Problem with my new headunit

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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Well my car got broken into a few months back, and I just got to replacing my headunit. Well, I wired everything up and the headunit wouldn't come on.

I think its either 1. the headunit doesn't work 2. its not getting power.

I checked all the wires with the wiring harness and its all wired properly

Besides returning the HU, is there anything else I can do to test what the exact problem is?
 

flyfish

Senior member
Oct 23, 2000
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Check for a blown fuse?
Everytime those theives get in my car they blow a damn fuse!!
 

KingNothing

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2002
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Pull the power supply out of your computer, wire it up to the headunit, see if it comes on. Or...does...something else. :evil:
 

xirtam

Diamond Member
Aug 25, 2001
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I was going to offer a response that didn't contribute to this thread, but I changed my mind out of consideration.
 

KingNothing

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2002
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Originally posted by: xirtam
I was going to offer a response that didn't contribute to this thread, but I changed my mind out of consideration.

Glad there's some considerate folk around here.
 

xirtam

Diamond Member
Aug 25, 2001
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Yeah, no kidding. Some idiots just feel like they have to hold their own conversations inside other people's threads that have absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand.
 

Crucial

Diamond Member
Dec 21, 2000
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They may look wired properly but did you actually check to make sure they have power going through them? Your post doesn't specify. If they are then the HU is toast.
 

Crucial

Diamond Member
Dec 21, 2000
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Originally posted by: xirtam
Not necessarily. Something else could be blown.

Something else like what? If the wiring harness has juice and you plug it in and it doesn't work it is the head unit. A blown fuse would prevent power from getting to the harness. If the head unit powers up and he gets no sound then yeah something else could be screwed up.
 

Shawn

Lifer
Apr 20, 2003
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Make sure it's properly grounded. If it's not it won't come on even if there is power comming to it......
 

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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the black cable is ground, correct? I grounded it by attaching it to a screw.....

how can i test if the harness is getting power?
 

Crucial

Diamond Member
Dec 21, 2000
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You need a multimeter to test the 12v line for juice. There is usually 2 different 12v lines. one that is always live and another that is switched with the ignition. The harness should have some instructions telling you which is which.
 

Crucial

Diamond Member
Dec 21, 2000
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Originally posted by: cchen
the black cable is ground, correct? I grounded it by attaching it to a screw.....

how can i test if the harness is getting power?

Black is ground. What did you screw it into?
 

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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there's a metal piece that my sub is grounded to, and i grounded the hu with that....
 

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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ok, i checked the fuse, and it was blown. i replaced it, but the hu still failed to power up....

i have a hunch that it might be the hu.

how can i test the hu without putting it in a car???
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
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Originally posted by: csaddict
You need a multimeter to test the 12v line for juice. There is usually 2 different 12v lines. one that is always live and another that is switched with the ignition. The harness should have some instructions telling you which is which.

This or the ground is most likely the problem unless the headunit is toast.

 

Crucial

Diamond Member
Dec 21, 2000
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What kind of harness did you get? Did you get one that plugs into the existing harness on your car or did you have to cut and splice it in? And did you check the fuse again after replacing it and trying the HU again? Is it blown again?

I don't want to insult your level of knowledge about this stuff but I don't know your experience in the matter. You have to make sure everything is hooked up right or it won't work. Did you have to do any cutting and connecting of wires or was it all just plugged in. WHen your original HU was stolen there could have been damage done to the wires that you didn't see. A short that keeps popping the fuse each time you turn it on.
 
Apr 5, 2000
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Not to be a smart ass or anything....but when you plugged it in and turned on your car, did you hold down the power button? All the ones I've installed the default is off....don't mean to insult your intelligence or anything
 

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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Originally posted by: csaddict
What kind of harness did you get? Did you get one that plugs into the existing harness on your car or did you have to cut and splice it in? And did you check the fuse again after replacing it and trying the HU again? Is it blown again? I don't want to insult your level of knowledge about this stuff but I don't know your experience in the matter. You have to make sure everything is hooked up right or it won't work. Did you have to do any cutting and connecting of wires or was it all just plugged in. WHen your original HU was stolen there could have been damage done to the wires that you didn't see. A short that keeps popping the fuse each time you turn it on.

I got a scosche harness from sounddomain. it plugs into the existing harness. i know the fuse is working correctly because the radio and ciagarette adapter use the same fuse and the ciagarette adapter is working fine right now. i'm pretty sure its hooked up correctly, this is the 3rd time i've done a similar install in this car.

WHen your original HU was stolen there could have been damage done to the wires that you didn't see.

that's what i was thinking. i'm not sure how i'm gonan be able to test it, as i don't have any equipment...

 

cchen

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
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Originally posted by: Angrymarshmello
Not to be a smart ass or anything....but when you plugged it in and turned on your car, did you hold down the power button? All the ones I've installed the default is off....don't mean to insult your intelligence or anything

yep... i held it down.... then tried pressing the power button a few times but still no response....