The VW Jetta has been around long enough that many owners are finding they have to replace the stereo. Doing the install yourself saves money, gives you better sound quality and newer features. Installing a new stereo in a VW Jetta is a simple process with the right tool and about 30 minutes to spare.
Open the hood and disconnect the negative cable on the battery. Make sure the cable doesn't touch any metal parts.
Cut a wire coat hanger into two 8 inch lengths and bend them into a "U" shape. Locate the four security pin holes in the face of the stereo, two on each side. Insert the hangers vertically into the holes and apply pressure towards the outside of the radio. This releases the clips holding the head unit in the dash.
Pull the VW Jetta stereo out of the dash and disconnect the wires from the back. Connect the wiring harness adaptor to the original harness and the VW antenna adaptor to the antenna wire.
Mount the new stereo into the VW radio mounting kit per the manufacturer's instructions. Plug the wiring harness adaptor and antenna wire into the back of the new head unit. Slide the entire assembly into the dash taking care not to pinch the wires.
Connect the negative battery cable to the terminal and turn the stereo on. Verify the speakers and controls are working properly.
