Head Unit Doesn't Always Power On

[2gnt99]

I've been having many problems with my head unit, originally I thought it was a bad fuse; however, upon starting my car the head unit powered on and asked for the code the first time.

This persisted for several starts, but then the head unit would not power on with the next few starts.

My first guess is that something is loose and only getting a connection on certain occasions, can anyone recommend where to start fixing this?

I may just be stock headunit, I'll check my aftermarket one to see if the problem persists.

 

[GSTurbo1]

pull it out and see if all the wires are hooked up like they should be

 

[DSM's 4 life]

sounds like you are losing the constant 12v since you had to input the code on every startup i'm assuming that you had issues with radio station pre-sets. Like others have said check constant power,gound,and acc switch

 

[2gnt99]

sounds like you are losing the constant 12v since you had to input the code on every startup i'm assuming that you had issues with radio station pre-sets. Like others have said check constant power,gound,and acc switch

My wording was bad, after I entered the code the first time the head unit did not ask again. Can you outline how I would go about checking the constant 12v and the ground? I am going to look through my repair manual and Google around to see if I can find anything too, thanks.

 

[2gnt99]

pull it out and see if all the wires are hooked up like they should be

I can confirm that the harness is properly connected into the back of the head unit. I will have to go further back though and make sure the wiring harness is connected to whatever is back there.

 

[SlowChild3]

I had to add a ground jumper wire. Works great now.

 

[2gnt99]

I had to add a ground jumper wire. Works great now.

I'll look into that too xD

 

[GSTurbo1]

yea, your ground is most likely coming loose

 

[2gnt99]

yea, your ground is most likely coming loose

I will dig through under the dash and under the hood and throughout the console to see if I can find anything, thanks

 

[2gnt99]

Where is the specific spot that the head unit is grounded?

 

[SlowChild3]

I'm not positive but I think in grounds in the mounting hardware. Just get a piece of wire and put it behind some screws on the radio and frame mount.

 

[2gnt99]

I'm not positive but I think in grounds in the mounting hardware. Just get a piece of wire and put it behind some screws on the radio and frame mount.

Thanks, I'll try that out.

 

[SlowChild3]

How'd it go?

 

[DSM_Texas]

i feel your pain brother. i experienced the same thing on my hu, pulled it out and the PO had grounded to a screw with maybe three strands of wire. tsk tsk. makes me scared to investigate what else he applied his expert electrician skills to. cheers!

 

[northernawd]

Make sure the area that is being used as a ground is cleaned off of paint or any other obstruction that could keep it from making contact with bare metal. Can use sandpaper, wire brush, etc.

 

[DSM's 4 life]

It's grounded through the antenna guys.

 

[2gnt99]

I haven't got a chance to try running a wire from the head unit mount to a ground point.

However my aftermarket head unit works without attaching the black cable from the aftermarket wiring harness to a ground point, I have the black cable capped off with a twist insulator.

The stock head unit doesn't have that black cable for grounding.

 

[2gnt99]

It's grounded through the antenna guys.

I did not know that. I didn't have the radio antennae hooked into the stock head unit. I also don't have the radio antennae cable hooked up to the aftermarket head unit, so far it is working fine.