I just installed a roadmasterusa vrcd400-sdu. Everything is wired correctly. Checked and doubled checked. No Sound!! I even checked the speakers with a 9volt and they are run fine (plus the fact that they were working with the last stereo which I removed to put this one in. NO SOUND! The unit is obviously playing the music. on the display there is a virtual eq that pulses with the beat. The radio detects frequencies, there's just NO SOUND!!!! What do I do? FROWN
Replies (15)
swez on 04/19/2009 04:48:11
Did you check the "MUTE" button feature? It may be activated by mistake and hopefully just that simple.
Swez
Brother_Dave on 04/19/2009 12:12:40
Yes I did. Lord how I wished that was the problem. It wasn't. What's the deal with the power antenna? I've been doing some surfing trying to figure out what to do, and I keep seeing the "blue power antenna" being the problem. I didn't have to hook it up on the last stereo I had (of course, it didn't have a wire for that) so IF I need to use it, I don't know where to hook it up. I don't have the origianl harness, just a cluster of wires in the dash.
Brother_Dave on 04/19/2009 14:42:52
Fixed it!!!
Don't know how, exactly, though. I got a wiring diagram of of a website and found that somehow I had hooked one of the speaker wires up to the wrong wire. Changed it and viola it worked!
Here's the new problem:
The radio doesn't work suddenly. When I was getting no sound, the radio would detect the stations and appear to play them. However, as soon as I got the speakers to work, the radio stopped. It searches and searches but doesn't find stations, and plays nothing (not even static) when I tune the stations manually.
any ideas?
swez on 04/19/2009 16:20:54
Does the vehicle have a power antenna? If yes and it's not activated to rise when the radio tuner is on, you won't get any stations very well.
Also, if the antenna wire connector is not seated properly into the HU, no go there too. If the CD plays OK, but radio circuits do not, check the antenna wire.
Swez
Brother_Dave on 04/19/2009 22:46:19
No the truck doesn't have a power antenna. The weird thing is that this was one of the reasons I replaced the old unit (the other reason was that I wanted an aux input. I've got that and it works fine so I'm good. I can get radio of my MP3 player if I want it). The radio just stopped working. So I bought this new one.
When I put the new one in and had it wired wrong by ONE speaker wire, the radio worked, or it appeared to, but made no sound. It searched and found all my local stations and played them. Now that I fixed the speaker wire, nada. It just searches and searches to no avail.
swez on 04/20/2009 07:24:38
Very strange... Here's a copy of the manual and the wiring info is on page 7.
http://roadmasterusa.com/manuals/VRCD400SDU_eng.pdf
My first step would be to reground the black harness wire to bare metal in the floor pan or firewall.
The next step would be to test the antenna. It's very unlikely for 2 different HU's that do not work on AM/FM circuits unless the antenna system has failed.
Try calling or use their web page assistance site: www.vr-3.com Give Us a Call, We’ll Help You Install! 1-800-445-1797
Swez
Brother_Dave on 04/25/2009 13:02:59
Thanks. I've got the manual and it has not been much help.
How do I ground the antenna?
swez on 04/25/2009 13:24:50
The exterior antenna is grounded to the mounting assy on the fender well. You may have to loosen the locking ring, twist the assy a few times to get a good bite and retighten the locking ring as best you can.
A special tool is often best, but if you get a good bite with vice grips or channel lock pliers, that may be good enough.
Good luck,
Swez
big_bass_chase on 04/26/2009 14:42:40
It may also be helpful to clean any corrosion or rust under your ground wire in the fender well. As for any grounding wire, bare metel makes for a much better connection.
ttocs on 04/26/2009 19:16:34
what kind of truck s this in? Trace your antenna wire and see if has been come apart somewhere. Ford will often put a connection behind the glove box to make it easier to install and if you were to pull or tug on that wire to try and get a little bit of length it can come apart.
Brother_Dave on 04/26/2009 20:22:09
It's a '91 chevy s10 blazer. I cant seem to get the antenna assembly out to check the ground. I get the antenna out, and since i"m a moron and dont know the crrect vocabulary, this thing that would best be described as a washer. I really am havig a hard time figuring out what to do about that. Is this something I'm gonna have to take the fender off for? That requires welding right?
ttocs on 04/26/2009 23:10:47
Drop your glove box and the antenna wire should be right behind it. Make sure it is still connected, any chance your antenna adaptor is bad?
You will need to remove the inner fender to completely remove the antenna, I really wouldn't start on that end. If we suspect a bad antenna it is much easier to pull the radio out and plug in a new antenna to see what happens. its much easier.
Brother_Dave on 04/28/2009 17:43:41
So should I go buy an antenna from the store to do this, or is there an easier/cheaper method?
swez on 04/28/2009 19:04:10
Buying a new antenna is cheap. It's the work involved to install the new one that makes this job challenging.
Ttocs mentioned having to remove the inner fender well to get the old antenna out and then install a new one. Am wondering if you can cut out a small access window in the inner fender to make it easier to do this job?
See, there's a lock nut inside the fender well that has to come out and replaced when installing a new antenna. That's the part that makes for a good ground as well. If you can cut a flap out of the inner fender well, bend it back and out of the way while working, then the flap can be returned to the normal location and sealed so it does not leak.
While you're in there, you can reach up with #80 grit sandpaper or a wire brush and clean the grounding surface. Once that is accomplished, you can reinstall a new antenna and coaxial cable.
FYI: This locking washer is on a treaded stem inside the fender well. It's probably well rusted by now and may be a real challenge in patience to free it from the antenna mounting stem. Some rust penetrating oil will be needed and perhaps an extra set of channel locks to get a good grip on things. (One on the locking washer and the other on the antenna collar)
Comments?
Swez
ttocs on 04/28/2009 23:32:50
when I suggested a bad antenna I would test it by disconnecting the old on, and temporarily connecting the new one to see what would happen. You do not need to mount it, just plug it in. If the stock antenna is bad you will immediatly have reception on your radio, now you just have to mount it.
Rather then taking the fender well out and all the other crap, look into an underdash strip-mount antenna. Works fine and much easier to mount.
Replies (15)
swez on 04/19/2009 04:48:11
Did you check the "MUTE" button feature? It may be activated by mistake and hopefully just that simple.
Swez
Brother_Dave on 04/19/2009 12:12:40
Yes I did. Lord how I wished that was the problem. It wasn't. What's the deal with the power antenna? I've been doing some surfing trying to figure out what to do, and I keep seeing the "blue power antenna" being the problem. I didn't have to hook it up on the last stereo I had (of course, it didn't have a wire for that) so IF I need to use it, I don't know where to hook it up. I don't have the origianl harness, just a cluster of wires in the dash.
Brother_Dave on 04/19/2009 14:42:52
Fixed it!!!
Don't know how, exactly, though. I got a wiring diagram of of a website and found that somehow I had hooked one of the speaker wires up to the wrong wire. Changed it and viola it worked!
Here's the new problem:
The radio doesn't work suddenly. When I was getting no sound, the radio would detect the stations and appear to play them. However, as soon as I got the speakers to work, the radio stopped. It searches and searches but doesn't find stations, and plays nothing (not even static) when I tune the stations manually.
any ideas?
swez on 04/19/2009 16:20:54
Does the vehicle have a power antenna? If yes and it's not activated to rise when the radio tuner is on, you won't get any stations very well.
Also, if the antenna wire connector is not seated properly into the HU, no go there too. If the CD plays OK, but radio circuits do not, check the antenna wire.
Swez
Brother_Dave on 04/19/2009 22:46:19
No the truck doesn't have a power antenna. The weird thing is that this was one of the reasons I replaced the old unit (the other reason was that I wanted an aux input. I've got that and it works fine so I'm good. I can get radio of my MP3 player if I want it). The radio just stopped working. So I bought this new one.
When I put the new one in and had it wired wrong by ONE speaker wire, the radio worked, or it appeared to, but made no sound. It searched and found all my local stations and played them. Now that I fixed the speaker wire, nada. It just searches and searches to no avail.
swez on 04/20/2009 07:24:38
Very strange... Here's a copy of the manual and the wiring info is on page 7.
http://roadmasterusa.com/manuals/VRCD400SDU_eng.pdf
My first step would be to reground the black harness wire to bare metal in the floor pan or firewall.
The next step would be to test the antenna. It's very unlikely for 2 different HU's that do not work on AM/FM circuits unless the antenna system has failed.
Try calling or use their web page assistance site: www.vr-3.com Give Us a Call, We’ll Help You Install! 1-800-445-1797
Swez
Brother_Dave on 04/25/2009 13:02:59
Thanks. I've got the manual and it has not been much help.
How do I ground the antenna?
swez on 04/25/2009 13:24:50
The exterior antenna is grounded to the mounting assy on the fender well. You may have to loosen the locking ring, twist the assy a few times to get a good bite and retighten the locking ring as best you can.
A special tool is often best, but if you get a good bite with vice grips or channel lock pliers, that may be good enough.
Good luck,
Swez
big_bass_chase on 04/26/2009 14:42:40
It may also be helpful to clean any corrosion or rust under your ground wire in the fender well. As for any grounding wire, bare metel makes for a much better connection.
ttocs on 04/26/2009 19:16:34
what kind of truck s this in? Trace your antenna wire and see if has been come apart somewhere. Ford will often put a connection behind the glove box to make it easier to install and if you were to pull or tug on that wire to try and get a little bit of length it can come apart.
Brother_Dave on 04/26/2009 20:22:09
It's a '91 chevy s10 blazer. I cant seem to get the antenna assembly out to check the ground. I get the antenna out, and since i"m a moron and dont know the crrect vocabulary, this thing that would best be described as a washer. I really am havig a hard time figuring out what to do about that. Is this something I'm gonna have to take the fender off for? That requires welding right?
ttocs on 04/26/2009 23:10:47
Drop your glove box and the antenna wire should be right behind it. Make sure it is still connected, any chance your antenna adaptor is bad?
You will need to remove the inner fender to completely remove the antenna, I really wouldn't start on that end. If we suspect a bad antenna it is much easier to pull the radio out and plug in a new antenna to see what happens. its much easier.
Brother_Dave on 04/28/2009 17:43:41
So should I go buy an antenna from the store to do this, or is there an easier/cheaper method?
swez on 04/28/2009 19:04:10
Buying a new antenna is cheap. It's the work involved to install the new one that makes this job challenging.
Ttocs mentioned having to remove the inner fender well to get the old antenna out and then install a new one. Am wondering if you can cut out a small access window in the inner fender to make it easier to do this job?
See, there's a lock nut inside the fender well that has to come out and replaced when installing a new antenna. That's the part that makes for a good ground as well. If you can cut a flap out of the inner fender well, bend it back and out of the way while working, then the flap can be returned to the normal location and sealed so it does not leak.
While you're in there, you can reach up with #80 grit sandpaper or a wire brush and clean the grounding surface. Once that is accomplished, you can reinstall a new antenna and coaxial cable.
FYI: This locking washer is on a treaded stem inside the fender well. It's probably well rusted by now and may be a real challenge in patience to free it from the antenna mounting stem. Some rust penetrating oil will be needed and perhaps an extra set of channel locks to get a good grip on things. (One on the locking washer and the other on the antenna collar)
Comments?
Swez
ttocs on 04/28/2009 23:32:50
when I suggested a bad antenna I would test it by disconnecting the old on, and temporarily connecting the new one to see what would happen. You do not need to mount it, just plug it in. If the stock antenna is bad you will immediatly have reception on your radio, now you just have to mount it.
Rather then taking the fender well out and all the other crap, look into an underdash strip-mount antenna. Works fine and much easier to mount.
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