Problem with installation of head unit. Please help!

 

New member
Username: Mindfree

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-04
The after-market Sony cassette player on my 92' Honda Prelude quit working so I got this cheap CD/MP3 player unit. I simply used the wiring harness left from the Sony and hook it up. The wire colors match totally except that the CD/MP3 player does not have the orange wire (dimmer).

Right after I hooked it up, the CD/MP3 player worked for a few seconds then quit. The screen then was flashing with "12:00" and no botton was responding. After I left it alone for a while, the clock started going (no more flashing). But once I pushed any button (including the power), the CD/MP3 screen went back to flashing with "12:00", and the clock on the car dashboard got reset to "0:00".

Could someone let me know whether it is a problem with installation, the unit, or eletrical system of the car? I have connected the following wires:
4 speakers, ignition, battery, ground, power antenna --12 in total.

Thanks a lot!
 

Bronze Member
Username: Bassfreak596

Post Number: 43
Registered: Oct-04
i think it is to do with the ele system.. he dimmer wire is conneced to the place where your parking lights/head lights are connected..

dont know how.. but thts how the dimmer works !

hope this helped in some way.
 

New member
Username: Mindfree

Post Number: 2
Registered: Dec-04
Thanks. Could you pls indicate what the issue possibly could be?
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

NorthWest, Michigan USA

Post Number: 6086
Registered: Dec-03
you don't "match colors."
you need to find out what each wire is for, then wire it properly.
You probably just shorted out your new CD player and destroyed it.
 

New member
Username: Littleguy

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-04
Hi GlassWolf, i'm new to this site and was reading some of the articles. It seems that you have a lot of knowledge in electronics:} I was wondering if you could help me out with my problem? I'm putting a system in my car. I have 3 fosgate amps. My problem is that there is a whine in the speakers. When i unpluge the rca from the sub amp it quits. It only whines when the car is running. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks, Steve
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

NorthWest, Michigan USA

Post Number: 6102
Registered: Dec-03
bad ground or pinned RCA cable
 

New member
Username: Jamison

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-04
Hey i need help with my clarion head unit.... i wired up a wirering harness and sottered it correctly but when connected to the stock wires my cd player just wont turn on? is there anything else i should check?
 

New member
Username: Mindfree

Post Number: 3
Registered: Dec-04
Thanks for your replies. I said matching color. Actually everything matched, mot just color. All the speakers, ground, ignition, memory, etc. matched.

What does it mean "pinned RCA cable"
 

dwgs01
Unregistered guest
Hey Glasswolf, I have a smiliar problem with my stereo making a whining noise. you mentioned in an earlier posting it might be a bad ground wire or pinned RCA wire, well, I had the head unit installed to my saturn and it made that whining noise, took it out, out it into my girlfriends saturn, it was fine. I put my old stereo back into my car, it was fine no noise....tried to put the mp3 player back into my car..made a whining noise when the car moves....can you help?
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

NorthWest, Michigan USA

Post Number: 6338
Registered: Dec-03
jamie, check fuses at the fuse box and behind the radio.
double check wiring and make sure each wire is the right one for the connection.

David, I mean if an RCA cable gets pinched, it can cause noise or even a short that can damage the ehad unit, when the pos and neg wires in the RCA cable get exposed and touch inside the shielding.

dgws, that's a ground loop, or alternator whine.
it's caused by a bad ground, or amplifier gain set too high, or the need for suppression cables on teh motor's spark plugs.
usually the former two are more common.
 

Unregistered guest
how do i alter the amplifier gain, and where can i get suppression cables?
 

Unregistered guest
also, the speakers produce a static sound as a result of having the mp3 hu installed...any suggestions?
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

NorthWest, Michigan USA

Post Number: 6342
Registered: Dec-03
the amplifier if you are using one, will have a gain or input sensitivity setting on one end of it.
usually a knob or screw-adjuster.

most cables these days are suppression cables.
any auto parts store will have new ones for your car, relatively cheap.
may want to change plugs and cap at the same time and call it a tune up.

re-ground the head unit to bare metal, too.. don't use the gnd wire in the wiring harness.
that may be the problem right there.
 

cyrus_sha
Unregistered guest
wiring OEM for honda 1991 prelude

Constant 12V+ White/Yellow
Switched 12V+ Yellow/Red
Ground Black
Illumination Red/Black
Dimmer n/a
Antenna Right Rear
Front Speakers 6 1/2" Doors
Left Front (+) Blue/Green
Left Front (-) Gray/Black
Right Front (+) Red/Green
Right Front (-) Brown/Black
Rear Speakers 4" Rear Deck
Left Rear (+) Blue/Yellow
Left Rear (-) Gray/White
Right Rear (+) Red/Yellow
Right Rear (-) Brown/White
 

cyrus_sha
Unregistered guest
wiring OEM for honda 1991 prelude

Constant 12V+ White/Yellow
Switched 12V+ Yellow/Red
Ground Black
Illumination Red/Black
Dimmer n/a
Antenna Right Rear
Front Speakers 6 1/2" Doors
Left Front (+) Blue/Green
Left Front (-) Gray/Black
Right Front (+) Red/Green
Right Front (-) Brown/Black
Rear Speakers 4" Rear Deck
Left Rear (+) Blue/Yellow
Left Rear (-) Gray/White
Right Rear (+) Red/Yellow
Right Rear (-) Brown/White
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