I suck at Stereos

SON240sx Automotive
1

so here is what i’m trying to do…

I’ve got a Headunit from a 2004 Grand Prix, it’s got built-in 6 disc changer, etc etc…

Anyway, I’ve got the factory harness with it.

I’m trying to put it in to my silly winter beater, a 1991 Plymouth Acclaim (stfu).

I’ve got a metra connector for the acclaim (Thanks Benson), and a diagram to go with it (Thanks Metra).
I’ve got a wiring diagram for the headunit (Thanks Ed @ Altered Sound).

So I’m just hooking it up temporarily to test the setup with alligator clips (whatever they’re called) and here is the problem; It seems to start up fine, it checks for the presence of all 6 discs. It even lets me load discs and everything regarding loading, ejecting and checking of the discs seems to work fine. The most noticeable problem right away is that it doesn’t actually display ANY of this (or anything at all, not even a backlight) unless I push this button on the bottom left labeled “RCL” (it also turns but I think that was just for tuning the radio, I dont have it in front of me). If I hit that, the backlight and display light up, and it shows me which slots (1 to 6) have discs loaded in to them but the display shuts off after about 5 seconds. If I hit the button again, it comes on for another 5 seconds and turns off.

The clock is also working, it starts at 12 when I first hook it up and seems to be counting properly, it was around 12:30 according to this by the time i finished screwing around with it.

The other weird thing, is that NONE OF THE BUTTONS DO ANYTHING… Except for this RCL button, the Eject Button and the Load button. Oh, and if I hit Eject and then the “pre-set station” button #2, it will eject cd 2, so technically those 6 buttons also work aswell but only in conjunction with the eject button.

So… I’m a huge radio noob as you can probably tell - I’m hoping the answer to this problem is easy.

I’ll provide the wiring diagrams as well as how I have it hooked up now:

Metra Connector (Car/Acclaim side):
12 volt ignition/acc. = red
12 volt batt/memory = yellow
ground = black
power ant. = blue
amp turn-on = blue/white
amp ground = black/white
illumination = orange
dimmer = orange/white
phone mute = brown
and then all of the speaker wiring which we dont need here.

Headunit Side:
battery = orange
accessory = violet
ground = black/white
illumination = (gray) - this one is in brackets for some reason?
power ant. = violet
amp location = “the amp is located under the rear package tray” (it says that, heh)
Speed Control = YES
Radio Security = YES

Now, one thing that raises a flag is that last bit, Radio Security = yes. But it loads and ejects cd’s fine, the clock works, and it doesnt say anything about anything to do with radio security on the screen or whatever when i hit the RCL button, but this could be the problem I guess? Does anyone know anything about this stuff?

How I have it hooked up:
Car Side – Headunit
Yellow – Orange (battery)
Red – Violet (acc.)
Black – Black/White (ground)
Orange – Gray (illumination)

So… Any bright ideas people?

Thanks in advance!

2

Is there a security code you need to enter?

3

maybe, but its not prompting me for one or anything…

4

Well, I don’t have much for you here, but I do know that on GM’s, you can hit that RCL button at any time (even when the car is off and there is no key in the ign.).

So, maybe there is a problem with the power antenna wire (not sure wat they call it these days), the one that tirns the unit on when the car is turned on or key is in the accessories possition. I know that you can usually insert and eject CD’s when no key is in.

I have a strong feeling that you are missing the connection to the “switched power” (the aforementioned power antenna wire that is usually blue) but your constant power is working fine.

I hope this helps you out John.

5

Hmm, interesting theo you might be on to something.

However, the power antenna wire doesnt seem to have to do with anything! Doesn’t that just make the power antenna go up and down? haha

I’ll go play with it a little more, thanks bruv!

6

They just call (or used to call) it that because it switched the main power to the unit on when the antenna goes up. I am just not sure weather it goes to the ant. first or how that works.

The power ant. wire is the same one you would use to hook up an amplifier as the switchable power, so it works the same way for the radio too I suppose.

7

interesting

well i just got back inside… it didnt seem to do anything else

although, i unhooked everything except orange and black/white on the headunit and it still acts exactly the same way.

I think you’re 100% right about the radio not actually turning on though theo…

One thing thats throwing me off is there is two violet wires on the headunit (it ever refers to it twice in the diagram as you can see above) and I think there was two grays also… but one is for the speakers so I dont think that one will be an issue

For the violets though, one of them is like a dark purple and one is lighter purple… I dunno which is which.

help :frowning:

8

I see what you are saying abou the two violet wires. Maybe try running each of them (on two separate attempts) through the fuse annel in the headlights circuit. Once hooked up, turn the car on and see what happens when you turn on the lights, see if the radio comes on.

If this doesn’t work with one of the wires, try it with the other one.

Hope it works out for you.

9

haha, cool thanks bruv - ill play with it more later on!