Speakers cut out after i turn my headlights on?

[SilverRexH4]

Alright so my stereo works great but when i turn my headlights on my speakers cut out, but i can still hear my sub hitting?

[TBSpyder]

Do you have an amplifier?

[SilverRexH4]

Do you have an amplifier?

Yeah its 800w that powers my 10

[evahak311]

aftermarket or factory radio? u didn't hook up dimmer to anything did u?

[SilverRexH4]

Aftermarket I will have to check to see if i wired the dimmer

[SilverRexH4]

Alright just checked and no i didnt wire the dimmer

[B16ACivic]

wierd i was thinkin not enough power but its only 800 watt so that shouldnt be it

[Notladstyle]

maybe your lights just pull too much power? whats it look like on a volt meter?

[SilverRexH4]

maybe your lights just pull too much power? whats it look like on a volt meter?

I dont have a volt meter.

But it used to work untill i installed this new headunit but i just matched up the wires perfectly and everything. Ive never had this problem before.

[GradeA_TireFryer]

bet you have the ground wire wrong!!!!!!!!

[Notladstyle]

you might have the turn on lead from the mids amp going to your illumination wire or something like that.

[scoot3r]

what you should do is take out your in dash and rewire the whole stereo but make sure you cut splice and match the wires correctly. i had a problem like that before but then i took out my stereo and rewired it all and now it works fine.

[SilverRexH4]

Is there anyway i can run a extra power wire or something?

[Notladstyle]

This is getting way more complicated than it has to be. Where do you live? I'll come fix it on my way home from work if its not too far.

[SilverRexH4]

This is getting way more complicated than it has to be. Where do you live? I'll come fix it on my way home from work if its not too far.

Damn, wish i lived closer im like 1hr 20min away from you. I live in North Port(Sarasota Area)

[P057]

Damn, wish i lived closer im like 1hr 20min away from you. I live in North Port(Sarasota Area)

thats 100% the opposite direction from where he works and goes home to, rofl.

[Notladstyle]

damn.. yeah scratch that. I thought I had a long drive to st pete. =/


Are you SURE its a BLUE wire that comes from the headunit and is connected to the amps? if it is then tape off the blue wire and use the RED wire from the headunit and connect that to the amp turn on wire.

[SilverRexH4]

damn.. yeah scratch that. I thought I had a long drive to st pete. =/


Are you SURE its a BLUE wire that comes from the headunit and is connected to the amps? if it is then tape off the blue wire and use the RED wire from the headunit and connect that to the amp turn on wire.

Ohhh shit im going to go do this right now!

[SilverRexH4]

Alright just did it, and i still have the same problem :( So now the only wires i have not hooked up are the blue w/ white stripe,yellow w/black stripe (mute),and a peach w/ white stripe.

[Notladstyle]

So, the red wire is the car's accessory wire. if only the amp shuts off and not the radio then its a power supply wire. You either are getting a large voltage drop from the headlights thats tripping the amp OR you are using an improper power supply wire.

Where does the power wire(the big + wire and the big - wire) run to?

[SilverRexH4]

Just my speakers dont work when i turn my headlights on, i can still hear the sub hitting to the music.

Are you talking about the yellow wire from the head unit or the power wire to my amp?

[Notladstyle]

Just my speakers dont work when i turn my headlights on, i can still hear the sub hitting to the music.

Are you talking about the yellow wire from the head unit or the power wire to my amp?

the power wire to your amp!

[MCOR]

From what I understand, the only thing amped in the system is the sub? And if so, it stays working when the headlamps are turned on yet the rest of the speakers cut off completely? So, the aftermarket stereo speaker leads outputs are directly tapped into the factory stereo wires? If all this is true, you need to look at the orange wire or orange with white stripe wire coming from the head unit and make sure it isn't connected to anything (this should be the color of the instrument illumination wire-not needed at all). If is is connected to something right now, what color wire is it hooked to? Need to know that so you can hook that wire back up to where it belongs. Also, if you just turn on the parking lamps, do the speakers still cut out or only when you turn on the headlamps? Also, what year/make/model is the vehicle and what headunit make/model number? This can be figured out quickly if you give me that info...

[Notladstyle]

below...

[SilverRexH4]

the power wire to your amp!

The power cable is ran to my battery then the romote cable is tapped into my red acc. wire.

From what I understand, the only thing amped in the system is the sub? And if so, it stays working when the headlamps are turned on? So, the aftermarket stereo speaker leads are directly tapped into the factory stereo wires?

Correct just the sub. Yeah the sub is still working just not the speakers. And yes they are directly tapped into the wires.(Hardwired by Circuit City)

If all this is true, you need to look at the orange wire or orange with white stripe wire coming from the head unit and make sure it isn't connected to anything (this should be the color of the instrument illumination wire-not needed at all). If is is connected to something right now, what color wire is it hooked to? Need to know that so you can hook that wire back up to where it belongs.

Illum. wire is not connected to anything.

Also, if you just turn on the parking lamps, do the speakers still cut out or only when you turn on the headlamps?
With just the parking lights on the stereo still works. Jsut when i turn on the headlights.

Also, what year/make/model is the vehicle and what headunit make/model number? This can be figured out quickly if you give me that info... Matt/MCOR

2004/Subaru/Impreza/WRX Sti (aka did not come with any factory stereo or speakers what-so-ever). And the head unit is a Pioneer DEH-P3600

[Notladstyle]

MUTE WIRE ON THE HEADUNIT????

yellow/black make sure its not connected to anything.

[MCOR]

Getting somewhere if they only cut out when headlamps on not park lamps. I agree w/ NoTLaDStyle about checking the mute YELLOW with BLACK stripe wire also-make sure it is disconnected from ANYTHING. I also pulled the wire chart for your car. The radio wiring only has two wires not directly related to audio. The factory VIOLET wire (was pin 1 in the factory wire connector) must not be connected to anything. Also, be sure the factory ORANGE/WHITE STRIPE wire (was pin number 7 in the factory wire connector) must also NOT be connected to anything ( got a feeling you have maybe the radio mute wire hooked to one of these). Those two wires go off into the lighting system and need to be cut and taped off. If it still cuts off when headlamps are on, it would be nice to have a volt meter on the radio power wire (factory BLACK/RED STRIPE) and the accessory wire (factory YELLOW/GREEN STRIPE) to see if you are getting a voltage drop below 10 volts (preamp outputs may continue working if there is a load probem because they don't require as much voltage to operate-probably 1 or 2volt preamp output). Maybe try to turn all other loads in the car to simulate the amperage the headlamps draw and see if speakers still cutout (hit the brakes, turn park lamps/wipers/air cond. on high, in gear, etc). If it does cut out, then there is a load problem although I doubt it. You don't have some HID lamps wired in aftermarket do you? Another common mistake when these are installed without checking what circuit you tap into-causes too much step up load when turned on-kills everything else electrically temporarily. One more thing I just noticed, the factory radio grounded through it's chassis, and hooked to the black wire down the line somewhere else (wiring chart is unclear exactly where). Make sure the factory BlACK wire has a good ground with no voltage drop or run a seperate ground wire to chassis just to be sure if no voltmeter available-doubt this is the problem though). It has to be something mentioned in this post or elseware in this thread. You really don't have a very complex electrical system at all...

PS. One more wire that the aftermarket radio doesn't use at all is the factory WHITE wire, pin# 14. This is the factory antenna factory amplifier (BTW, how good is FM reception without this wire connected-just wondering if it is really necessary on this type vehicle or not?).

[evahak311]

if circuit city did the work take it back to them and have them fix it. circuit city offers lifetime warranty on the "install" itself not product but have them lookat it to make sure they didn't do anything wrong.

[SilverRexH4]

Wow thanks for all your help and quick responses guys. The infamous orange/white wire was causing all the problems!:lol:


if circuit city did the work take it back to them and have them fix it. circuit city offers lifetime warranty on the "install" itself not product but have them lookat it to make sure they didn't do anything wrong.

The Circuit City by me does a hack job,so i had to redo their wiring and use connectors instead of just twisting wires together. So therefore i messed with their setup and is no longer warrentied.

[P057]

Wow thanks for all your help and quick responses guys. The infamous orange/white wire was causing all the problems!:lol:


The Circuit City by me does a hack job,so i had to redo their wiring and use connectors instead of just twisting wires together. So therefore i messed with their setup and is no longer warrentied.

Nice success story.

if circuit city did the work take it back to them and have them fix it. circuit city offers lifetime warranty on the "install" itself not product but have them lookat it to make sure they didn't do anything wrong.

I can't believe you even said that. You make it sound like they're a Pro, responsible, great place that will accept any problems and fix them all like new.

Even if i recieved a shitty install from CC and had warranty to go back there i wouldn't. Those places make my install jobs look pro.:roll:

[Notladstyle]

Those places make my install jobs look pro.:roll:

Good god, I may never step into a CC again after reading this.

[P057]

Good god, I may never step into a CC again after reading this.

I know.

Hey but at least i solder my wires and wrap them properly afterwards, last time i saw a CC install they just twisted them together and balled them up in electrical tape... Then they connected the headunit to the powered motor antenna.... that was just pitiful, every time you turn on the stereo the antenna would come up regardless of the source.

[MCOR]

As with most shops, there are both good and bad installers at CC. I am sure most independant installers have come across both types of their work. I have learned alot from interviewing their installers to work for me over the years (Best Buy is not exempt), they hire mostly fresh out of high-schoolers, pay them pretty well ($11 to $15 per hour depending on certifications), get one of the 6 of them through school, then call the shop MECP certified. And ironically enough, my experience has been that the guy who actually is certified, is the "certifiable" hack of the shop (he can pass any test, just can't install or troubleshoot to save his life)! More than once, I have ended up hiring his co-worker who is not certified but is twice the technician he was! I say, stick with the established independants or at least go talk to the guy who is slated to do your install at the Big Box store before he starts-and then stick with your gut feeling on whether or not to proceed. PS-Glad you got it fixed in short time!