Stereo installation problem.

[ctruss53]

Hey guys.

I just bought a stereo from Crutchfield. It came with a wire harness adapter, and the dash kit.

Anyways, I got the stereo installed I had to unhook the amp behind the deck to get to the right wires for the speakers and to power the deck.

There was this weird wire connected to the original stereo that resembled a small version of the antenna wire. I just left it loose after the install since I had nowhere to plug it in.

Here is a photo of the back of the old stereo. See the plug in the middle between the white rectangular plug and the antenna plug. What is that?

I am asking because now that the new stereo is installed, I have no tail lights, no parking lights, and no dash lights.

That is the only wire I didn't hook back up. What is it and is that my problem?

 

[stevec5000]

The small plug is for the second part of the radio antenna. Have you noticed that you don't have any antennas on the outside of the vehicle because they are printed on the back windows? Two windows with antennas printed on them equal 2 antenna wires going to the radio. If you only plug in the large wire then the radio will pick up stations that are on the side of the vehicle facing the antenna but stations on the other side will be partly blocked. Then, if you drive around a turn the stations that were on the side facing the antenna will fade out and you will be able to get the stations from the other side!
That's not your problem with the lights however. You must have blown 1 or more fuses.

 

[ctruss53]

I have an antenna mast on my front fender. It's a power antenna. It doesn't go up and down anymore though.

Anyways, So that deal is a second antenna plug. Then why don't I have dash, parking, or tail lights?

I am baffled. Why would a fuse blow? I disconnected the battery durring stereo install and everything. UGH!

 

[tek9]

did you disconnect the neg battery for installation? sounds to me like you either shorted circuited something or blown a fuse.

 

[Stick Figure]

Post a pic of your wiring

 

[87YOTA]

I did the same thing recently, i taped off the smaller antenna wire and let it hang in the back, as for the power antenna,
The radio i purchased was Kenwood and there was a power antenna (p. antenna on the label) plain blue wire in the harness and also a power control (p.cont) blue with a white stripe. I ended up finding out from a local stereo place that sometimes you need to connect the vehicle side (blue wire) for the power antenna, to the (P.Cont) Blue wire with white stripe.
Now the power antenna works again.
As for the lights, could just be a fuse problem as people have said.

 

[Socco]

Double check your wiring between the radio and adapter plug. If you've wired the ILL(umination) incorrectly, you will blow the fuse for the lights you speak of.

Just to clarify, the truck has a "Diversity" antenna system. You have one mast in the fender (Larger plug) and one set into the rear right window (the smaller one.) You likely will never notice not having it plugged in.

 

[ctruss53]

I can't post a pic right now, but to answer your questions about what the wiring looks like. I used red butt connectors and the black snrink tubing. Quality wiring.


I called Crutchfield. They claim there is a huge bold warning that sais not to hook up the orange/black wire for illumination. I didn't see that or it wasn't there. I read the instructions rather thuroughly though, so I don't know.

Anyways. They said, clip that wire, replace the fuse it blew and it should be good.

I'm going out on my lunch break to try this.

 

[cj80cruiser]

Sounds like you're on your way to figuring this out....But as mentioned before not having the smaller antenna wire connected is not even noticeable in my truck.

 

[A.Wilson013]

For your issue: sounds like a fuse.


Playing devils advocate, I suppose.

Not having the small antenna hooked up made a HUGE difference for me. My radio pretty much sucks.

 

[ctruss53]

FIXED!

Over my lunch break I pulled out the stereo really quick. I spotted the orange wire Crutchfield told me to look for and I pulled it out of the harness they supplied me.

Then I went under the hood to find the blown fuse. The 10A tail light fuse was blown. Replaced that and everything is back to normal.

WWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

 

[Stick Figure]

I can't post a pic right now, but to answer your questions about what the wiring looks like. I used red butt connectors and the black snrink tubing. Quality wiring.


I called Crutchfield. They claim there is a huge bold warning that sais not to hook up the orange/black wire for illumination. I didn't see that or it wasn't there. I read the instructions rather thuroughly though, so I don't know.

Anyways. They said, clip that wire, replace the fuse it blew and it should be good.

I'm going out on my lunch break to try this.

I was more wanting to see what you connected to what, but glad you got it fixed

 

[Nervo19]

I got my stereo from Crutchfield a few months ago too. I didn't hook up the orange wire; I did see that in the instructions. Everything worked great until a month later and I went over a huge bump in road construction and the dash and taillight fuse blew. New ones kept blowing. After much investigation it turned out I had to take both sides of the black ground wire and ground them to bare metal. If you have fuse problems later keep this in mind. It's been about three months and no more problems.