Desperate need of radio help.

[z411811]

So my friend has a 99 ranger and was having trouble installing his new radio. I have done a couple so I decided to go over and help. When I got there I discovered he had cut off the factory radio plug and tried to splice those wires to the new radio harness. I have heard this works but is way harder. All he ended up getting was a blown fuse and cut wires.

So we go get the harness from an audio shop and I set to work reconnecting all the factory wires back to the plug. I set up the harness and everything seems good. But the new radio refuses to turn. I try a number of things (check wires, connections, make sure the cut area is flawless) and still nothing. Im searching all over the internet, thats how I found these forums, and come up with nothing. So we try to put the factory radio back in and It will not turn on either. You can push the clock button and it lights up, and eject cds and such, but nothing a real radio would do. I tested his new radio in my truck and it works fine, but neither work in his.

I cant figure out why it would display the time but not actually start up the radio. And how the factory radio worked and now It is broken. Do you think he should buy a new factory harness and try splicing that on instead of the old one? Or is it something to do with a signal not being sent to turn on the actual radio? Or maybe he shorted the wires and ruined them? Or could it just be the ground on the new radio that wont let it start up? I didn't ground it to anything on the body, just spliced it into the harness. I tried for nearly 8 hours doing various things but could not get anything to work. Please any insight is much appreciated. I feel like my head is going to explode.

[americanracingranger]

Did you check for blown fuses?

[blasterdemon7]

Check all the fuses. There should be two power wires. A constant and a switched. It sounds like you have power on the constant but not the switched .

[z411811]

Yeah I checked the fuses in the truck also. They blew but they aren't blowing now after everything is correct. I also double checked the wires like 15 times probably.

[GLH]

The yellow constant power wire goes to the battery, always on. The red power wire goes to a switched accessory fuse at the fusebox using a fusetap.

[13kidd]

As GLH said check your red wire leading to the harness which is your accessory power wire, i had this same problem with my radio and the wire was fine and the fuses were fine but that wire had no power to it. To bypass this problem i ran a wire from the accessory wire that went to my head unit to the 12v power wire that ran into my amp for my subs and installed a switch in my dash to turn my radio on and off. Even though the radio doesnt turn on automatically now when i turn the key, i love the fact that all i have to do is flip a switch whenever i want my radio on or off. So just a recap of what i said test the red wire which is your accessory power wire. hope this helps! goodluck!

[z411811]

The yellow constant power wire goes to the battery, always on. The red power wire goes to a switched accessory fuse at the fusebox using a fusetap.

Are you talking about the wires from new radio harness or the wires from the old factory radio harness build into the car. Because I believe you are correct for the new radio, but my colors are extremely different on factory.

Ill bust out a multimeter to check the accessory switch tomorrow. If I have to wire in switch myself, then I guess I have to. But I don't understand why that would have to be the case? What would cause it to not turn on anymore? Could it been from it shorting?

[GLH]

No, do not wire in any switch. The yellow wire is constant power and goes to a direct battery lead. The red wire is switched power and goes to an accessory fuse such as wipers. PERIOD.

[hergy916]

Sounds like your accessory power is dead or not wired correctly. Should be yellow w/ black wire. Might seem like an obvious question, but are you testing the fuses with the key on or off? If you don't have the key on you won't find the dead accessory fuse, unless of course you're actually pulling each one and looking at it.

[GLH]

ACC power from the aftermarket head is red.