Head Unit Turning Off With Brake Pedal

[KCz Eclipse]

Alright. So i bought a full stereo system the other day. I had my cousin come over, and the two of us installed it. I'm running an alpine type r 12 inch sub, kenwood 1200w 5 channel amp, and all polk audio speakers. Once we were all done with the install, we tuned the car on and it sounded great. Just testing the system, I hadn't pressed the brake pedal down at all. (just put it in neutral w/ park brake) But later in the day, I went to take my brother to basketball practice, and the car barely started. So I start driving and the first time I pressed the brake pedal down my head unit turned off and right back on. Not only was my brake pedal turning off the head unit, but I could hear engine noise in my speakers. (mainly my tweeters). All of this happened yesterday, and now today, I went to start my car and it is dead. Over night I even unhooked the power to the amp off the battery, so i am really confused as to how my battery is drained. I really dont know where to start. The positive side of my battery has three things. My power to amp, main power for car, but I am not sure what the other thing with the box is. If you could help me with that, that would be great.

My uncle is going to try to help me but I doubt he can fix it. Thanks in advance.

 

[norcal_drifter]

It sounds like a loose ground.
What's the other thing hooked up to the battery?
Do you have the RCAs and power wire running in the same side of the car?
What is your remote wire hooked up to?
Answered these questions and I'll tell you to the best of my knowledge what could be the problem

 

[KCz Eclipse]

On the positive terminal of the battery, there is the power to my amp, the main power for the car, then there is another wire with a little bobx on it hook up too. Just wondering what it is. And yes, my main power is running on the same side of my car with two of my rcas, maybe all three. Im assuming the remote wire is the wire on the amp that says p con, so I am running a little blue wire from there to the back of my head unit where there is a blue and white wire that says p cont.

 

[norcal_drifter]

Can you take a picture of the box that's hooked up to the battery?

Engine noise is most likely coming from then RCAs touching the power wire.
I always run RCAs and power wire on opposite sides.

As far as the remote do you know if its Hooked up to a 12v constant or 12v switched?
I'm trying to determin why the battery is getting drained.

 

[donniekak]

My car did this when the alternator was going out.

 

[DammitCoby]

Im with him I had a system that would kill alternators. In the end i went thru three or four of them, and all of them started with any use of power would turn the radio off.

 

[KCz Eclipse]

Okay, so how many cables are supposed to be connected to the negative terminal on the battery. I have two; a black cable that goes somewhere, and a red cable that is like 5 inches long and goes straight to the firewall. Here is a picture of the little box I was talking about on the positive side.

 

[Ghost_92TSi]

X2 on bad ground or alt. Do the lights dim too?

 

[northernawd]

i little hint that i had a problem with is those wingnut terminals touching the underside of the hood, it would drain my battery, check for clearance on that. Also check your ground for the headunit. The previous owner that had my talon ran the ground to the wall beside the head unit. clean the areas well with sandpaper until its bare metal on metal contact

 

[KCz Eclipse]

Well, I pulled the battery, took it to walmart, and the it was bad. They gave me a new battery. But my head unit is still turning off with the brake pedal, and just today found out it turns off when the headlights are turned on. The alternator is new, so i really don't know what to think.

 

[northernawd]

take the headunit out, grab a multimeter and test the power and ground on the plug that goes into the back of the deck. use a multimeter to test it. while testing simulate the situations and see if the voltage drops. Chase the wires throughout the harness within the cabin and look for a short as well

 

[KCz Eclipse]

Wow. That seems like a lot of work. I dont even have a multimeter.

 

[Ghost_92TSi]

Check to see if your ALT is charging correctly. Sounds like the electrical system is stressed if any load is pulling power away from the radio.

Do you have a picture of your ground wire from your amp where it connects to the chasis?

 

[donniekak]

Well, I pulled the battery, took it to walmart, and the it was bad. They gave me a new battery. But my head unit is still turning off with the brake pedal, and just today found out it turns off when the headlights are turned on. The alternator is new, so i really don't know what to think.

Is it an autozone alternator? I've had brand new part store alternators be no good.

 

[KCz Eclipse]

The radio is going to be put on hold for now. Just glanced outside at my car and noticed something was shinning in the light on the ground. Went outside and it was coolant. Just glancing at it, it appears to be a bad lower radiator hose, but I am taking it to the shop tomorrow to find out for sure.

Ended up having a hole in the middle of the radiator. $480 dollars later I have a new radiator and hoses.

 

[KCz Eclipse]

Alright, I also forgot to tell you that when the key is in the ignition and is on accessory, nothing turns on. My seatbelts for example only work when the car is on, and my head unit wont turn on with the key on accessory. Really, for anything to work, my car has to be on.

 

[KCz Eclipse]

Okey here is a quick update on the car. I told you guys I put a new alternator and battery in; well, the alternator was bad for a second time. Again, my power steering pump leaked into it causing it to fail. So $800 dollars later, I have anew power steering pump, and alternator. Also, one of my ground cables to was fried, and the other was not even hooked up. So there you have it. I bought my car for1500, and have put probably 5k in parts and labor just to catch back up on all the maintenance the car didn't recieve for years before I bought it. Its become amoney pit, but hey, I love the thing.