Ok I installed a new stereo in my car and it worked great except when i shut off the car everything on it would reset so i set the channels and tried one more time to see if they would stay and when i turned my car back on the stereo wouldnt turn on and the old stereo that i took out will not work either anybody have any clues as to why this is happening the car is a 1988 ford tempo i have all the wiring correct it just will not turn on thanks for the help
Replies (8)
swez on 06/6/2004 22:20:21
Not so sure you do have all the wiring correctly wired, or this unit would be working like French Silk pie. Did you use an OEM/Aftermarket conversion harness or just hard wired the new HU in?
Also, the MEMory wire must have a constant 12 volt supply from the battery to keep your stations and other MEM functions powered when the key is removed. This is often a YELLOW wire off the HU harness. It must have +12 volts at all times. A 12 volt test lamp or Voltmeter is a good tool for probing dash wires when hardwired to OEM harness.
The other issue of HU not powering up is probably a fuse that blew. There is probably no voltage on that main power line off ACC/IGN circuit.(ususally a RED wire to HU) Go hunting for the blown fuse in main fuse panel or under hood fuses. They blow when shorted to ground or too much current is drawn and the fuse blows to protect other electrical circuits. The fact your OEM HU will not work now, is a very good indicator of a blown fuse.
Finally, when grounding Aftermarket HU's, DO NOT use factory harness grounds. Go direct from Aftermarket HU ground wire to floor pan or fire wall etc... a bare metal connection is a must.
Good luck finding that blown fuse,
Swez
PS What HU did you install BTW? Make & Model #?
h4x0r25 on 06/7/2004 00:09:09
Ok the HU is a rampage acd-24 I connected the yellow wire and the red wire but obviously if the MEM still reset the yellow wire isnt working you see i just bought the car from someone so i have no clue what he had done with it just that he already had a stereo installed and its MEM reset all the time so ya... im not really sure how to fix the yellow wire nor am i sure how to check if a fuse is blown
UKinstaller on 06/7/2004 00:20:08
well man if the yellow wire isn't working, you are going to have to run a new one. to do this, you have to tap into an existing 12v constant wire in your car. i would strongly recommend that you have someone experienced help you with this or take it to an install shop because if you cut the wrong wire(s), you could really mess something up.
before you get into trying to get your constant 12v working, make sure it's faulty to begin with, instead of it just being the cd player or something.
take care,
-UK
h4x0r25 on 06/7/2004 00:22:11
i went and checked and in the fuse box the one that says radio is dead but i put a working one in there a 15 just like the on i took out but it still wont turn on so i was wondering if there are more fuses that make the stereo work rather then just the one that says radio...
uochronos on 06/7/2004 16:33:35
everycar i have owned has had more then one fuse for the radio. my current truck has 6 that effect the radio. dont even ask me how or why. i also had a '84 thuinder bird and it had 2 fuses i used to blow so i would assume a tempo of around the same age could likly have more then one fuse. i suggest checking them all chances are alot of these are original stock fues. every car i have bought thats more then 10 years old has had at least 2 fuses blown that noone ever bothered to replace. also you can get these fuses from autozone oir other auto parts stores that light up when blown very handy for tracking blown fuses.
also you are going to need a test light or volt meter to track your problems down right like swez already mentioned. check and make sure your 12volt constant has power, check that your accessory wire gets power when the ignition is turned on,. and defiantly ground your HU to bare metal on the cars firewall or floor pan.
h4x0r25 on 06/7/2004 18:19:28
Ok everyone thanks so much for the help i put new fuses in and capped all the wires and its working again only problem is that dumb yellow wire i dont have a voltmeter but all i have to do is hook it to a 12volt wire correct? and whereabout do i find this wire? thanks guys
swez on 06/8/2004 10:41:34
The Yellow MEM wire needs to be connected to a wire that has constant +12 volts between it and body ground. If you cannot find one with your test light probe, can make one that taps from internal fuse box marked (BAT) or run a new wire from Pos on battery, into cabin. Use an inline fuse (1-2 amperes) and then splice to Yellow (MEM) on HU.
Any of these methods will get your MEM functions back again. Do not tap the RED for MEM as this losses power when the key is off.
Swez
ttocs on 06/8/2004 12:34:26
an 88 ford tempo I don't believe had a constant wire. My fam had an 87 and and I remember it having a shaft style radio that would not require a constant. There are two wires going to the cig lighter below the radio. One will attach to the side of the lighter, the other goes in the middle. Hook it up to the one in middle.
Replies (8)
swez on 06/6/2004 22:20:21
Not so sure you do have all the wiring correctly wired, or this unit would be working like French Silk pie. Did you use an OEM/Aftermarket conversion harness or just hard wired the new HU in?
Also, the MEMory wire must have a constant 12 volt supply from the battery to keep your stations and other MEM functions powered when the key is removed. This is often a YELLOW wire off the HU harness. It must have +12 volts at all times. A 12 volt test lamp or Voltmeter is a good tool for probing dash wires when hardwired to OEM harness.
The other issue of HU not powering up is probably a fuse that blew. There is probably no voltage on that main power line off ACC/IGN circuit.(ususally a RED wire to HU) Go hunting for the blown fuse in main fuse panel or under hood fuses. They blow when shorted to ground or too much current is drawn and the fuse blows to protect other electrical circuits. The fact your OEM HU will not work now, is a very good indicator of a blown fuse.
Finally, when grounding Aftermarket HU's, DO NOT use factory harness grounds. Go direct from Aftermarket HU ground wire to floor pan or fire wall etc... a bare metal connection is a must.
Good luck finding that blown fuse,
Swez
PS What HU did you install BTW? Make & Model #?
h4x0r25 on 06/7/2004 00:09:09
Ok the HU is a rampage acd-24 I connected the yellow wire and the red wire but obviously if the MEM still reset the yellow wire isnt working you see i just bought the car from someone so i have no clue what he had done with it just that he already had a stereo installed and its MEM reset all the time so ya... im not really sure how to fix the yellow wire nor am i sure how to check if a fuse is blown
UKinstaller on 06/7/2004 00:20:08
well man if the yellow wire isn't working, you are going to have to run a new one. to do this, you have to tap into an existing 12v constant wire in your car. i would strongly recommend that you have someone experienced help you with this or take it to an install shop because if you cut the wrong wire(s), you could really mess something up.
before you get into trying to get your constant 12v working, make sure it's faulty to begin with, instead of it just being the cd player or something.
take care,
-UK
h4x0r25 on 06/7/2004 00:22:11
i went and checked and in the fuse box the one that says radio is dead but i put a working one in there a 15 just like the on i took out but it still wont turn on so i was wondering if there are more fuses that make the stereo work rather then just the one that says radio...
uochronos on 06/7/2004 16:33:35
everycar i have owned has had more then one fuse for the radio. my current truck has 6 that effect the radio. dont even ask me how or why. i also had a '84 thuinder bird and it had 2 fuses i used to blow so i would assume a tempo of around the same age could likly have more then one fuse. i suggest checking them all chances are alot of these are original stock fues. every car i have bought thats more then 10 years old has had at least 2 fuses blown that noone ever bothered to replace. also you can get these fuses from autozone oir other auto parts stores that light up when blown very handy for tracking blown fuses.
also you are going to need a test light or volt meter to track your problems down right like swez already mentioned. check and make sure your 12volt constant has power, check that your accessory wire gets power when the ignition is turned on,. and defiantly ground your HU to bare metal on the cars firewall or floor pan.
h4x0r25 on 06/7/2004 18:19:28
Ok everyone thanks so much for the help i put new fuses in and capped all the wires and its working again only problem is that dumb yellow wire i dont have a voltmeter but all i have to do is hook it to a 12volt wire correct? and whereabout do i find this wire? thanks guys
swez on 06/8/2004 10:41:34
The Yellow MEM wire needs to be connected to a wire that has constant +12 volts between it and body ground. If you cannot find one with your test light probe, can make one that taps from internal fuse box marked (BAT) or run a new wire from Pos on battery, into cabin. Use an inline fuse (1-2 amperes) and then splice to Yellow (MEM) on HU.
Any of these methods will get your MEM functions back again. Do not tap the RED for MEM as this losses power when the key is off.
Swez
ttocs on 06/8/2004 12:34:26
an 88 ford tempo I don't believe had a constant wire. My fam had an 87 and and I remember it having a shaft style radio that would not require a constant. There are two wires going to the cig lighter below the radio. One will attach to the side of the lighter, the other goes in the middle. Hook it up to the one in middle.
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