Fitted new car radio, not a mag out of it!

IronMan

Hi folks,

I bought a new car radio, and fitted it this morning. Everything was working fine, except when I turned off the engine, and then powered it back up, all my radio station settings had disappeared. An annoying problem. The instruction manual said that this was as a result of the car manufacturer swapping the red and yellow leads around. I swapped these around and started the car. The radio lit up, I set a few stations, then powered down the engine, and restarted. Bravo, the stations came back! I went inside, had a cup of tea, generally feeling satisfied with myself. However when I went back outside and restarted the car, the radio wouldn't start, and the clock on the car has also gone on strike. I've obviously blown/burnt/otherwise messed something up. Any suggestions as to what I have done (fuse me thinks), and how it can be resolved?

Cheers,

David

crosstownk

Sounds like it could be a fuse. It's quite possible that the radio fuse is also the clock fuse.

DrChoda

Not sure what kind of stereo it is, but have you considered running straight from the battery, through the firewall, and directly to the stereo?

colm_mcm

no need for that, the plug will have an ignition feed and a permanent feed.

OP, it is likely that you grounded one of the 12V wires.

What is the make and model of the car and I'll tell you which wire goes where.

JHMEG

That actually sounds like the backup fuse. The clock and the ECU can be powered off this fuse aswell (to keep their settings when the ign is off), and it can be under the bonnet.

colm_mcm

as far as I know the most clocks will run without the backup working, just go back to 12.00/1.00 when ignition is turned off and on again.

crosstownk

The clock has to be fused somewhere. And it's quite possible that the fuse that protects the clock circuit also protects other circuits as the clock consumes little current.

IronMan

Morning folks,

Thank's for the feedback. I opened the fuse box yesterday evening, and saw that the fuse for the radio was a 10V fuse (this fuse is also used by the clock). I replaced this fuse with a spare, but the radio still would not work (or the clock). I then disconnected the radio altogether, and once again tried a new 10v fuse. But the clock still did not work. So that would appear to rule out it being a fuse issue. The stereo has an internal 15v fuse, so I was going to put a 15v fuse in the radio fuse slot, but considering that disconnecting the radio didn't resolve the clock issue, I probably need to start looking at this being someother issue.

I was replacing a bog standard radio (no other features), with one that has CD, MP3, USB support so I presume its needs when it comes to power and fusing are different. The fuse box is under the hood, and the car is a 2000 Mitsubishi Carisma (should be brought to court for such false naming of a car!).

Regards,

David

Kimbot

Sounds to me like the fuse that is on the wiring loom at the back of the headunit is gone!! Replace it and before you connect it back up check all the fuses in the cars fuse box!! Has the same happen me a good while ago and it was a fuse not related to the clock etc!!

colm_mcm

if the clock isn't working, then it's a fuse in the car rather than on the headunit.

Did the fuse blow as soon as you replaced it, and are you vertain that the blown fuse was for the clock and radio ?