Radio malfunction

[ssjkouru]

Heres the story, I was driving along just fine when all of a sudden my radio cuts out. I get into a parking lot and stop to see if its just one of my fuses(it was). I replaced the fuse but it still doesn't turn on. I also noticed my dome lights and my trunk light don't turn on. Car turns on just like usual which means the battery is fine. Is there something i'm missing?

any help is appreciated.

 

[luv2rallye]

Check the "Room Lamp" 10A fuse engine fusebox (bottom row 2nd from left). Radio has up to 5 fuses depending on features.

 

[dracon8780]

is this an aftermarket radio?
if it is you might have goten the ground and dimmer wire mixed up
when the lights are off it will show up as ground and radio will work just fine but as soon as you turn lights on it will blow both fuses

 

[ssjkouru]

Check the "Room Lamp" 10A fuse engine fusebox (bottom row 2nd from left). Radio has up to 5 fuses depending on features.

I have checked the fuse and its been blown twice now. I replaced it after the first and within nearly 5mins it blew again. Not only that but my car's battery is drained at a EXTREME and I meanEXTREME rate. So much so that when I turn on my headlights my car will die. EVEN WHEN i'm driving. I've begun to tear apart my dashboard in search of a possible loose wire. No avail. what could it be?
(ps: how do I remove the heater control unit, ya know the part that has the dials for heat and ac. i've gotten the radio and stuff out of the way already)

 

[luv2rallye]

First check for bad battery and alt like this: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/new...reeway-electrical-problems.html#post151165661

Then check for shorts or battery drain like this (with engine off): http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...-partial-short-battery-drain.html#post1496998

 

[ssjkouru]

First check for bad battery and alt like this: http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/new...reeway-electrical-problems.html#post151165661

Then check for shorts or battery drain like this (with engine off): http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...-partial-short-battery-drain.html#post1496998

Yah the battery is fine. Your article seems very helpful i'll have to apply it tomorrow when I get the chance I've been busy taking off the whole dash to just make sure everything is ok. I've found wires from the previous owner that seem to be just a-hole rigged up. What should I be looking for if it ran but the fuse keeps blowing?

 

[luv2rallye]

is this an aftermarket radio?
if it is you might have goten the ground and dimmer wire mixed up
when the lights are off it will show up as ground and radio will work just fine but as soon as you turn lights on it will blow both fuses

Yes this is a possibility. You cannot use the dimmer switch black-yellow or black wires for power. Does the problem occur when the taillights are on and radio doesn't work when they are off? Is this the factory radio? What was worked on last?

 

[ssjkouru]

Yes this is a possibility. You cannot use the dimmer switch black-yellow or black wires for power. Does the problem occur when the taillights are on and radio doesn't work when they are off? Is this the factory radio? What was worked on last?

Its an aftermarket radio, and I've only had it blow when I was driving the car, the radio(dome lights and light for the hatch) would all of a sudden stop working although the rest of the car was getting some sort of power to at least run.

 

[marineeagle28]

Double check the radio's ground. I have re-grounded mine, I ran it to bare metal just inside the center console. It no longer attaches to the ground in the Harness. It solved VERY similar problems. I won't say same because it fixed my issue but YMMV.

 

[potHead4sur]

check for shorts..or wires by themselves..

 

[marineeagle28]

you keep blowing that circuit, and you said it was a piss poor job on radio install? make sure power and ground are not touching, or that speaker leads do not touch... also have run into similar problem with a different vehicle...

 

[ssjkouru]

you keep blowing that circuit, and you said it was a piss poor job on radio install? make sure power and ground are not touching, or that speaker leads do not touch... also have run into similar problem with a different vehicle...

Well its not just the radio, when it goes out so do the dome lights and the light for the hatch when its open doesn't turn on. I'm not out ruling it could be a short or ground wire.

 

[ssjkouru]

update: it appears after further inspection I had blown a fuse inside the engine, and a big fuse at that, aue 60/conq 32v(whatever that means). I'm not saying this is the problem but it very well might be.

 

[jcart953]

update: it appears after further inspection I had blown a fuse inside the engine, and a big fuse at that, aue 60/conq 32v(whatever that means). I'm not saying this is the problem but it very well might be.

If that doesn't work check behind your aftermarket radio. I know you said that you checked the fuses but if you have a aftermarket radio it might have fuses behind the center console where the radio is at. I had a similar problem with my car a while back and everything blew and wouldn't turn on. I checked and changed the fuses in the engine bay and beneath the driver side. Low and behold after some searching I realized there were blown fuses behind the console which solved my problem.

Hope everything works for you. Keep us updated on your problem.

 

[volcomsnow245]

This might sound strange but what's the condition of your alternator and battery. When my alternator was going out it would cut the radio off.

 

[ssjkouru]

This might sound strange but what's the condition of your alternator and battery. When my alternator was going out it would cut the radio off.

alternator looks in fair condition, I haven't checked it fully yet. My battery is in prime condition tho, I bought a new one a few months ago.