CD unit not working - no power to head unit!

[Hadleigh]

1999 Ford Fiesta Zetec

Installed a Pioneer CD player by Halfords a while back replaced that with a Chinese DVD/CD flip out screen player and all was okay, blown the fuse in the car for the CD player previously but replaced that, but today after having the Ipod Plugged into the AUX on it, it died.

Checked the black power cable for 12volts and it is showing 12volts, checked the fuse all okay! what else could be stopping the head units from powering up?

Even tried the old Ford Fiesta tape player/radio headunit it has the green lighting around it but no power to the actual face of the unit!

but as i said 12volts are going into it!

What could have happened and how can i fix this?

Thanks!

[Jay-herridge]

Hi, you may want to check both The 12v permenant and the 12V ignition to make sure they both hae 12 Volts going to them, then check that your Earth is connected properly. Has anything else stopped working interior light or cigarette lighter???

[Hadleigh]

Hi, you may want to check both The 12v permenant and the 12V ignition to make sure they both hae 12 Volts going to them, then check that your Earth is connected properly. Has anything else stopped working interior light or cigarette lighter???

no that still works, but if i pull the fuse out they obviously stop working (interior light) which means it isnt the fuse. Could it be the fuse in under the bonnet in the fuse box?

can you tell me how to check the 12v of the permanent and ignition?

and where can i find the Earth (and where would it be earthed to)?

Thanks for the swift reply!!!

[Jay-herridge]

Yeah sure, the easiest way to check the 12v perm, Ign and earth is with a multimetre.

For the Earth just use the continuatiy setting and check with a chassis bolt on the car, then check the 2 12v using the same earth bolt and obviously change the setting to Volts!!

If you haven't got a Multimetre then i you could try putting both power leads of the radio on to the perm 12v cable of the car (Pin 1 on the block) and see if that works then you will no you have a problem with the ignition feed.

Let me know how you get on!!

[Hadleigh]

Yeah sure, the easiest way to check the 12v perm, Ign and earth is with a multimetre.

For the Earth just use the continuatiy setting and check with a chassis bolt on the car, then check the 2 12v using the same earth bolt and obviously change the setting to Volts!!

If you haven't got a Multimetre then i you could try putting both power leads of the radio on to the perm 12v cable of the car (Pin 1 on the block) and see if that works then you will no you have a problem with the ignition feed.

Let me know how you get on!!

With a multimetre i check the original blue+black with a yellow and black power wire and they are showing 12volts - with the Halfords leads that connect to the CD player i (when i connected that to the fiesta wires, the red and black power wires were also showing 12volts.

Just checked the earth bolt on the chassis and thats showing up 12volts to. Any ideas what else could be wrong?

I forgot to mention when i had the original ford fiesta radio in it wouldn power up but in the night when i had my lights on and the dask illuminated so did parts of the radio light up green like where the tape goes in and stuff but it just didnt power up. :\

When you say putting both the power leads of the radio on the perm, you mean with the Halfords splitter rip the power leads out the block and connecting straight to the permanent 12v power from the car?

[Jay-herridge]

With a multimetre i check the original blue+black with a yellow and black power wire and they are showing 12volts - with the halfords leads that connect to the CD player i (when i connected that to the fiesta wires, the red and black power wires were also showing 12volts.

Just checked the earth bolt on the chassis and thats showing up 12volts to. Any ideas what else could be wrong?

I forgot to mention when i had the original ford fiesta radio in it wouldn power up but in the night when i had my lights on and the dask illuminated so did parts of the radio light up green like where the tape goes in and stuff but it just didnt power up. :\

When you say putting both the power leads of the radio on the perm, you mean with the halfords splitter rip the power leads out the block and connecting straight to the permanent 12v power from the car?

Firstly the earth should be showing no power, if you are using the Halfords power lead then the yellow should be the perm and the red the ignition (they are the 2 that need the 12 volt when ignition is on), which mean you would have to cut both the leads and connect them both onto the one yellow cable. (this would be a last resort if you cant find another way of checking).do not run a cable direct to the 12v power of the car.

The part about the lights sounds like you may have a cable connected to the illumination wire which is the orange cable on the Halfords wiring, just make sure nothing is connected to that.

[Hadleigh]

Firstly the earth should be showing no power, if you are using the Halfords power lead then the yellow should be the perm and the red the ignition (they are the 2 that need the 12 volt when ignition is on), which mean you would have to cut both the leads and connect them both onto the one yellow cable. (this would be a last resort if you cant find another way of checking).do not run a cable direct to the 12v power of the car.

The part about the lights sounds like you may have a cable connected to the illumination wire which is the orange cable on the Halfords wiring, just make sure nothing is connected to that.

Just before i check all that tommorow morning, i just want to say that all this was working before something seemed to short with the wires coming out the back of the head unit? But before that everything worked fine, the ford original tape/radio player worked and all after market head unit's.

The iluminating tape/radio player is the ford one that came with the car and doesnt need the Halfords adaptor so all the leads are correct it just wont power on but iluminates the numbers and words around the LCD but nothing comes up on the LCD mini screen. SO it probably has nothing to do with the orange wire on the Halfords lead :\

Although with after market headunit's nothing lights up at all! and nothing powers on.

Do you think re-wiring it (using the Halfords connector wires) to a after market headunit might fix it? Or are you saying something completely different? (Sorry im just not familiar with this kind of stuff and thats why i need some professional help from people like you ha)

I will check the wires perm and ignition tommorow morning but im pretty sure theyre showing 12v.

"do not run a cable direct to the 12v power of the car." - can you explain what this means? does it mean dont run one straight from the batteries 12v power of the car?

Thanks very much i appreciate your help!!

[tunne1rat]

When you upgraded the headunit did you also upgrade or modify the Speakers?

The factory Speakers are usually 10 to 15w and are easily damaged also fitting poorly matched replacement Speakers can damage a head-unit.

Most amplifier circuits have short circuit protection meaning the head-unit will go into 'protect mode' and not power up if it detects a low ohms or short circuit on the speaker wires.

Check the ohms reading across each speaker with your multimeter. You are looking for a reading of between 4 to 8 ohms. If you have a reading outside of this range, then you could have a defective speaker.

Also check that neither speaker + or - wires are short circuit to earth.

Hope this helps.

[Hadleigh]

When you upgraded the headunit did you also upgrade or modify the speakers?

The factory speakers are usually 10 to 15w and are easily damaged also fitting poorly matched replacement speakers can damage a head-unit.

Most amplifier circuits have short circuit protection meaning the head-unit will go into 'protect mode' and not power up if it detects a low ohms or short circuit on the speaker wires.

Check the ohms reading across each speaker with your multimeter. You are looking for a reading of between 4 to 8 ohms. If you have a reading outside of this range, then you could have a defective speaker.

Also check that neither speaker + or - wires are short circuit to earth.

Hope this helps.

Actually thinking back to before it happened, my front left speaker was playing up and sounding as if it wa son its wya out!

If i get new Speakers fitted with new wires will this fix the problem as its sounds to be the problem!?

Before i added the new headunit i didnt touch the Speakers but i think i was playing them a tad too loud?

I will check all these things in my car tommorow mid day!!! Thanks all.

But is there anythign else possible that could be wrong/causing the problem?

[tunne1rat]

If after checking/replacing the Speakers you find you still have a problem, then the head-unit will need to tested out of the car, preferably in a workshop test rig or otherwise temporaily fitted to another car.

[Hadleigh]

If after checking/replacing the speakers you find you still have a problem, then the head-unit will need to tested out of the car, preferably in a workshop test rig or otherwise temporaily fitted to another car.

ive tried them in other cars and ive tried other headunits in my car so it means the fault lies with my car.

You no in Halfords when you get Speakers fitted, do they rewire the speaker cable to or use the original wire? (becuase id preferably would want it re-wired aswel as new speakers)

Thanks

[tunne1rat]

ive tried them in other cars and ive tried other headunits in my car so it means the fault lies with my car.

You no in halfords when you get speakers fitted, do they rewire the speaker cable to or use the original wire? (becuase id preferably would want it re-wired aswel as new speakers)

Thanks

The Speakers wouldn't normally be re-wired as this involves a lot of work (and a heafty bill)!

I would ask them to check the wires just incase a wire has been dammaged in a door etc, but generally the wiring doesn't cause much problem.

[Hadleigh]

The speakers wouldn't normally be re-wired as this involves a lot of work (and a heafty bill)!

I would ask them to check the wires just incase a wire has been dammaged in a door etc, but generally the wiring doesn't cause much problem.

usually just the Speakers is it?

Aw thanks man, im gna get them changed anyway because they are no way powerful enough they were like 10 watts or something.

Thanks though!