today i had car toys install a new stereo i usually would have done it myself but for somereason the power wire wasnt getting any power to the stereo .(the deck it came with had power but no sound and yes i checked the wires to the speakers and everything, i then put mulitple stereo decks and none of them were getting power anymore) cartoys used a red w/green stripe wire from somewhere to power the new deck. as soon as i turned on my lights i heard a fuse pop a no tail lights and parking lights now. anyone know what this red/green wire goes to. maybe it cant handle a stereo along with whatever it leads to

 

was it from the clock?
any aftermarket deck will have 3 main wires. a constant power/memory wire 12v.(yellow I think) A switched 12v (red i think) and a black ground. Having said that, if car toys did the install, and you have problems.... take it back.

 

i have no clock my truck is that basic aha... im looking at the wiring diagrams and trying to find it but im no expret on reading them. i also have no dash lights but thats a differnt story

 

The headlight switch does go out on these. Had to replace it on my 89

 

i found a blown fuse(15) put another one in and it blew to i put a 20 in and it blew that

 

ive already replaced the headlight switch awhile ago

 

what fuse is blowing? what else isn't working? Does your truck have an aftermarket trailer harness?

 

Even if you don't have a clock, does not mean that you do not have the wiring for it, a red and green wire does sound like the power for the clock, it also goes through a 15 amp fuse. The only thing it has to do with your taillights though is that it is grounded on the taillight circuit, I would take it back to them.

 

STOP PUTTING IN BIGGER FUSES!!!! the purpose of the fuse is to blow after it sees a certain "load". By putting in a larger fuse, you are allowing more current to flow than should be allowed, which can increase your risk of melted wires, fires etc. find the source of the problem rather than trying to "band-aid" it. If you got it done at a shop, they should be the ones figuring out why this happened. they should be insured and willing to diagnose and correct the problem. I am a mobile electronics installer for a large company, and though we do see some crack pots that think their transmission went bad due to a radio install, for the most part accidents do happen on rare occasions where things are hooked up wrong, but they should be willing to look at it, and more importantly fix it.


Have you tried cutting the wire they tapped into to see if the fuse stops blowing? if you are having issues with power to the radio, i would suggest going to the main ignition harness under the dash. fuse your wires, and run them right over to the radio, ground in a solid spot and hook up the speakers as normal through the aftermarket harness ( hoping they used one )

 

Sounds like they used a wire that tested as a ground at rest (your headlight switch), and used it to ground the radio. Then you turn on those lights and BAM, you have a short that pops the fuse. As was said above, cut that wire and see if that solves your problem.

As was also stated above, if a shop did it, take it back and make them fix it. Granted, if they made this big if a mistake (it's a little thing, but so obvious a real shop should know better), I wouldn' trust them to fix it.

 

thats exactly what happened.. took it back and its all good now. CARTOYS in totem lake, wa.. dont recommend them they seemed frustrated i was bring it back

 

i would say it was embarrasment disguised as frustrated. that could have all been prevented had they actually tested the work they did. doing it correctly, they more than likely would have noticed it BEFORE they told you it was all done, fixed it and you would have been none the wiser. Im glad they took care of it, pretty tired of seeing hacks in this industry.

 

^^^ Yup, totaly agree. I can't get any work done properly these days, home upgrade/repair, engine rebuild, whatever. Mostly I get poor-quality work and a ton of excuses. Oh, and the whole, angry "we did it right" when something is obvioulsy wrong.

It's been 20+ years, but I still remember turning on the headlights when I found a ground to make sure it stayed a ground!

I have a really hard time letting anyone touch my wiring and even interior panels. A good installer knows how to properly remove/install interior panels--most people, even mechanics, do not.

 

okay now the question is why dont i have dashlights.. i replaced the bulbs and there are no blown fuses.. they went out when the truck was parked so i dont think a wire rattled loose

 

preach on man, i couldnt even get some simple yard work done correctly when i was injured and unable to push the mower. Its almost to the point that if i can not do it myself, i wont get it done. it seems not too many people have a sense of pride in their work anymore. I dont care if its a $40 radio in an 82 escort, im putting my best work into it.

 

was this an issue prior to the radio install issue? check all of the contacts at the back of the instrument cluster, make sure they arent torn, loose, corroded etc. it would also help to get a multi meter if you dont already have one.

 

We are on the same page! My work means something to me--and if its worth' doing, it's worth doing right. I'm a photographer and I shoot stuff for me Nephew's band and my sister always ask me to throw a few shots together really fast so they can have them quick--it doesn't matter if they are perfect. I tell her NO! Every image with my name on it reflects on me--it will be done right or not at all.

 

I don't know what year your truck is, but check to make sure the dash light dimmer switch is A) turned up, and B) plugged in. I don't have dash lights because my plastic piece under the steering wheel is out of the truck and it contains the dimmer switch--no switch, no lights.

 

Good thread, as I too am suffering with the same symptoms after a radio install (myself). Who would have thought of the old Ground-at-Rest wire trick?
I too was thinking of trailer wiring, spare tire, tailgate wire short etc...

You guys are great, THANKS.