Car stereo problem

hey guys, just recently my stereo unit will just cut out with no sound - and then after a while it will come back on - any ideas whether its my unit or my speakers? also, is there any tech articles on installing speakers on in the zed? thanks in advanced guys

 

I've had this problem before, check the amp fuse thats connected to the battery and make sure the power wires are properly seated. If not that, check the RCA cables at the Amp and behind the headunit are properly seated.

 

This.

I have a splitter block in my dash so I can power both my amps, and the cable from the battery into the splitter block was earthing out due to a dodgy termination.

Just jammed it back in and tightened it up and all was well.

If you don't have a large setup, perhaps your constant or accessory wire is earthing somewhere.

 

hey guys thanks for your reply , the thing is the wiring behind the unit is a utter mess, with everything going everywhere not really know the schematics, on what is connected to what -hence why if there was a tech to the wiring schematics

 

If its aftermarket then there is no schematic for it. Takes a little time but looking where the wires go will give you some idea, pairs to speakers and the antenna can be traced quickly. If you have an amp or other items then check the color/type of wire going into them (in the boot for example).

When it cuts out is it loosing power completely or the headunit stays on but only sound goes off? (total power loss = trace the main power line, check fuse as others have said) don't forget the earth! Also does it cut out when you hit a bump, or just randomly?

 

You haven't seen a mess till you've seen behind my headunit mate...

The schematics are easy mate, Yellow is constant 12v, Red is accessories, Black is earth. The rest are speaker wires and antenna, assuming your using the stock wires.

Tell us more about the problem. Do you have an amp/amps, does the sound cut out or does the entire system lose power?

 

Sounds suspiciously like a bad earth.

 

some amps have a power protection mode that kicks in for reasons like, under supplied with power, shorts across the speaker wires, bad earths...... problems in other words. Often this is accompanied with a light on the amp itself so once the audio has stopped check for a new light on the amp. at this point start checking wires after the amp if there is a light. for your problem is most likely there. other wise go over the wires behind your head unit and the earths and make sure everything is sweet there. there is also the chance (although a slight one) of a bad amp or head unit, not much you can do here for checking accept swap out with a new one.

 

hey its loosing sound, as the track counter keeps ticking - when the sound cuts off i do however turn the unit off by the power and then turn it back on and its seems to work for about 30 secs and then its the same thing, my analysis is that the head unit is on its way out unless i am wrong?

 

Check your RCA plugs, i had EXACTLY the same issue. Where abouts in NSW are you, if you aren't far from me i'd be happy to have a look see.

 

hey man, i live in the country all the way in wagga wagga lol think its probably far

 

do you have an amp connected?

if not then your speakers are shorting out..

i dont think he has an amp.

 

Good point I made an assumption and we all know how Assumptions start..... with an Ass.

 

I had a big ass JBL 5.1 amp that was once used to power the whole system. After a few years it couldnt cut the mustart and on big volume it would trip itself and restart. I got another 1 channel amp to supply the sub to take the load off the JBL amp. That seemed to work fine now it only runs 4 sets of splits.

So the amp itself could be playing up if the power and earth are still sweet. Might even be the need of a capacitor to power the amp.

 

there is amp connected atm i think which is under the pass seat - i think its a bose amp.

set up atm is my side speakers and rear speakers are not connected - they never were

i got two little bose speakers which sit on the dash which is where the sound comes from

and a clarion head unit which is now about 7 years old.

So what happens now is when the sound cut out, the display counter still ticks - once the sounds cut out - if i turn the unit power off and turn it back on the sound will come back on for maybe 30 seconds to a few minutes and then it will cut out again, and if i keep powering off the unit the sound usually comes back on and then off again a bit later on. The sound will cut out either while i am driving or when the car is parked

 

Sounds like an earth problem. Pull your headunit out, check all the connections and make sure nothings exposed.

If you do that and the problem persists, come back and we'll go from there. Might be a dodgy headunit, but it seems unlikely to me.

 

hey buddy, i have pulled the head unit out and checked the wiring and everything seems to be intact and nothing exposed that i can see of. i have pulled the unit out numerous times - someone did suggest to me that unit maybe overheating hence why its cutting out, could that be a possibilty?

 

Possibly, nothing I've heard of before.

Can you swap it for a known working unit?

 

also check to see if your unit had a mute function, the wire could be just loose (i.e. not in use) but be touching earth/ground... (its a long shot but worth the check).