Stock radio works fine, install an aftermarket head unit and no power

[PapaSmorzy]

I was recently trying to replace the radio in my car, and found it doesn't have the wiring harness originally included in this car but an older version from probably about a 1999 mustang. When I traded it for my truck i had my trucks original radio in a box somewhere and the radio in the car was shot. I plugged up my ranger radio and it works just fine. Tried to change to an aftermarket one, wire it all up. No power.

 

[PapaSmorzy]

Between the wiring harness I purchased and the one that was with the radio, it has all of the appropriate wiring except for the power antenna. I've tried 2 seperate aftermarket head units at this point.

 

[ttocs]

What year car? Can ya post a pic of the harnesses you have and how they are connected?

 

[PapaSmorzy]

It's a 2004 mustang, but from what I can tell this is an older harness actually on the car.

 

[PapaSmorzy]

And this was the aftermarket stuff I got

 

[ttocs]

I am fairly sure that is not a radio for a mustang. Maybe an explorer/expedition or something but not sure. It could be as simple as the ground is missing or something more. The harness you have plugs into the one in the dash? If so then measure the voltage on the yellow and red wire with the key on

 

[PapaSmorzy]

I am fairly sure that is not a radio for a mustang. Maybe an explorer/expedition or something but not sure. It could be as simple as the ground is missing or something more. The harness you have plugs into the one in the dash? If so then measure the voltage on the yellow and red wire with the key on

Yeah the radio that's in it in the first picture is from an old ranger I had that just happened to fit the harness it had and i didnt even realize it was not the proper harness that should be in an 04, the second posting is an aftermarket radio I'm trying to install connected to a wiring harness that would fit the harness that is in the car currently.

 

[ttocs]

So you have an aftermarket harness that plugs into the one in the dash, or you need one? If you need one the easiest way is to take that stock radio to your local car audio shop and they can match one up for you

 

[PapaSmorzy]

I have one just the radio won't turn on

 

[ttocs]

does it plug into the one in the dash correctly? If so then check to make sure the yellow/red/black wires are connected correctly.

 

[PapaSmorzy]

It does and they are

 

[PapaSmorzy]

These are the wires coming out of the wiring harness that is stock with the vehicle.

 

[ttocs]

have you followed the wires though the harness to be sure they are in the correct spot? I have seen where a pin gets in the spot next to it and just needs to be moved over.

 

[PapaSmorzy]

I've actually even tried splicing it into the actual wiring on the car and still no power. It's a "200w" radio could that be my problem?

 

[ttocs]

no that should not be a problem. There isn't a fuse hidden on the aftermarket radio on the harness or on the back of the radio by chance? Time to pull out the meter and make sure you have power/ground on the yellow/red wires with the key on

 

[PapaSmorzy]

I do have power through both wires, and through the harness at 30v I think? I don't know how to read a multimeter but both wires display 30 on ac mode

 

[ttocs]

you would want to measure dc voltage. With it on AC it could have shown almost anything.

 

[PapaSmorzy]

About 13 for each wire

 

[PapaSmorzy]

Ok idiot moment kinda. I got a voltage tester and was just running to some grounded metal to do the test before. I try to run it off the actual ground wire... no voltage. I move back along the wire and find that the ground wire had been cut ran the ground wire straight into the wiring harness on the radio and now I'm all good. Thanks for all the help

 

[joshwellfleetcapecod]

>> what did you set hpf, lpf, and sub out?

i did this this summer'22- kept mach 460 speakers and 2 460 amps, changed HU. 04 gt conveftible got this last fall '21. with a sony xav-ax1000 HU, used a metra harness adaptor forfget which one. everything works, except I think if fade to rear loses front. dont care about that. alls is good. did have a bad amp, got 2 new mach 460 amos ebay for 80$. anyways....


xav-ax1000 has-

Low-Pass & High-Pass Filter: The unit's subwoofer preout features a low pass filter with a selectable cut-off frequency of 50Hz, 60Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, or 120Hz. The front & rear speaker high-level and low-level outputs offer a selectable high-pass crossover frequency of 50Hz, 60Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz, or Off. The slope of the low & high pass crossovers is 12dB.