Cabby electrical gremlins

Hello, trying to make the most of the time at the moment and I think I am going to attempt to sort electrics as I have a few issues. Not sure if all related or not. Previous owner installed some speakers and an aftermarket alarm.

1) radio cuts out when turned up, not all the way up, maybe 50%, especially bad on music with any bass. The previous owner had a huge system (his words) but he stripped before I got the car a couple of years ago. There is also some fat speaker wire running from below the dash, under passenger seat and through to the boot. Currently has nothing attached in the boot. Could the lack of something being connected in the boot because the blackout?

2) a rubbish aftermarket alarm that seems to drain my battery. What’s the best way to go about installing? Do I just rip it out?

thanks for any helps or tips!

Hard to guess without taking a look at the wiring…

When you say "radio cuts out when turned up" does it just stop playing, or turn off completely?
Is the stereo always on, or do you have to switch on the ignition? Does it lose its presets when you turn it off?

The fact that it does it with volume and bass suggests either current draw or vibration. You'll probably have to take the stereo out and take a look at the wiring. It's fairly easy with a removal tool. My guess is that the previous owner couldn't be bothered to take up the carpet, and left the thick speaker wires there. If they are not shorting to each other or the chassis, they shouldn't cause a problem.

If you're sure the alarm has no immobiliser functionality, it should be safe to remove it. Just follow the wires back to the fuse box, or wherever it is getting power from.
 

The radio stereo turns off completely. I also need to switch the ignition on for the radio

Thanks for the tips on the alarm! Something for me to get cracking on.

As long as the alarm is just a vibration sensing one then you should be fine to remove.

Just make sure that all the wires attached to the alarm housing aren't all black or one colour. If they are then it's a thatcham approved one and will be a pig to remove due to tracing the wires.

As for the stereo.

It's probably broken. I'm assuming it was in the car when you got it? As they age and if they've been abused they can wear out. Unless it's new or a high end one I'd be inclined to remove and replace. If it's not set up correctly and is running the wrong type of speakers it may also cause it to 'clip' http://www.automotiveforums.com/t685200-headunit_clipping_.html

But as Mr The Whip says, take it out and have a look at the back of it and make sure that there are no wires attached to it that shouldn't be. There may be some phono leads that are causing a short, or it may be that those speaker wires to the boot are still attached and causing issues. Split the wires and tape them up with some insulating tape.

Might be worth taking out the interior and tracking down all the old stereo stuff and removing it. People tend not to bother removing everything if it's been installed correctly as it's a pain to do. They do the easy stuff or the expensive stuff and leave the rest and causes all sorts of problems.

I know, we spent about 3 weeks trying to fix the Bro in Laws cabby before we just took it all apart and un did everything. Good job too as part of one of the lives we couldn't see had been badly stripped and was arcing across the body  

Have fun!

Ian

borednow said

As long as the alarm is just a vibration sensing one then you should be fine to remove.

Just make sure that all the wires attached to the alarm housing aren't all black or one colour. If they are then it's a thatcham approved one and will be a pig to remove due to tracing the wires.

As for the stereo.

It's probably broken. I'm assuming it was in the car when you got it? As they age and if they've been abused they can wear out. Unless it's new or a high end one I'd be inclined to remove and replace. If it's not set up correctly and is running the wrong type of speakers it may also cause it to 'clip' http://www.automotiveforums.com/t685200-headunit_clipping_.html

But as Mr The Whip says, take it out and have a look at the back of it and make sure that there are no wires attached to it that shouldn't be. There may be some phono leads that are causing a short, or it may be that those speaker wires to the boot are still attached and causing issues. Split the wires and tape them up with some insulating tape.

Might be worth taking out the interior and tracking down all the old stereo stuff and removing it. People tend not to bother removing everything if it's been installed correctly as it's a pain to do. They do the easy stuff or the expensive stuff and leave the rest and causes all sorts of problems.

I know, we spent about 3 weeks trying to fix the Bro in Laws cabby before we just took it all apart and un did everything. Good job too as part of one of the lives we couldn't see had been badly stripped and was arcing across the body  Have fun!

Ian

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