Mazda owners have plenty of options for car stereo equipment. When adding a component to your Tribute's system, you will almost always need to remove the stereo from the deck to access the connections in the rear of the unit. Whether you are adding a component, repairing the stereo or removing your stereo for replacement, you can opt for professional help or do it yourself for a fraction of the cost.
Before you begin any task involving electrical components, you need to disconnect the negative battery cable. The negative battery cable (or grounding cable) is black and connects the Mazda battery to the frame of the vehicle. Use a Phillips-head screwdriver to loosen the bolt on the cable's clamp. Completely remove the clamp from the location of the negative battery lead.
When you have completed your work, place the clamp around the negative lead post and tighten the bolt on the clamp. The clamp needs to be tightened just enough so that it cannot be moved around the negative lead post by hand.
Ford, and therefore Mazda, have a simple system for stereo removal. Use DIN removal tools to pull the stereo from its dock. Insert the tools into the two vertically aligned holes on either side of the stereo face. By pulling outward, the tools will grab onto the stereo deck. Pull the stereo toward you (away from the dash) and it will slide out of the dash dock.
Pull the stereo just far enough so that the wire connections are reachable by hand.
The wire groups that are connected at the rear of the Mazda Tribute's stereo need to be disconnected to completely free the unit from the vehicle. Pull the groups out of their sockets by the white plastic binders that hold the groups together. Pulling the wires themselves can cause the wires to disconnect from their binding and create the need for more advanced electrical repair.
The groups can be disconnected in any order. There are four common groups: the antenna, the speakers, the amplifier and the power supply. There may be other components attached as well, including an equalizer, an iPod or MP3 player or a multidisc player (CD changer). Each group needs to be detached. (When replacing the stereo, you may find the inclusion of a wiring harness adapter helpful in keeping all of the groups in the proper order on the new stereo.)
