90 s13 hatch cd player trouble

[SlidewaysScott]

Ok heres what's going on.

First off, when I got the car, the stock radio was still installed in it (the am/fm tape player). All the green lights around the buttons come on when I turn my headlights on, but as for the radio itself it doesn't turn on.

So thinking that the radio itself is bad...I swapped out my cd player from my old car into it, using a harness. I know I wired it right and it's by far not my first radio install so I know its wired right and double checked. BUT, it doesn't turn on at all. I'm thinking maybe something in the cars harness is jacked? I didn't see any bad fuses...

Heres my questions...has anyone else had this problem? Is there a common problem with the wiring in these cars that makes this happen? It's not my CD player because it's brand new basically and I've had in my other car working fine forever now. I'm stuck PLEASE HELP!!! . I only have the car as a beater till i get my s14 done but I need music cause i drive and slide....a lot

[e_c]

you need a better ground than stock ground... i ran a new wire from the ground on the head unit to a bolt on the transmission just below it