Removed Stock Radio - Now It Doesn't Work!!

shizupple

shizupple

New member
Hi guys I'm new to this forum - this is my first post! But anyways I'm really in need of some advice. I was planning on taking my factory radio out of my 1997 4runner and putting an aftermarket jvc deck in. I found out I had the wrong wiring harness for the 4runner and long story short, decided to just put the stock radio back in. When I connected everything and put everything back, I turned on the car and the factory headunit didnt work. It still won't work even after turning the car on and off several times. Can someone please give me some advice on how to get this working again. I think I just need to reset something to get it working again. I'm leaving to go on a 15 hour trip back to Colorado tomorrow so I'd like to have radio. I would screw this up right before I'm about to leave :dammit: !! Thanks!!
 
Register to hide this ad
hmmmm? have you checked your fuses? check the panel inside the truck there is one in there that contols the radio. I cant remember exactly which one though
 
GottaBeTRD said:
hmmmm? have you checked your fuses? check the panel inside the truck there is one in there that contols the radio. I cant remember exactly which one though
Click to expand...

Yeah we checked to see if there was a blown fuse but the radio fuse was okay. We thought that might reset some settings too but it just didnt work. Any other ideas? I''m down to the last minute :nono:
 
wow thats just crazy! umm... there may be some other fuses in that panel inside the cabin that have something to do with it, i would check all of them, I remember when my keys were locked in the ignition and the shifter was locked as well i started pulling fuses and one of them freed eververything plus disabled the radio, other than that all i can think of is a connection from your stock amp may be un connected?
 
Almost all car audio systems have TWO power sources: a full-time 12V (fed by the dome light circuit on 3rd gen stock wiring) and an ignition-on main power )fed by the radio fuse). If I were doing this, I'd take a probe and test the harness for power at both circuits (main power with key on). I don't remember the stock color codes, (it's been 11 years) but the on-line wiring manual will tell you which ones to check. Then go from there.
 
bootown said:
Gonna sound really stupid but you did remember to plug it back in right? I've pulled decks out of 3rd gens many, many times and have never blown a fuse or had any kind of problem. Positive you didn't just screw it back in and forget about the connector (amp and deck)? Don't take it as in insult, there just aren't that many things that could have gone wrong and you already ruled out fuses.
Click to expand...

That's really the only thing I can think of. I know I connected the main connection that gives the deck power because the cd part lights up when I turn the headlights on. But I'm going to go back and check the connections today before I leave and recheck the fuses like TRD said and hopefully that fixes it. It shouldn't be too complicated - it's a pretty straight forward process.
 
TheDurk said:
Almost all car audio systems have TWO power sources: a full-time 12V (fed by the dome light circuit on 3rd gen stock wiring) and an ignition-on main power )fed by the radio fuse). If I were doing this, I'd take a probe and test the harness for power at both circuits (main power with key on). I don't remember the stock color codes, (it's been 11 years) but the on-line wiring manual will tell you which ones to check. Then go from there.
Click to expand...

If I had a day to work on it I would do this but I'm gonna have like an hour or so to get this figured out before I leave today and don't wanna mess anything else up trying to fix it. If I can't figure it out before I leave I'll try this once I get some more time to work on it.
 
d

try to disconnet the neg battery ter. for about 5 mins that will reset the computer system, that or a fuse, or the plug not in all the way, or a wire not hooked up right i have put a numbers of headhunts in and have never had that problem check the fuse under the hood
 
The 97-98's don't have any sort of fancy computer system that controls the headunit. It's just a normal wiring harness. Did you remember to plug in the antenna? Did you remove the factory amp when you tried to put in the other head unit? Just think really close and make sure you did all the steps. I've taken my factory head unit out several times and never had any trouble once I plugged it back in.

I'd make sure the harness doesn't have any loose pins or anything. The advice to reset it by unplugging the negative terminal is a good idea, too.
 
durrell said:
The 97-98's don't have any sort of fancy computer system that controls the headunit. It's just a normal wiring harness. Did you remember to plug in the antenna? Did you remove the factory amp when you tried to put in the other head unit? Just think really close and make sure you did all the steps. I've taken my factory head unit out several times and never had any trouble once I plugged it back in.

I'd make sure the harness doesn't have any loose pins or anything. The advice to reset it by unplugging the negative terminal is a good idea, too.
Click to expand...

Yeah I double checked everything again and I can't find anything I'm missing except there was a spot for a plug in right next to the antenna plug. IDK what it could be cause I dont remember taking anything out of that and I can't find anything to go in that slot. But I disconnected all of the fuses in the fuse box under the drivers knee section. Didn't do anything. I can try disconnecting the negative battery terminal but isnt that pretty much what taking the fuse out is doing? Stopping the circuit from being closed?
 
i dont know about all the other stuff, but the plug next to the antenna plug is like having 2 antennas, when i installed my kenwood from stock, i obviously didnt have the 2 holes, so i left the smaller one out (the one underneath the antenna) and now i dont have AM radio(not that i am complaining. haha). so im guessing thats what it is. but i could be wrong. just my thoughts.
 
taking the neg terminal off will reset your computer, the fuses actually just make it so you dont blow anything out in case you have some sort of power problems.

I would try the neg terminal thing too. If that doesn't work i wonder if your head unit has some sort of security feature that requires a code to unlock?
 
GottaBeTRD said:
taking the neg terminal off will reset your computer, the fuses actually just make it so you dont blow anything out in case you have some sort of power problems.

I would try the neg terminal thing too. If that doesn't work i wonder if your head unit has some sort of security feature that requires a code to unlock?
Click to expand...

Yeah the only thing i'm worried about with the battery terminal reset is that it might reset the car alarm and I'm not sure if it will go off or have to get reset somehow? Because I just took it into the shop and they replaced the battery and a few other things and the alarm started going off and I had to bring them the clicker to turn the alarm off :eek: . But now that I think about it, there was a sticker on the side of the window that said the radio will not work if it is removed. Haha wow guess I shoulda brought that up. But I didn't really think it would have any affect on the radio if I put it back in the same vehicle it was made for? I thought it just wouldn't work with any other cars. Have you guys ever heard of anything like that as a security feature on the headunits?
 
yeah mine didn't have a security lock either i dont think... I sold it a while ago and the guy never called me to complain... so im assuming its all good.

So if you said you saw a sticker that said that then it should be an easy fix. you just gotta call dealership and give them the serial number of the head unit and they can get the code. The only thing with that is IF it is the security mode thing then I would think it would display code or something in the LCD??

as for the alarm, is it an aftermarket alarm? if so then i know there is a fuse you can pull that will just reset the computer correct me if im wrong guys but i think its the ECU fuse under the hood?
 
bootown said:
Sounds like you found your problem. Because the screen lights up with the headlights your wiring connections are good and it's either the security feature or your stereo has a power button. I only mention that because it's easy to overlook since most people will never ever push that button.
Click to expand...

Haha yeah the power button is basically the volume button. But have you guys ever heard of this problem or know how to get it reset? Might have to take it into a toyota dealership and have them reset the computer maybe? Think there's a way to do it on my own?
 
Theres a sticker on my truck that says warning radio will not work if removed. So maybe an anti theft device on some of them
 
GottaBeTRD said:
yeah mine didn't have a security lock either i dont think... I sold it a while ago and the guy never called me to complain... so im assuming its all good.

So if you said you saw a sticker that said that then it should be an easy fix. you just gotta call dealership and give them the serial number of the head unit and they can get the code. The only thing with that is IF it is the security mode thing then I would think it would display code or something in the LCD??

as for the alarm, is it an aftermarket alarm? if so then i know there is a fuse you can pull that will just reset the computer correct me if im wrong guys but i think its the ECU fuse under the hood?
Click to expand...

What would I do with the code the dealership gives me? And would you happen to know which fuse it is?
 
shizupple said:
What would I do with the code the dealership gives me? And would you happen to know which fuse it is?
Click to expand...

from what i have seen with some cars, you just give them the serial number from the deck and they give you a number code that you type in using the radio preset buttons. but then again there is usally a display telling you if you got it correct or not.

As for the ECU fuse im not postive where its at and if its the correct fuse. Its the engine control unit fuse. alot of people here have pulled that fuse (i bealive) to reset a CEL.

I just browsed through a couple threads, It looks like its actually on the inside pannel? You basicly take it our for 5 minutes and put it back in to reset the codes. i could be wrong though ill look more in to it tomorrow and see what i can find.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 824 (members: 0, guests: 824)

Forum statistics

Threads
278,312
Messages
3,554,083
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Share this page

Trending content

Back
Top