Car stereo not working anymore. - by SubJeff
SubJeff on 22/3/2010 at 22:20
Yeah, that's right, I'm posting this in the tech help forum! :cool:
Symptoms: Stereo just turned off mid-play. I had a CD on. It won't turn on anymore, at all.
Investigation: The digital clock is dim, but on, and it resets to 1:00 every time I turn the electrics on. The door light now no longer comes on anymore.
I've checked all the fuses and changed the ones that should be linked to these systems. No change.
So, what is going on? I don't want to take it to the garage because I need the car and don't have the time available to leave it. Plus I figure this is some fairly simple electronics issue that will cost me more money to get fixed than need be. My car savvy friends (who don't live in this city) would cuss me out for taking it in in the same way as I would them for taking a laptop in to get a new OS installed or some other easily done computer mcthing.
I'm going to have another look tomorrow morning since I have a late start at work, but I'm throwing it out here in case anyone has any ideas.
and I just ordered an FM transmitter for the Nexus One + Spotify musical sexualness I could have with a working stereo :(
june gloom on 22/3/2010 at 22:29
I think you may be having trouble with your entire electrical system- you say your door light no longer comes on either. What you're seeing are symptoms of what might be a bigger issue. Get it checked ASAP.
Al_B on 22/3/2010 at 22:37
Completely wild guesses but I'd guess at either alternator / battery problem or grounding issue. You haven't said it's difficult to start your car so I'd shy away from the former, but I'd want to check the battery voltage with a multimeter to be sure. I've heard of strange electrical problems if the connection betwen the car body and the electrical systems is poor but that's something else you could eliminate with a multimeter.
bikerdude on 22/3/2010 at 23:58
Another suggestion is that modern car stereos have more than one live (+12v) going into them. The main live from the battery and the switched live from the ignition switch(where you stick yer key etc)
Check to see if the switched live has a fuse and if so if its blown..? the wires will be either red or brown and the main live will be thicker than any other wire..
nb. whats the made and model of the stereo..? and for that matter whats the make and model of the car and was the stereo pre fitted to car(car comes with this stereo as stock) or was it one that you fitted or was fitted by someone..?
theBlackman on 23/3/2010 at 02:10
Like Biker says, asks actually. What make model and year of car?.
Do you have a CHECK ENGINE LIGHT when the engine is running?
It sounds like a common to the aux electrical devices.
Most vehicles have 3 fuse boxes. One under the hood, one in the side panel to the left of the driver near the pedals and, or, one in the glove box.
You can go on line with the year, make, model and get a location for the fuse panels.
As the clock dims, and resets, it does sound like a "ground Fault". I would clean the battery terminals. Remove the Neg lead, and then the Hot/positive lead. Clean the terminal posts, and the clamps. Check the water level in the battery if it is not sealed. Make a weak solution of baking soda and water and rinse/scrub down the battery.
It should FOAM, don't worry about it, but make sure that you don't get the mixture in the battery cells, then rinse well.
Reattach the leads and check that the negative lead is solidly bolted to the frame, or where ever it is attached to the chassis, or engine of the car.
Martin Karne on 23/3/2010 at 23:09
You have to take in mind that car radios also have inner protection systems, lately some littlefuse brand fuses are the size of a black small transistor, you should try powering it up with an external 12V DC and see if it starts to work again.
theBlackman on 23/3/2010 at 23:51
Good call MK, I do think that the problem here is a faulty common ground. If it was just a fuse or common hot lead, the clock would not work at all.
In this case, the clock is dim (weak current flow = Hot is working but ground is weak), the interior light does not work, the radio does not work. If, as I suspect there is a common hot circuit, a bad ground or weak common (usually the chassis with a ground lead from the battery), connection for same, would give all the listed symptoms.
Further indication is the clock goes off when he draws power to start the car/accessories by turning the key, then comes back on dimly when full power is restored. Starting draws the maximum power and a weak or faulty ground would shut off any accessory because the available current is too weak, all the voltage/amperage going to start the engine.
SubJeff on 24/3/2010 at 23:24
Its an automatic Toyota Corolla 1998. Its the Dome light fuse. I've searched the net and it seems a common problem. Every time I put in a new fuse it blows instantly. I disconnected the battery and the fuse went in fine, but on re-connecting the battery the fuse blows again.
Can't find an answer though so I guess its to the garage on Saturday :(
I NEED MY SPOTIFY IN THE CAR
theBlackman on 24/3/2010 at 23:42
That means there is a short in the system. It could be the dome light switch (my first guess) If the switch is part of the light itself and not a dashboard control, pull the bulb, put a fuse in and turn the switch off.
Then see if it still blows. If not try the radio/CD and see what happens. If it blows again then the problem is not in the light itself but in the circuit either to or from very possibly the door switch.
As I recall, my Camry had a switch in the door and in the light mount itself. The light mount was ON/OFF/AUTO and in the ON bypasses the door switch.
SubJeff on 25/3/2010 at 00:04
Yeah, I already took the bulb out to see if that was the problem. This is to complex/time consuming for me right now so tomorrow morning I'm booking it into the shop for Saturday and I'll have to use the bus for a day. Oh well.
Looking for a new car atm too. Why couldn't this happen after I get rid of it? And I really don't like any cars I'd be prepared to spend money on right now, apart from some late '80s - early '90s Porsche 944s that just no way because too old and reliability will be what?
