radio problems?

[TribalTalon]

hey guys just a real quick question.. when i bought my laser the headunit was out of the car.. its a panasonic, looks relatively new. anyway, the harness didnt work, so i spliced the wires to make it all work, and now it turns on, but as soon as i turn the volume up at all, it starts turning off and on... also, if i go over a bump it turns off and then turns back on. if i leave the volume all the way off, the radio stays on. what do you guys think this is? what should i check? anything obvious? as far as i can tell the power wire doesnt seem to have any shorts, which was my first thought.

 

[DubV]

To be honest, you might want to leave it to the pros and take it to someone who does that sh!t for a living. It might not be cheaper but its a lot less frustration and time.

 

[DGajre777]

To be honest, you might want to leave it to the pros and take it to someone who does that sh!t for a living. It might not be cheaper but its a lot less frustration and time.

I agree with DubV.

In the meantime, check you wires and ground and make sure it is secure. You should have a red wire which will be power (constant on) and a yellow wire which you can hook up to the cig lighter or any other source that has power with the key in. It sounds like you crossed your wires and it is not getting enough power and shutting off. Here is some more info.

Power
Usually, it is best to make all of the new stereo's wiring connections via the wiring harness, but if you have to make a direct power connection, you'll need to know the difference between "switched" and "constant" power.

A switched power source is only on when the ignition is keyed — connect your new receiver's main (switched) power lead to a switched power source, so that the receiver will turn off when you turn off the car, and not drain your vehicle's battery.

A constant power source is always on — connect your new receiver's memory lead to a constant power source, so that you don't lose your radio preset, sound shaping, and clock settings every time you turn off the vehicle.

Ground
A good ground connection is vital for proper receiver performance. If you are not using a custom wiring harness, look for a bolt, screw, or wire that contacts the bare metal of your vehicle's chassis. Loosen the bolt, slip the ground wire underneath (this is almost always a black wire), then tighten the bolt. If your ground wire doesn't contact bare metal, your receiver won't operate. A loose or weak ground connection can result in signal noise interfering with your music.

 

[Defiant]

DSM radios ground through the chassis, with no separate ground wire. If you didn't run one from the new deck, you need to.