my truck has a short somwhere in the steario power system.

im not even sure where to look, everytime the radio shuts off the presets reset.

now everytime i turn it up to load, it shuts off, if i turn on or off my headlights, it shuts off, if i push the cig lighter in, it shuts off, and if i use my horn the horn doesnt work and the radio shuts off, and the subs go wild.

the headlight thing has always bin there but i got over that, but it used to just start off where it left off, now itresets everything, the truck is parked now till the end of school because i cant afford it while im not working but this also givs me some time to work on it, and the radio is first on the list.

thanks for any help leading to the problem.

 

chk the ground it sounds like a bad connection

 

I'll second check the ground. It sounds like you are losing a body ground to me.

Good luck,

Dan Harriman 84 F150 lwb
Orange, Texas

 

what ground, like the radio ground where its spliced in under the dash or a main body ground and where would i find that.

and how exactly would that explain the horn, everything else makes some sence to me exept how the horn got in there, i assumed there was a short between a horn wire that was back feeding my speakers or somthing and screwing with it, but i dunno.

thanks

 

Hello Eric;

The horn is operated by the horn swith that is located on the steering wheel and that circuit is grounded through it. Most probably, if you were to take a jumper wire and jump the horn, behind the grill, it would work. Now there is a possibility that you might need to ground it there, too, but it will probably work.

A few of the biggest problems about tracing electrical problems are (1) a person doesn't understand how electricity works, (2) a person doesn't have a schematic to show what circuits share either power or ground circuits, or where the connections are, (3) aftermarket electronic parts have been installed incorrectly, and (4) a person doesn't have the proper tools to trace electrical problems.

There are other problems, but these are pretty high on the list of why things seem to happen that are weird when it come to electricity.

I am not saying that any of the things I mentioned are what the problem is, or why you can't find it. However, if you could get hold of a factory schematic and service manual, it would show which components share the same ground(s) and power circuits. It would be my guess that somewhere under the dash, a ground has been comprimised, either by a loose connection, or by incorrectly installed components.

You didn't mention what year your truck is. If it is a 96 or later, I may be able to provide a schematic and service info for you. I have the Ford service manuals and EVTMs on DVD for 96-99 and I believe another disc for later years.

Good luck on resolving your dilemma,

Dan Harriman 84 F150 lwb
Orange, Texas

 

its a 90 f150, i got a manual, im just not real good with wiring diagrams, but what your saying makes sence.


cause the radio still works but it always looses its memory, ive got it wired into the same wires that run the cig lighter for my moemory and my main power it comming from aother wire.

i forget how its all run i put it in a while ago, but there was a pretty big mess in most of this trucks wiring, somone has ben into it that cant strip wires so there all stubs and i dont think they had ever heard of soilder, everything was just taped, there was mabee 3 crimp ons in the entire truck, even the harness for the rear lights that you can just buy a plug in trailer plug, but when i opene it up it was just a rats nest of tristed wires and tape so i had to rerun all those wires to put the plug in.