That may be the way to go Andy but it does seen odd to me that both the original power wires have lost power.
Tony.
Tony.
Stereo change
- Thread starter Andy Comerford
- Start date
Have you checked to see if the unit powers up? but could be a faulty/internal fuse in the unit, try direct to battery to see if all is well with the unit. red to live black to earth, unit should light up otherwise blown internal fuse or faulty unit, notice a fuse on the back plugged into the unit have you checked this?
Agreed Tony. Time to get a voltmeter on the job...
Ok I'll try the stereo on the battery, it should be fine though as its brand new.
I did have someone put a volt meter on the stereo loom for me, they said testing the original stereo connector (that would have been plugged into the original stereo) wasn't making 12v. This is what made me think I needed an amp or one wasn't present because it wasn't sending any power through the loom. I checked the fuse box and there seems to be fuses in the right places for the stereo to work and they look in good condition too. It just seems to get trickier! I could try the stereo direct to battery see what happens there too and then get round to patching in these other lives also. Haven't had much time to do anything other than talk about it recently but I will try to have a go at these few things in the next couple of days!
I appreciate all your input so far guys thanks!
I did have someone put a volt meter on the stereo loom for me, they said testing the original stereo connector (that would have been plugged into the original stereo) wasn't making 12v. This is what made me think I needed an amp or one wasn't present because it wasn't sending any power through the loom. I checked the fuse box and there seems to be fuses in the right places for the stereo to work and they look in good condition too. It just seems to get trickier! I could try the stereo direct to battery see what happens there too and then get round to patching in these other lives also. Haven't had much time to do anything other than talk about it recently but I will try to have a go at these few things in the next couple of days!
I appreciate all your input so far guys thanks!
Ok so today I managed to have a fiddle. I found out that my cigarette lighter was a perm live and from the wiring diagram that @Mint posted up I noticed the blue/white wire that was labelled (power), so naturally tried wiring from the lighter to that and we have power! Seems the passenger side speaker has gone and the tweeter that side is on its way out too, drivers door works fully but sound abit naff so will look at replacing all of them with some better component speakers and tweeters for a better sound. Hopefully once they're in it will be all sorted!
Great Andy, it's nice to see a young fellow reach out for help rather than jump in and maybe end up with something unusable. And the sense of accomplishment factor is doubled when it finally comes together. Glad you stuck with it!! JIM
Hi Guys!
I seem to be revisiting this following my immobiliser problem i had a few weeks ago and haven't had power to the stereo again since. Ive tried a few times to hook it up the same as i finished this thread previously (a tap from cig lighter to the blue/white 'power' wire on harness), but all it seems to be doing now is shorting fuses like window wipers/jets and the stereo fuse also.
I keep seeing on searches and also been told by someone else that I should tap from the ignition for power because the current is too low from the cig lighter. Ive had a look under the wheel at the ignition wires and had a brief go at seeing what could be used but i dont have much clue to be honest (wiring has never been a strong point
)
Could someone advise some help on what wire(s) to use from the ignition to power the stereo or even some pictures for my simple leccy self? And also, if from the ignition if it should go to that blue/white wire on the stereo harness or to maybe one of the red or yellow ones to power?
Appreciate your continued help people! Just want these niggly crap bits out the way but just driving me mad!
I seem to be revisiting this following my immobiliser problem i had a few weeks ago and haven't had power to the stereo again since. Ive tried a few times to hook it up the same as i finished this thread previously (a tap from cig lighter to the blue/white 'power' wire on harness), but all it seems to be doing now is shorting fuses like window wipers/jets and the stereo fuse also.
I keep seeing on searches and also been told by someone else that I should tap from the ignition for power because the current is too low from the cig lighter. Ive had a look under the wheel at the ignition wires and had a brief go at seeing what could be used but i dont have much clue to be honest (wiring has never been a strong point
) Could someone advise some help on what wire(s) to use from the ignition to power the stereo or even some pictures for my simple leccy self? And also, if from the ignition if it should go to that blue/white wire on the stereo harness or to maybe one of the red or yellow ones to power?
Appreciate your continued help people! Just want these niggly crap bits out the way but just driving me mad!
You need to source the original BMW live wiring to the stereo system and resolve the issue from source. My view is when we start tampering with wiring outside of stock set-up we compromise safety! Have an auto electrician quote for the work, then decide!! Safety first my friend! I hope this helps.
David.
David.
The blue white wire out of the stereo should not be connected to power at least not in to the car circuit i imagine only to an amp.
You will have one earth and two power red and yellow .
One will be switched the other will be live the only difference on wiring them wrong will be the radio will loose memory and any bass treble alterations back to zeros.
The blue /white labeled power sounds to me like it is a remote wire that will become live when the head unit is on hence sending a switching current to a amp.
If this is wired back to the car i imagine its causing all sorts of fun and games as you essentially feeding the car with a feed.
You will have one earth and two power red and yellow .
One will be switched the other will be live the only difference on wiring them wrong will be the radio will loose memory and any bass treble alterations back to zeros.
The blue /white labeled power sounds to me like it is a remote wire that will become live when the head unit is on hence sending a switching current to a amp.
If this is wired back to the car i imagine its causing all sorts of fun and games as you essentially feeding the car with a feed.
If you have a screen shot of the wiring diagram for the head unit Andy, you might get more help on where to connect. I would have thought that the power wire for the cig lighter would carry far more amps that a head unit will ever need as a cig. lighter is basically a dead short to heat the element to red hot!
Tony.
Tony.
Z
zedonist
Guest
They are rated 10amp Tony
Agreed Rich, most head units have a 1 amp fuse. So it should have the current to power the head unit.
Tony.
Tony.
Z
zedonist
Guest
It may be the Head Unit is faulty, if it has been shorted at the speaker at some point the amp will be damaged. That said to OP has said that some of the speakers are not working, this can be a short or the usual footwell speaker blown. I would try and ensure all circuits are in place and working first, and then look at the power problem, if it still persists, or I would just wire in new speakers and cable and hook up the head unit to new positives. But it does sound like something else at play.
May be wrong place . but can anyone recommend a suitable basic unit to put in Z3 just to have radio and connect iPhone[for music not phone] Existing radio not working .
Z
zedonist
Guest
Look at any of the Alpine or Pioneer units:
http://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/pro...eoz_qpKjPIF0hhlBqELNmTTbPyqfdiVFzuRoC5mTw_wcB
http://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/pro...eoz_qpKjPIF0hhlBqELNmTTbPyqfdiVFzuRoC5mTw_wcB
Also, depending on your budget Halfords usually have Sony units at very reasonable prices, I put one in my Z3. Not quite the same quality as the ones Rich has mentioned but pretty good none the less. All down to the £'s.
Tony.
Tony.
The wiring diagram is up he is wiring a feed into the car with the blue white hence blown fuses be surprised if the headunit is not damaged as its power out not in ....
The blue wire out is usually the feed for a power aerial. Hadn't seen the diag. Ant. If that's had live fed into it the unit is probably toast.
Tony.
Tony.
Z
zedonist
Guest
Blue is arial and blue / white is signal to an external amp
Im sure i read he had connected it to power as it said power this will be the cause of the issues.
Your right its just a thin wire usually it only carries switching voltage but it may have fried the stereo and possibly the speakers but i imagine it could be the audio out of the headunit that has seen the damage not the speaker.
Your right its just a thin wire usually it only carries switching voltage but it may have fried the stereo and possibly the speakers but i imagine it could be the audio out of the headunit that has seen the damage not the speaker.