Today I went to my local stereo shop and bought a new head unit for my truck. I already had a Kenwood, but wanted a newer one that playes MP3's and had the XM option. I also wanted a Kenwood again so i wouldn't have monkey with the wiring, and it would plugg right in. My old radio was less than 3.5 years old and from after talking to, two different sources they said this was fine. The plugg will be the same and I can re-use my old harness. Well after installing the radio, it worked great.. . NO problems. So i ran in the house and took a shower, got ready to go out on the town with my new cool head unit.. ... yeah right. I turned on the truck and noticed that the head unit wasnt turning on. So i grabbed the remote and hit the "source" button to turn on the head unit. NO DICE. I was dumbfounded. Then I realized that my dome light wasnt working. I tried to rollup my windows and no dice there either.

So the first thing I did was check the fuses. I checked the back of the radio first. It was fine.

Then I checked the dash fuses. There was a blown one there. It was a 5 amp mini bus fuse. I replaced the 5amp with another one and looked to see if the dome light came on? Nope. So i started the truck. Immediately the fuse blew.

I dont have a manual, but i can only guess that this fuse has to do with the stereo, dome, window power.

Everything worked fine before I installed this radio.. So i pulled the new radio out. I installed a 25amp fuse in the blown fuse spot to test the line, and turned the truck on. Now my windows worked and the dome light came on... everything worked.. . . Except for a wire that was starting to get hot and smoke in the wire harness for the radio. This wire was a black and purple one, on the "stock" harness for the radio. The harness has a orange label on it with the number "6".

I've now tried to see where this harness routes too, and i think it goes to the passenger side kick panel, but im not sure. What can I do to fix this problem.

I would like to get my truck back to normal.. without having to take it in and have a new harness installed for a million dollars.


thankyou for any help you can provide.

socalxj@sbcglobal.net
Contact: 714-504-5337



Dave

 

update, i reinstalled the old radio and it works fine. Im no longer blowing the 5 amp fuse, but the windows and dome light dont work.

Ive tested all the relays under the dash (didnt have time for the engine compartment), and all the fuses on the truck, including hidden alarm fuses. I traced the line, and it doesnt seem bad past the point of the burn. It's not grounding out and has been tested to work fine.

Still would like to know what to do next.

 

1st mistake...... You put a 25amp fuse in place of a 5am fuse. Do you realize that you prob melted some wires ? That smoke and burning smell was probobaly the plastic coating on the wire that was shorting out.

Sounds like you did this in a real big hurry to begin with. What you need to do is pull that HU outta the dash and check ALL of your wiring and find that shorted wire.

Good luck, I hope you didn't fry your harness anywhere.

Never put in a larger amp fuse then what it calls for, that fuse is rated at that amperage for a reason.

 

Johnny, I couldnt have my windows down overnight, i had no choice on the fuse.

 

I know bud, but never put in a larger fuse then it is called for. You will fry all sorts of stuff doing that.

Sounds like you need to locate the shorted wire. Pull your HU out, and visually inspect every connection in your harness. That is where I would start.

But that burning smell you experienced. More then likely, you've got an open connection somewhere between your accessories and the fuse panel. You may have possibly burned up your window relays in the process already.

Also, check your fuse panel for more fuses being blown, you may be pleasantly surprised to find another that is blown somewhere.

Good Luck in your endeavors.

JohnnyO

 

sounds like a shorted out wire. i would go over all the haness connections again. also the power wire might be grounding out and caused a chain reation and shorted others out. also the new HU might be pulling more power and is causing things to short out...good luck hope that helped.

PS:use the fuse amp given...thats why its there =)

 

i had the power tested, its not grounding out.

 

thats a good sigh, maybe u crossed a wire or shorted something simple out. hopefully u didnt fry anything else...

 

i need to have all the relays tested in the engine compt. and hopefully one is dead. I really would like to have a owners manual.. but can't find one online. I never got one with the vehicle.