1996 Toyota Tercel Car Stereo Wire Color Codes
Toyota is now famous for producing economical front-wheel-drive vehicles, but up until 1978, all of the automaker's vehicles were rear-w...
Toyota is now famous for producing economical front-wheel-drive vehicles, but up until 1978, all of the automaker's vehicles were rear-wheel-drive models. Toyota's 1978 conversion to front-wheel-drive vehicles began with the release of the Corolla Tercel in Japan. In 1980, the Corolla Tercel made its American debut. During its 18-year run in the U.S., Consumer's Digest named the Tercel its "Best Buy" five times -- 1984 and 1991 through 1994. The 1996 Corolla -- three year prior to its elimination -- had an optional stereo system; knowing the wiring colors on this stereo system can help rewiring the stereo or diagnosing problems.
12-Volt Wiring
The 1996 Tercel's audio system has two power wires. One power wire -- the memory wire -- provides a constant 12-volt power supply to retain the radio's preset stations and the clock setting. The memory wire is blue with a yellow stripe.
The second 12-volt wire only provides power when the ignition is in the "Acc" or "Run" position. This wire is known as the switchable power wire, and is grey in color.
Grounding
The 1996 Tercel's radio has an independent ground, meaning it does not ground through the speakers. The radio's ground wire is brown, and it connects to the vehicle's body behind the driver's side kick panel.
Interior Lighting Wiring
The 1996 Tercel's stereo system has two wires that lead to the interior lights. One wire is white with a green stripe, and the other is green. You must connect both wires in order for the Tercel's interior lighting to work correctly.
Speaker Wiring
The 1996 Tercel's stereo system had two or four speakers, depending on the system selected. There are two wires that run to each speaker, but they are not polarity-sensitive, as the radio has a separate ground wire and does not need to ground through the speakers.
The right-front speaker has one light green wire and one blue wire. The left-front speaker has one pink wire and a violet wire. The right-rear speaker, if equipped, has one red wire and one white wire. Lastly, the left-rear speaker, if applicable, has one black wire and one yellow wire.
Antenna Lead
The 1996 Tercel's radio system has a single, thick cable on its rear that leads to the antenna. This cable is black in color.
