CD player installation not working!! HELP!!

[d-shiznit]

Just installed a pioneer cd player in my cousins 1990 Corolla hatch.. ae93 i think?

Everything seems to work fine, except no sound comes out of the speakers!!
- CD player turns on with ACC on
- all functions work except no sound at all from speakers!

Testing the CD player in a different car, sound plays!! Which indicates it is not a problem with the actual brand new cd player..

Now I know that we connected all the speaker wires correctly.
We worked from a wiring diagram, and then tested each wire with an AA battery just to make sure we had it correct.

And even though speakers are not fused (correct?) I checked the fuses and they are fine.

Also the old radio unit worked fine - sound came from the speakers.

I'm totally out of ideas, can anyone shed some light?

[Cuzzo]

Are the original speakers using earth as the -ve wire?? Some car join all the -ve of the speakers to the earth(body of car)
Try getting some speaker wire and run it externally to the speakers. disconnect the old wires from the speaker and join the new wires.
If that works run new speaker wire to all speakers.

[Adash=P]

Check the main plug at the back of the deck, make sure its fully pluged in. Then check the speaker wiring again. Maybe you roasted the speakers with the battery testing?

[RObErT_RaTh]

Maybe you roasted the speakers with the battery testing?

Yeah I've never heard of this AA battery trick before. I fail to see why you would need to check the speaker wires if they worked before with the previous stereo

[pepsicola]

or maybe there's a short circuit some where on one of the speaker wires.
I used to have this problem that, if i open the door to a certain point, it will short, and there'll be no sound coming out of any of the speakers, so i reckon it might be like a protection circuit on the headunit to mute all the speakers.

as cuzzo mentioned, try run seperate wire, or check continuity of the -ve speaker wire to the chassis(ie, ground).

[Cuzzo]

What you do with the battery is check which speaker that wire is and also which wire is +ve and -ve. When the speaker pops outwards +ve is on +ve of battery, if it sucks in -ve of speaker is on +ve of battery. I have never harmed any speaker doing this. i use a 9v battery.

[pepsicola]

i think testing it with an "AA" battery confirms that whether you're connecting the "+ve" and "-ve" speaker wires correctly, as some of the speakers don't have mark on them.
If you run an "AA" battery to the speaker, if the speaker cone pops up, that means the batt positive is connecting to the speaker positive.

But even you turn the "+ve" and "-ve" wires around, it shoud still make a sound, and you don't normally notice the difference either.

[Dale]

Are the speakers 4ohm?

I say run new speaker wire anyway, I always do as I find it quicker than tossing around with the factory wiring.

Sounds like the original speakers are using ground as the -ve, although I HIGHLY doubt this is the case with a 1990 corolla.

[GtiRboy]

so you're using the stock speaker wire that came in the car? it's always reccomended when upgrading the headunit to rewire the car with your own speaker wire, rather then use the stock stuff..

[WiLo]

Are the original speakers using earth as the -ve wire?? Some car join all the -ve of the speakers to the earth(body of car)
Try getting some speaker wire and run it externally to the speakers. disconnect the old wires from the speaker and join the new wires.
If that works run new speaker wire to all speakers.

what cuzzo said, IIRC older corollas have this done, i know i had know problems in my ae82 but would be an idea to re run your own speaker cable anyway jsut to be sure

[river]

Hi,

But even you turn the "+ve" and "-ve" wires around, it shoud still make a sound, and you don't normally notice the difference either.

Yes the speakers will still work if you have the +/- wires swapped around - but make sure all speakers are connected the same way. If you have one speaker with the the +/- connected opposite to the other one then this can muffle and cancel out some of the sound - as one speaker pushes out, the other pushes in - which cancels out the sound waves. Maybe not too noticeable on pissy stock speakers but you'll notice it on a good system and you certainly notice it on a decent home stereo set-up.

seeyuzz
river

[NeoNasty]

I dont think its a common negative system. My AE71 wasnt even that.

chances are that you have damaged the headunit in your attempt at installation. Connect soem other speakers that you know are good, to the new head unit. If they work, then the problem is in your wiring. If they still dont work, head unit is Ka-Shit.

Take it in for servicing, If its a new head unit, dont lie about the installation. Just tell them that you blew it up, and usually first time they will replace the output IC free. *cough* Except sony *cough*

Before you Re-install the new head unit. Get a multi meter and make sure that neither the positive or the negative, of EACH speaker is not equal to ground. If you dont know how to do this. Take the whole thing to someone who does. Because you will just damage it again, and then it will cost you $100 to have it repaired.

Good luck.
-Neo

[o_man_ra23]

my favourite method of installing head units is to install all power, then install speakers one at a time, making sure each works. I usually do this with the deck propped up on a box or whatever. Never had a problem, and ive never heard of anyone else having your same problem. Seems you may have popped the speakers when you powered it up, quite easy to do when changing from a 7W deck to a 60W deck. Try getting some other speakers and plug them into where your OEM ones go (temporary wiring, any old speaker will do, just to check). Also check all speaker outputs for a short to ground.

Personally I always run new wiring whenever changing anything that I didnt originally install, as you just dont know what has happened in the meantime, or how it was originally installed... especially *cough* professional *cough* jobs.(not all pros are dodgy, but enough are to warrant not trusting anyone)

Cheers, Owen

[DoctorDubb]

d-shiznit, ive installed about 10 stereo packages for mates now.. ive had your problem you described on a alpine deck(not that it matters what brand).
I installed all the power, everything worked fine, installed rear speakers they worked fine. Then installed the front speakers and all of a sudden no sound was coming out of any of the speakers. The problem was that on the back side of one of the front speakers, the positive (negative?) tab was touching the door and subsquently must of set off 'safety short protect' on the head unit (as told by one of the stereo installers).
The testing of the AA battery wouldnt pick this up and maybe since its a newer deck it has a 'safety short protect', the old one didnt?.

In general, fellow toymodders make some good points. When hooking up the deck i hope you had the battery unplugged. Also running new wires especially for power, acc and earth are good ideas as ive learnt the hard way (with 'professional' installs in the past - using some rediculously small wire for main power..wrapped in heaps of tape which then burnt through and scared the shit out of my mate).

If you really get stuck, i might be able to come have a look, sometimes its just getting a multimeter out or having someone spot something that your just over-looking.

Neonasty, is that personal experience of taking it in to get serviced? As i was pretty sure (and many stereo salespeople also confirm- not that you can ever trust them lol) that there is a clause in the warranty that it must be installed by an 'authorised dealer'? Would be nice to know if they dont care about this.

[ViPeR_NiPPleX]

I would doubt you have popped any speakers with a battery test... I use a 9v battery to check phase... with most car speakers the phase isn't too important although its nice to have them all the same way around. It just means the bass can be cancelled out when one speaker cone pulls in and one pushes out.

Definately try connecting one speaker at a time if you can. Process of elimination/isolation sounds like your next step. Also get a seperate speaker to test the headunit is outputting too.

Let us know how you go.