires before applying any power. These free car wiring guides are provided as informational tutorials and should be used at your own risk. We’ll begin our tutorial with the seventh generation Ford F150 truck.
Seventh generation F150 stereo wiring (1980–86)
One of the more earlier F150 trucks in our guide, the seventh gen Ford utilizes a slightly larger single DIN setup.
Car Radio Battery Constant 12v+ Wire: Light Green
Car Radio Accessory Switched 12v+ Wire: Yellow/Green
Car Radio Ground Wire: Chassis
Car Radio Illumination Wire: Blue/Brown
Car Audio Front Speakers Location: Doors
Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Green
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Black/White
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): White/Red
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Black/White
Install can be easy and straightforward, although the age of the truck can often lead you to damaged speaker wires. Connecting to power and ground is simple and straightforward, and this truck does not come with any amplifier or subwoofer installed.
Eighth generation F150 stereo wiring (1987–91)
The next gen Ford truck is very similar to the previous generation. While it kept the single DIN configuration the install is slightly different because of the F150 dashboard.
Car Radio Battery Constant 12v+ Wire: Green/Yellow
Car Radio Accessory Switched 12v+ Wire: Yellow/Black
Car Radio Ground Wire: Red or Black
Car Radio Illumination Wire: Blue/Red
Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Orange/Green
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Black/White
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): White/Green
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Black/White
Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Green/Orange
Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Pink/Green
Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Pink/Blue
Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Pink/Blue
While these trucks are older and sometimes harder to deal with when it comes to wiring, there’s no need for an stereo install kit. Because of the age of the truck it’s easier to wire in speakers or an amplifier.
Ninth generation F150 stereo wiring (1992–96)
The first F150 to begin molding the dash around the stereo and steering column. The ninth generation Ford truck is also fairly simple to install any stereo into.
Car Radio Battery Constant 12v+ Wire: Green/Violet
Car Radio Accessory Switched 12v+ Wire: Black/Pink
Car Radio Ground Wire: Black/Green
Car Radio Illumination Wire: Light Blue/Red
Car Stereo Antenna Trigger Wire: Blue
Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Gray/Light Blue
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Tan/Yellow
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): White/Light Green
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Dark Green/Orange
Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Orange/Light Green
Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Light Blue/White
Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Orange/Red
Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Brown/Pink
This F150 is the last truck to use the bench style dashboard, and it’s a single DIN style stereo that installs right into the truck.
Tenth generation F150 stereo wiring (1997–2003)
The front paneling of these tenth generation F150 trucks must be removed to access your stereo. The ventts and cup holder must be removed separately to get to your factory stereo. Your stock stereo uses a double DIN setup, although if you have a motorized unit you may need a mounting kit.
Car Radio Battery Constant 12v+ Wire: Light Green/Pink
Car Radio Accessory Switched 12v+ Wire: Black/Violet
Car Radio Ground Wire: Black/Green
Car Radio Illumination Wire: Light Blue/Red
Car Stereo Antenna Trigger Wire: Blue
Using a stereo install kit is easy to do to mount your motorized or double DIN stereo into this F150 truck. You can also opt to use a wiring loom but in the event your F150 wires are hacked up and you need to know what the speaker wires are, here they are below.
Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Gray/Light Blue
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Tan/Yellow
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): White/Light Green
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Dark Green/Orange
Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Orange/Light Green
Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Light Blue/White
Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Orange/Red
Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Brown/Pink
Eleventh generation F150 stereo wiring (2004–08)
The front paneling to the F150 dashboard also comes off in the eleventh generation Ford truck. This panel removes as a single part, and will allow you to remove the four bolts to your factory stereo.
If you are installing a navigation system that’s motorized or pops up, you’ll need a mounting kit to make it work right. Of course if you are stuck with the boring factory stereo and don’t want to wire up the speaker wires, you can always use a wireless Bluetooth MP3 FM transmitter.
Car Radio Battery Constant 12v+ Wire: Light Green/Violet
Car Radio Accessory Switched 12v+ Wire: Light Green/Yellow
Car Radio Ground Wire: Black
Car Radio Illumination Wire: Light Blue/Red
Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): Orange/Light Green
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Light Blue/White
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): White/Light Green
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): Dark Green/Orange
Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Gray/Light Blue
Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Tan/Yellow
Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Orange/Red
Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Brown/Pink
Twelfth generation (2009–14)
The last F150 in our truck stereo wiring guide returns to it’s roots but makes big changes to the factory stereo. Like many late model cars and trucks the stereo is integrated in such a way that you need a aftermarket install kit.
Most F150 install kits come with a complete new front facsia and the wiring adapters to make it work. In the event that you are doing a custom stereo setup, you’ll need this wiring guide.
Car Radio Battery Constant 12V+ Wire: White/Red
Car Radio Accessory Switched 12V+ Wire: Blue
Car Radio Ground Wire: BLack/Blue
Car Radio Dimmer Wire: Violet/Gray
Left Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): White
Left Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): White/Brown
Right Front Speaker Positive Wire (+): White/Violet
Right Front Speaker Negative Wire (-): White/Orange
Left Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): White/Green
Left Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Brown/Yellow
Right Rear Speaker Positive Wire (+): Brown/White
Right Rear Speaker Negative Wire (-): Brown/Blue
Of course if you aren’t interested in a custom kit but still want to upgrade your boring F150 factory stereo, you can always turn to a FM transmitter.
Have a question about our F150 stereo wiring diagram? Leave them for us below and let us know!
Great right up!
Purchased a 2016 F150 with tweeters in the A column and a center speaker in console. This is the “non-sony” version.
Any chance you have access to the wiring harness for the head unit on the that build?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Joshua, thanks for reading and the kind words sir!
We’ll work on updating this Ford F-150 Stereo wiring diagram with the 2016 model shortly sir! Thank you for your patience as well as your support!
i’m so glad i found this website. great work. i also recently purchased a 2016 f-150 and wanted to put in aftermarket components. I have the ‘sony’ version. looking forward to the 2015-16 update!
Thanks Joseph for commenting! We’ll have an update soon hopefully!
Really wish that there was a picture showing the factory connectors and the wires labeled for a 2013.
Loved this write up, expecially with taking the time to show the different generations of the F150.
AWESOME jon
Thanks Ben for the kind words! I try my best!
I have 2013 F150 that is a company truck. It’s basically my office. I’m in it 12-13 hrs. a day. I plan on putting a couple of 12’s and an amp in it but want to keep the factory head unit since all I listen to is IHeartRadio. My question is, are there rca connections on the factory radio? I don’t want to spend any more money than I have to since it’s a co. truck. Thanks
Hi Allen, thanks for reading and commenting.
For best results in your 2013, you should look at a plug and play F150 stereo harness. This will eliminate the need for you to splice any Ford F150 stereo wires, and gets the job done as far as wiring to the amp. You can simply disconnect when you don’t need the company truck, or at that point you may not care about that harness.
Good luck and hope that helps!
No there are not. But you can utilize the rear speaker wires aand tie in a rca adapter you can buy online. You will also have to use a keyed switch for your remote turn on wire. Make sure that power source turns on and off with key or else you will run your trucks battery down when the engine is off.
SO ON A 2010 F-150 THE BLUE WIRE WILL TURN ON A AMP?
Hi Nick, thanks for reading our F150 stereo wiring guide, are you looking for remote power? if so yes that will switch on your amp sir.
2009 ford f150 xlt.Why i cannot fine the blue wire for the aftermarket stereo accesories?
Hi Chester, thanks for reading.
Did you need the blue wire for the remote amp? or for switched power in your F150 stereo wiring sir?
What if your 2010 Ford f-150 xlt doesn’t have a blue wire coming from the factory harness. I have a blue/black wire I guess is ground , I have a white and red wire which is power . I also have a purple/gray wire I don’t know what it does , then I have a yellow and gray wire , and brown and green wire which I don’t know what they do neither any suggestions
Hi John, does your Ford F-150 come with an amp? It should be located near the back of the cab. If so you may have an upgraded Ford F-150 stereo that has different wiring but the amp should be the telling sign.
Let me know and hopefully, I can help further!
I just got an 03 F150 XL, and it appears to use the same harness that worked in my 98 Ranger, but it actually has another harness hooked up to the factory cassette head unit with a single wire, gray with a black stripe. Any idea what that second harness is for? In the meantime, I’m rockin’ it old school with cassettes I made back in the day 😉
Hi Greg, thanks for reading.
My guess is that your 2003 Ford F-150 stereo harness leads to the optional 5 disc changer. If your XL has a cassette tape up front, there’s more than likely to be the changer near the back of the cab. Check there and remove if you don’t need it.
Hope that helps! thanks for commenting!
2012 F150 FX4, there is no remote wire / Accessory 12+ in the factory Harness. Ive read this is common. With that being the case, where would I find an accessory wire in the truck to connect my Red wire to on my Aftermarket harness to turn the radio on/off when the car turns on/off. It has SYNC but nothing else. No GPS or Satellite radio, anything like that, Thanks!
Hi Adam! thanks for reading!
If you need a switched power wire, I would suggest teeing into your ignition switch sir. This wire is easy to get to in the event that your Ford F-150 accessory wire is not present.
Hope that helps!
Hi I have a question what color is the ignition switch wire
Hi Oscar, the ignition wire would be the last wire on the ignition cylinder and could possibly be white with a black stripe. Always test using a multimeter before wiring anything up. Good luck!
2014 f1-50 xlt
where is best and most convenient place for ground for after market amp. I have all my plug n play connectors as I am just using stock stereo. about to knock it out real quick just thought id see before I wen investigating.
thanks Joe
Hi Joe, thanks for reading my F150 stereo wiring guide.
The best place I would recommend would be a chassis ground, or the ground from your existing stereo wiring harness. Make sure you have a good ground there to prevent feedback, and always avoid speaker wires when running your power and grounds!
I have the 2013 fx4 with the stock subwoofer and my colors are different I can’t seem to find the rear speaker wires from the harness
Hi Zach, are you installing an aftermarket stereo? These wires should be part of the loom, what colors are different for you?
I have a 2010 raptor with the sony sub and amp and looking for the amp remote wire. Currently trying to install an aftermarket radio. The radio powers on but there is no sound at all.
Hi Drew, make sure to check your Ford F150 remote stereo wire. It should provide switched power.