Complete 2010 Dodge Charger Speaker Wiring Color Code Guide
Start with identifying the amplifier harness connector under the driver’s side dashboard–it’s a 16-pin plug labeled C1. Pins 1 through 4 are dedicated to rear door tweeters, with pin 1 carrying the positive (+) signal for the left side and pin 3 for the right. Middle-row outputs run through pins 5 to 8, where pin 5 feeds the front left door midrange (+), and pin 7 handles the right channel. Grounds for all units terminate at pins 2, 4, 6, and 8–verify continuity with a multimeter before connecting any aftermarket components.
Rear coaxial setups use a separate 8-pin harness (C3) behind the trunk panel. Pin A delivers +12V for amplification triggers, while pins B and C carry left and right channel signals, respectively. Avoid splicing into the factory harness directly–use a T-harness (part #82210456) for cleaner integration. If static persists after installation, check for stray capacitance on the ground wire (typically black with a yellow stripe) where it attaches to the chassis near the spare tire well.
Color codes matter–never rely on position alone. The front door subwoofers use a violet wire (pin 12, C1) for + signal and a dark green (pin 14) for ground. Rear subwoofer pre-outs are tan (left) and gray (right) at pins 9 and 11. For OEM navigation systems retaining voice prompts, retain the pink wire (pin 16) for mute control; cutting it silences turn-by-turn audio entirely. Always bench-test connections before finalizing panel reinstallation.
Resistance values should read 4 ohms (±0.2) across all channels when tested at the head unit. Deviations indicate faulty voice coils–replace the entire driver rather than attempting repairs. For installations using external amplifiers, route power cables through the firewall grommet near the brake master cylinder, avoiding areas with heat shields or moving components. Secure all wiring with zip ties, using adhesive-backed mounts on painted surfaces to prevent rattling.
Factory tweeters are 2-ohm units; matching impedance prevents amp clipping. If upgrading to component systems, swap the door crossovers first–aftermarket units often require reseating window regulators during reinstallation. The trunk’s subwoofer harness includes a pink/black wire (pin E, C3) for remote turn-on; splice this to the aftermarket amp’s ignition lead to avoid parasitic battery drain.
Audio System Cable Connections for 2009-2011 Sedan Models
Start by locating the aftermarket harness adapter for the premium sound system–part number Metra 70-5801 or Scosche SU09B. Connect the front left positive (light green/orange stripe) and front left negative (gray/black stripe) wires to the corresponding terminals on the door tweeter. For the rear right, use the violet/violet-white pair; ensure polarity matches factory labels to avoid phase cancellation in bass response. The amplifier trigger (dark green/orange) must be linked to a 12V switched source–failure here disables the factory amp, muting all outputs.
Check factory fuses F41 (10A) and F62 (20A) before testing; blown fuses often mimic wiring faults. For subwoofer integration, splice the brown/gray wire (subwoofer signal) and dark blue/white (subwoofer remote) into the new amplifier’s RCA inputs–use a 30A relay if adding high-power aftermarket subs to prevent overloading the stock harness. Verify ground connections at G300 (driver-side kick panel) with a multimeter; readings below 0.1 ohms confirm proper chassis grounding.
Finding the Original Audio Connector Assembly in Your Sedan
Begin by removing the rear seat cushion–it snaps off with two clips at the front and hooks at the rear. Behind the left side of the cushion, you’ll find a black plastic cover secured by Phillips screws. Remove the cover to expose the amplifier module. The six-pin harness secured by a white latch sits directly to the right of the amplifier, tucked against the wheel well.
- Color codes for the harness:
- Front left positive: violet with white stripe
- Front left negative: brown with yellow stripe
- Front right positive: dark green with orange stripe
- Front right negative: gray with light blue stripe
- Rear left positive: pink with black stripe
- Rear left negative: tan with red stripe
- Rear right positive: light green with violet stripe
- Rear right negative: dark blue with yellow stripe
For door-mounted units, pry off the triangular sail panel using a trim removal tool–start at the bottom edge near the mirror. Disconnect the power mirror plug, then lift the panel straight up to avoid snapping the mounting tabs. Behind the panel, a two-pin connector with matching violet-white and brown-yellow wires terminates inside a foam gasket.
In the trunk, the subwoofer harness is located beneath the right-side trim panel adjacent to the spare tire well. Remove the carpet fasteners and peel back the liner to reveal a four-pin connector attached to the rear deck. This connector handles both left and right rear signals, with pink-black and tan-red wires on the left channel, and light green-violet with dark blue-yellow on the right.
Dashboard tweeters hide behind the top instrument panel closeout, accessed after removing the climate control bezel. The bezel snaps out by pressing inward at the bottom center while pulling outward. Behind it, two small connectors plug directly into the tweeter units; note their orientations before disconnecting, as the fragile terminals can bend if forced.
Verify harness integrity by probing each wire end with a multimeter–set to 200Ω–and confirm continuity between door pins and amplifier outputs. If readings exceed 0.5Ω, inspect for corrosion at the hinge grommets where door wiring transitions into the A-pillar; these flex points are common failure spots.
Stock Audio System Wire Color Standards and Connector Layout
Start by locating the factory harness behind the receiver unit–front door drivers use a 2-pin connector, while rear doors employ a 4-pin plug. Trace each strand to its corresponding terminal using the codes listed below; misrouting will create phase cancellation at higher volumes.
| Location | Channel | Positive (+) | Negative (–) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front Left Door | Main | Light Blue / Dark Green stripe | Dark Green |
| Tweeter | Red / White stripe | White | |
| Front Right Door | Main | Violet / Orange stripe | Orange |
| Tweeter | Tan / Gray stripe | Gray | |
| Rear Left Door | Main | Brown / Yellow stripe | Yellow |
| Tweeter | Pink / Brown stripe | Brown | |
| Rear Right Door | Main | Dark Blue / Light Green stripe | Light Green |
| Tweeter | Black / Violet stripe | Violet |
Harness retention clips differ between front and rear assemblies–front connectors snap off vertically, whereas rear plugs require a 1/4-inch flat-blade tool to release the locking tab before separation. Install Metra 70-1002 or Axxess AX-SUB20 adapters to preserve harness integrity if retrofitting aftermarket amplification.
Verify polarity with a 9V battery and multimeter: attach the meter probes to the strands, then momentarily touch positive (+) and negative (–) battery terminals to each wire–correct pairing produces a distinct thump; reverse configuration yields silence. Label all leads with heat-shrink tubing or color-coded flags before routing new harnesses through door jambs to prevent abrasion against metal edges.
How to Verify Audio System Cables Using a Voltage Meter
Set the multimeter to continuity mode (or resistance, 200 ohms range) before probing. Disconnect the amplifier harness or head unit outputs to prevent false readings from parallel circuits. Touch one probe to the ground terminal pin and the other to each channel lead–expect near-zero resistance (0.1–5 ohms typical) if the circuit is intact. A reading above 10 ohms or an open signal indicates corrosion, a severed connection, or improper crimping, requiring further inspection between connectors.
- For coaxial installations, separate the positive and negative conductors before testing; polarity reversal risks damaging tweeters.
- If resistance reads infinite (OL), trace the cable path from source to destination, checking for nicks behind panels or sharp chassis edges.
- Verify crimp integrity by squeezing terminal sleeves with pliers–loose connections create intermittent dropouts.
- After testing, reconnect components and measure AC voltage while playing a 1kHz tone at moderate volume; expect 2–6 volts RMS across 4-ohm loads.
- Compare channel voltages–significant variance suggests impedance mismatches or partial shorts in adjacent wires.
Integrating Third-Party Audio Components with Factory Harness Configurations
Locate the OEM connector behind the factory audio unit–pins 1 (LF+), 3 (RF+), 5 (LR+), and 7 (RR+) carry positive signals, while 2, 4, 6, and 8 serve as grounds. Aftermarket coaxial or component systems will require adapter harnesses matching the 12-pin layout, specifically métra 70-1761 or Scosche FD13RB interfaces. Verify impedance compatibility; most factory circuits operate at 4 ohms, but premium third-party units may demand 2 ohms without factory amplification. Splice wires only after confirming voltage stabilization–factory systems often include capacitor-based noise suppression, which must be replicated if bypassing the stock head unit.
Route power leads directly to the battery via 4-gauge oxygen-free copper wiring, avoiding the fuse box to prevent signal interference. Install a relay-driven circuit with a 20-amp fuse within 18 inches of the battery terminal. Ground connections should terminate at bare metal chassis points near the original harness–scrape paint to ensure conductivity and apply dielectric grease to prevent oxidation. For component tweeters, use passive crossovers rated at 3.5 kHz if the amplifier lacks built-in filtering, as the factory system distributes frequencies through a single-stage network.
Test connections with a multimeter before final assembly–expect 11-14 volts on power leads and continuity on grounds. If signal degradation occurs, isolate the issue by probing each channel’s RCA output at the amplifier. Factory shielding often relies on foil-wrapped harnesses; replicate this with braided shielding on aftermarket cables to minimize RF intrusion. When upgrading to a subwoofer, tap into the LF/RF rear channels at the amplifier output rather than the head unit to maintain proper signal strength.