Hello, I need some help putting in a pioneer DEH-P3550-MP into a 1985 Toyota Corolla Seca. It appears that the head unit keeps turning on and off when we turn the ignition on? We've tested it by plugging it into a friends' car which has a similar model installed, and it still works fine (i've had it in two previous vehicles.) Any help would be much appreciated.
Replies (13)
ttocs on 11/13/2005 11:54:29
sounds like you have a loose connection. I am not familiar with the seca(do you have pics?), but most toyotas use an iso mount and a chassis grounding system. Check to make sure that you have it grounded properly. I would often just put a ring terminal on the ground wire, and then use on of the screws that mounts the deck in for the ground.
mtm22 on 11/13/2005 16:32:51
hey thanks alot. I dont have any pics of the seca but its pretty much the same as the corolla's i'd say. Funny that you say it may not be grounded properly, as when i was mucking around with the wires (im fairly new to the world of car audio i should add) i touched the cars main power and ground together and all the little lights on the dash flashed on?
Ash on 11/13/2005 16:53:51
OOoooo. Don't do that!
mtm22 on 11/13/2005 18:07:18
what will happen?
Ash on 11/13/2005 19:24:56
You say you touched a "main power" (+) and ground (-) together? If that is so, you could end up shorting your car's wiring, control modules, etc. I hope that I misunderstood you. That is a big no-no!
mtm22 on 11/14/2005 01:35:18
ahh crap that doesnt sound good. does that mean all the elecrics wont work? i did touch the main power and the ground together a few times, each time all the lights came on (i forgot to mention that i think all those lights might have stopped working when we first tried to put it in the corolla.) It was definantly around that time. the pioneer tape deck that was in it when i bought it still turns on fine.
Ash on 11/14/2005 18:11:20
It would be hard to say what went wrong being that we are not there to look at the problem.
On the dash lights, first check your fuses and make sure nothing is blown. If the vehicle's radio and other wires have been cut (which is some's way of getting around buying a harness), I seriously suggest getting certified installer to fix that problem. It shouldn't cost much. Figure the cost around: harness ($12USD), and labor ($20-40USD). If you think you can handle the task then maybe one of the Techs here can walk you through it.
mtm22 on 11/15/2005 21:57:20
ok thanks for the help guys, me and my mate will have a look at it.
ttocs on 11/16/2005 15:19:32
it sounds to me like you are using your dimmer wire for ground. Does the radio comming on and off have anything to do with the lights being on or off?
connecting your ground and hot wire will cause a small spark and a blown fuse. The only way you could get your dash lights to come on is if you were sending power up the dimmer wire......
mtm22 on 11/16/2005 16:29:38
i should have been a bit clearer, the lights coming on and off was because i kept touching them together.
swez on 11/16/2005 16:46:58
Can you give us the details of where the following wires are connected to from HU to this vehicle? Also, did you use a conversion harness or hardwired to the OEM wiring harness:
Red: IGN/ACC
Yellow: +12 volt constant to BAT
Black: To body ground
Orange: Dimmer circuit (do not use until problem is resolved)
There are 4 speaker out pairs as well:
White: LF (solid is + terminal, blk stripe is - terminal)
Grey: RF
Green: LR
Violet: RR
Are you sure about the model # on this HU??? I cannot find any such model # in Pioneer's manual list.
Here's the listing:
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/manual/0,,2076_4277,00.html
Swez
PS When problems like this crop up, it's best to start from the beginning. (back to the basics)
mtm22 on 11/16/2005 18:02:30
quote:Also, did you use a conversion harness or hardwired to the OEM wiring harness.....couldnt tell u at the moment. my friend might know. Im pretty sure we had the red, yellow and black with the right ones (didnt hook speakers up)...cause it really had my mate puzzled. I just had a go myself after watchin him try..thought there must had been a loose one in the corolla. The model #, now that's a weird one, I couldn't find it either.. It says on the box DEH-P3550MP. Anyway, when my mate gets some time i'll get him to read all this and we'll probably have another look. Thanks again!
ttocs on 11/17/2005 11:21:48
you should not be able to get the lights on the dash on by connecting any of the pwr wires. The dimmer wire looks like a ground until the lights are on(normally, again not familiar with the make/model car) and when the lights go on, it will have 6-12v to light the dash. You deck is probably seeking its ground through your antenna. Disconnect the black wire and find a clean section of chassis to gound(earth) it to. Make sure to insulate the wire that the black was connected to(this should be the wire you were connecting to the pwr wire to light the dash).
Replies (13)
ttocs on 11/13/2005 11:54:29
sounds like you have a loose connection. I am not familiar with the seca(do you have pics?), but most toyotas use an iso mount and a chassis grounding system. Check to make sure that you have it grounded properly. I would often just put a ring terminal on the ground wire, and then use on of the screws that mounts the deck in for the ground.
mtm22 on 11/13/2005 16:32:51
hey thanks alot. I dont have any pics of the seca but its pretty much the same as the corolla's i'd say. Funny that you say it may not be grounded properly, as when i was mucking around with the wires (im fairly new to the world of car audio i should add) i touched the cars main power and ground together and all the little lights on the dash flashed on?
Ash on 11/13/2005 16:53:51
OOoooo. Don't do that!
mtm22 on 11/13/2005 18:07:18
what will happen?
Ash on 11/13/2005 19:24:56
You say you touched a "main power" (+) and ground (-) together? If that is so, you could end up shorting your car's wiring, control modules, etc. I hope that I misunderstood you. That is a big no-no!
mtm22 on 11/14/2005 01:35:18
ahh crap that doesnt sound good. does that mean all the elecrics wont work? i did touch the main power and the ground together a few times, each time all the lights came on (i forgot to mention that i think all those lights might have stopped working when we first tried to put it in the corolla.) It was definantly around that time. the pioneer tape deck that was in it when i bought it still turns on fine.
Ash on 11/14/2005 18:11:20
It would be hard to say what went wrong being that we are not there to look at the problem.
On the dash lights, first check your fuses and make sure nothing is blown. If the vehicle's radio and other wires have been cut (which is some's way of getting around buying a harness), I seriously suggest getting certified installer to fix that problem. It shouldn't cost much. Figure the cost around: harness ($12USD), and labor ($20-40USD). If you think you can handle the task then maybe one of the Techs here can walk you through it.
mtm22 on 11/15/2005 21:57:20
ok thanks for the help guys, me and my mate will have a look at it.
ttocs on 11/16/2005 15:19:32
it sounds to me like you are using your dimmer wire for ground. Does the radio comming on and off have anything to do with the lights being on or off?
connecting your ground and hot wire will cause a small spark and a blown fuse. The only way you could get your dash lights to come on is if you were sending power up the dimmer wire......
mtm22 on 11/16/2005 16:29:38
i should have been a bit clearer, the lights coming on and off was because i kept touching them together.
swez on 11/16/2005 16:46:58
Can you give us the details of where the following wires are connected to from HU to this vehicle? Also, did you use a conversion harness or hardwired to the OEM wiring harness:
Red: IGN/ACC
Yellow: +12 volt constant to BAT
Black: To body ground
Orange: Dimmer circuit (do not use until problem is resolved)
There are 4 speaker out pairs as well:
White: LF (solid is + terminal, blk stripe is - terminal)
Grey: RF
Green: LR
Violet: RR
Are you sure about the model # on this HU??? I cannot find any such model # in Pioneer's manual list.
Here's the listing:
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pna/product/manual/0,,2076_4277,00.html
Swez
PS When problems like this crop up, it's best to start from the beginning. (back to the basics)
mtm22 on 11/16/2005 18:02:30
quote:Also, did you use a conversion harness or hardwired to the OEM wiring harness.....couldnt tell u at the moment. my friend might know. Im pretty sure we had the red, yellow and black with the right ones (didnt hook speakers up)...cause it really had my mate puzzled. I just had a go myself after watchin him try..thought there must had been a loose one in the corolla. The model #, now that's a weird one, I couldn't find it either.. It says on the box DEH-P3550MP. Anyway, when my mate gets some time i'll get him to read all this and we'll probably have another look. Thanks again!
ttocs on 11/17/2005 11:21:48
you should not be able to get the lights on the dash on by connecting any of the pwr wires. The dimmer wire looks like a ground until the lights are on(normally, again not familiar with the make/model car) and when the lights go on, it will have 6-12v to light the dash. You deck is probably seeking its ground through your antenna. Disconnect the black wire and find a clean section of chassis to gound(earth) it to. Make sure to insulate the wire that the black was connected to(this should be the wire you were connecting to the pwr wire to light the dash).
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