[Mk2] [NA] Once again... active stereo problem!

[HughesR1]

Recently acquired my 4th MR2 and the stereo has never worked since purchase. The guy mentioned he fitted a switch to manually control the aerial so the problem may lie with that. (Wasn't sure I believed this). Anyway I dug out the HU and found there was a switch there, but it was placed in between a white wire, and 90% of the time doesn't make any difference if I switch it on or off.

The headunit physically comes on, and if I press the mode button I get a beep from the speakers every time so I think I can rule out the speakers. However it won't play CD's, the aerial never goes up and I also don't get any static like its even trying to find a radio signal etc.

What is the white wire for where someone has fitted a switch?

Does the headunit get power from the amps? (Therefore meaning the amps work?)

Any help would be appreciated!

[Amebb]

Hi there

I am having a similar issue like you are .... well kind off...

On my car there are three connector blocks.

The first block is the audio and on that block the white wire is for FRONT LEFT + speaker

The third block is the power block. where the voltage comes in etc...
There the white wire is - Continious 12V +

The amp at the rear gets a 12+ switch voltage to activate the amp when the head unit is switched on.

NOTE

the pink and blue wire is to switch the amp on.
the black red wire is to switch on the antenna.


Hope that helps

[HughesR1]

Hi, Thanks for the help.

I think the white cable on mine must be 12v constant as when it is grounded to something metal there is a spark. Still weird as sometimes it completely cuts the HU power, then sometimes I can totally disconnect it and the HU is still on :S

Think I'm just gonna try a new headunit and if that fails then butcher it and run new cables

[Amebb]

Hi

To start of with you ONLY need three wires.

They are
12V+ Constant
12V+ IGN
GND -

These will give your HU a power supply. This means that you can switch on the HU and see if it works.

Then you need the following connections...:

Speaker wires.

After that, the amp switch wire needs to be connected to your HU, so when the HU comes on so will your amp and also your aerial wire needs to be connected too. I think on the Toyota HU the aerial pops up ONLY when the radio function is enabled and not before.

Apart from that there are a few other wires like the +iLL ..... thats for the illumination on the HU --- for the display on HU etc.

Do you have a multimeter at hand...??

You really need to sort out the wires first and i would start with the Power supply.

If you are trying pot luck with the wires you can blow fuses, amps and even the HU...... so be warned !

Apart from that, its a straight forward process..... until you come to my cars setup ...lol

Cheers

[HughesR1]

Thanks for your help

I plan on ripping it all out in the summer when I graduate and move back home. I have no problem in starting from scratch and running in new speaker cables and amping up components etc. Its just I'm still at my flat for a few months and don't have any of my tools here. Having no stereo at all is killing me!

Just one more thing, are there speaker cables coming out of the OEM headunit that go directly to the speaker? or does every one pass through an amp first? Only curious as where the water used to leak from my T-bar seems to go exactly where the amp and subs are located so quite possible they are ******.

Again, cheers for the advice

[Amebb]

hi there

it really depends on what OEM audio set up you have.

If you dont have an built in amp then you can be certain that the HU has an amp built in.

Otherwise if you have Amps built in then all your speaker wires will be comming from the power amp and also for the woofer, the wires will be coming from the woofer amp.

When you do get your new head unit dont forget the AMP + and ANT + from your HU ..... otherwise your new amps and antenna wont switch on.

cheers

[HughesR1]

Its a Rev2 with OEM active stereo with 2 subs in the cubby holes. I'm guessing that these are all amped up anyway.

Can the AMP+ and ANT+ from the new headunit just be drawn of the 12v when ignition is on?

Again, thanks you have been most helpful!

[Amebb]

You can do, but its NOT the best way.

Its best to have the 12v+ switch coming from your head unit when the ignition on your car is turned on.

Your head unit has to control the amp. A decent head unit will have an aerial 12v+ output wire and an AMP 12v+ output ....

Just check and make sure thats all....

[Amebb]

forgot to say...... if your 12V+ was drawn from ignition your aerial would be up even before you had started your car and your amp would be on even before you switched on the radio / cd etc.... besides, you will get a loud thump from your amp when HU is switched on.

NOT professional method !

Cheers

[HughesR1]

Thanks for your help, and yes got my hands on a Kenwood HU and it does indeed have a 12v Antenna cable

Now just to figure out what the OEM wires are hooked up to