Look for these symbols when you're shopping

Pretty much every car on the road these days has a factory stereo. And pretty much every audiophile wants better sound than the factory stereo system can produce. At Crutchfield, we want to help you get the best sound possible in your ride and we’ve spent over four decades doing the research you need to get the stereo equipment that’s right for your ride.

We've disassembled the dashes and door panels of tens of thousands of vehicles, measured the spaces where the factory stereos and speakers fit, and loaded our findings into our massive fit database. Our system then compares these measurements to the dimensions of a given receiver or speaker to determine which aftermarket products will fit in the factory location.

No one else in the consumer electronics industry does the kind of stuff we do. That’s why no one else knows what we know.

Compatible products

You'll often see us note that a product "works with" your vehicle. This means that while it doesn't necessarily fit in a factory location, it's still designed to be compatible with your vehicle's electronics or interior design. Compatible products include adapters (for Bluetooth^® or smartphone control, for example) that plug into your vehicle's stereo wiring harness and device holders that mount in a specific spot on the dash.

We also carry a wide range of products that actually are designed to work exclusively with specific vehicles. See below to learn more.

The Crutchfield KitFinder

When you're choosing new car audio gear, the first step is to choose the gear that fits your car. The second step is to get it installed correctly. That's why we developed the Crutchfield KitFinder. With KitFinder, you'll be able to use our massive database to find and compare gear that will fit your specific vehicle. We'll also make sure you have the installation parts and instructions that make the job easier. Whether you're a first-time DIY-er or an experienced car audio pro, KitFinder takes the hassle and guesswork out of choosing and installing your new stereo and/or speakers.

When you shop with us, you'll see:

• Filtered lists of stereos that we know fit in your dash
• The installation parts required to install the stereo gear you're interested in, plus the parts that let you retain certain advanced factory features. And they're all bundled into easy-to-add packages

With most orders, you'll also get a set of Crutchfield's legendary vehicle-specific disassembly instructions. Created using info gathered by our Vehicle Research Team, these guides give you step-by-step guidance and detailed illustrations or photos. They're available for thousands of vehicles.

Shopping for car speakers

To see which speakers fit your vehicle, we've disassembled the door panels of tens of thousands of vehicles, measured the spaces where the factory speakers fit, and loaded our findings into Crutchfield's massive fit database. Our system then compares these measurements to the dimensions of a given speaker to see if it will fit in the factory cavity.

Here's how all that info helps you get and install your new speakers:

• You'll see a filtered lists of speakers that satisfy the depth, diameter, and height requirements of your vehicle's factory speaker openings
• We'll show you the speakers that are available for specific locations in your car. That list can include locations that don't have factory speakers, but can be adapted using certain mounting adapters. We won't list a given location if there are no speakers that fit there.
• When brackets and wiring harnesses (if available) are required for your installation, we'll prompt you to add them to your cart. They're free with almost all speaker purchases, along with our free vehicle-specific installation instructions.

Custom fit products

Many manufacturers have designed products that work directly with specific vehicles. These include:

• “Direct” replacements for certain products, such as speakers.
• Products that take advantage of unused space in the car, such as subwoofer enclosures custom-designed to fit in places that don't sacrifice trunk or cargo spaces.
• Products that plug directly into your car's wiring and work with your factory stereo, such as Bluetooth hands-free adapters or sound processors.

Universal fit products

Many car A/V products we describe as “universal,” in that there aren't dedicated factory locations for them. With many of these products, you'll have to check your vehicle for available space, and carefully plan your installation in advance. The most common include:

• Amplifiers Amps require three things: a mounting location, power wiring directly to your car's battery, and wiring for musical signal. You'll need to check the dimensions of the amps you're interested in, which we provide, then measure the available space you have in your vehicle. Mounting locations can include underneath seats or in the trunk or cargo area. We'll show you the size of wires you'll need when you make your purchase, and we can offer tips online and by phone for wiring strategies.
• Subwoofers Just about all subwoofers need to be mounted in an enclosure, which then fits in an available spot in your car. As with an amplifier, you'll need to measure space in your vehicle to see if the subwoofer you're interested in will fit, while leaving you enough cargo space for your needs. If you choose a powered subwoofer, we'll make sure you get the right power wiring; if you choose a sub and box, we'll recommend the right size of speaker wire, which you'll connect to the external amp that'll send power to the sub.
• Portable products such as GPS navigators, radar detectors, and dash cams. You'll just want to make sure that you have a dash or windshield large enough to accommodate the mounting systems of these sorts of products without interfering with your sight or operation of the vehicle.