I feel almost embarassed asking this. This is the 8th deck I've installed in my cars and they always powerup on the first try.
I'm installing a deck into an '89 Ford Taurus and I know the Ford wires codes are hopeless., but I've found what they are, comparing various colours with what they should be and where the wires actually appear on the harness. The speaker harness is obvious but the power harness is the one I'm doubting.

Here's the problem:
Key's in on Position or Accessory. - deck power is on only showing clock and dimmed so (it's not actually powered up). So I turn the power on from the deck...it powers up and I can do anything on it. Once I take the Key out, and put it back in, it's likes the deck didn't keep the memory.
When the decks fully powered up and I turn on the parking lights with dash board lights. The deck shuts off. and I have to turn the lights off to get the deck to turn back on.

I wired up everything except for the Dimmer wire. I tested each wire too before actually hooking them up to make sure. Varified the Constant 12V - always showing 12V's

Memory-Acc 12V - only 12V when key's in On or Acc position.

Ground - always nothing.

Dimmer - it ranged from 1V to 6V's depending on what you select with the dimmer dial. (this of course dims everything - all dash lights).

It seems to me that something is grounding out. or maybe one of the wires is changing polarity (Positive to Negative or vice versa). Should I wire up the dimmer wire with one of the 12V's? (probably the 12V Accesory?)

I'm baffled..:s [img]graemlins/dunno.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/cry.gif[/img] . It's ironic that my first car was a '90 Topaz (which I still have) and the wiring should be the same?)

__________________
-Matt<br /><br />Thump, Thump!

Crazy.

Try the easiest first, run a jumper from a good ground bolt or somewhere metal, right to the chassis of the new HU. If that doesn't help, jab that jumper line into the HU's ground (black) wire. If that doesn't help...

Most aftermarket HU's have:

Yellow - constant power - if using the stock wiring, using a test light or multimeter, make sure it's 12v ALL the time, key off, key on, headlights off, headlights on.

Red - switched power - 0 (or minimal) voltage when car is off, headlights on or off. 12v ONLY when key is on.

Make sure you got those right, check again just to be sure. The dimmer line shouldn't matter, if it isn't used, the deck will just always be bright. So while troubleshooting, disconnect the dimmer line from the HU completly.

The HU should work now. If not, get it tested.

__________________

95 Astro Cargo Van
KW KDC-X979
DVD, XBox, Sirius
RF Punch 55.2 - Orion Cobalt 5 1/4's
ALP V12 - KW KFCX698 6x9's
CLAR APX400.4 - KFC-X698
(2)Orion 1200D - (1)Orion H2 12.2
Roger Waters June 23rd Pengrowth Saddledome WooHOO!

Safe yourself some damage and get a professional to hook it up......................

1989 Ford Taurus Stereo Information
Constant 12V+ Green/Yellow
Switched 12V+ Yellow/Black
Ground Red or Black
Illumination Blue/Red
Dimmer n/a
Antenna Trigger Orange/Blue
Antenna Right Front
Front Speakers 3 1/2" Dash
Left Front (+) Orange/Green
Left Front (-) Blue/White
Right Front (+) White/Green
Right Front (-) Green/Red
Rear Speakers 6" x 9" Rear Deck
Left Rear (+) Pink/Green
Left Rear (-) Blue/Orange
Right Rear (+) Pink/Blue
Right Rear (-) Brown/Red

http://www.installdr.com/Harnesses/Ford-Wiring.pdf

__________________
Location: Vancouver, B.C.

Sounds like you have your Red and Yellow backwards AND you have your ground to the Dimmer wire of the car.

You could have bought a harness adaptor for $15 or so and removed all doubt....

It should be mandatory!

ya but that ruins the danger and sense of adventure

Thanks for the replies guys.

8 decks sucessful and now this!...lol

I know it's something small like I have 2 wires crossed. I just thought for some reason something would change polarity even though that doesn't make any sense.

Thanks for the exact wiring code Jeepbeats.

__________________
-Matt<br /><br />Thump, Thump!

^^^ Glad to help, www.the12volt.com and www.installdr.com are your friends(and wiring harnesses also).

__________________
Location: Vancouver, B.C.

I went there but could only find a general Ford wiring code and they said that up to a certain Ford used 3 different codes...which is completely stupid.

__________________
-Matt<br /><br />Thump, Thump!