Audio System Problem

[Two Fowty]

Alright, before you flame me about being on the wrong forum, or searching, I assure you, I tried both. No one is responding on the other forum, and my answer isn't anywhere to be found, so I said what the hell, I'll try this forum.

Alright, I've got a Kenwood KAC-5203 head, alpine speakers all around, a Kicker amp, and 2 hifonics 12's..

The problem, is my headunit will constantly reset and I cant even use my system cause it will just constantly do it, read on.

I've checked all my head unit wires and they are all connected fine. The power/ground/remote wires are all connected fine.

I unhooked my amp and subs and it still does the problem, but I noticed it only does the problem at a certain position that the key is turned. I put key in, turn it one notch and the dash clock lights up a bit, and the stereo turns on. At this point, everything will work fine for as long as I know of. BUT when I go one more notch, right before turning engine on, and all the dash lights are red, this is where it just keeps reseting.

Also, it will reset when I crank my stereo up to start bumpin. And once it resets once, it will constantly reset, and wont stop until I turn it off, or get out of the 2nd notch.

I'm running 4 gauge wires and they are efhin big, hardly and don't even really fit into the amp. Not sure if that relates to the problem, but I figured you should know.

Please any help would be great.

[ZOMG.SR20]

this is why I dont have speakers or a radio heck even AC or Heat

[Two Fowty]

this is why I dont have speakers or a radio heck even AC or Heat

i dont have AC, but I can't live without my music.

[DanThaMan]

check power supply, there should be 2 sources, one constant for the clock/settings etc. and one switched power supply. Possibly try a new ignition switch, when you start bumping, maybe its vibrating contacts. Are you having any other electrical problems? If its an ignition switch there would probably be more issues than just audio.

[Two Fowty]

Well I'm in an engine swap right now. All I have left to do is add all the fluids and it'll be good to go, hopefully.

I am getting all my sound system stuff put into the car, and I'm having problems. I don't have any electrical problems that I know of, so far.

And my battery is my power source.

[JSDEVILDOG29]

It shouldnt be your amp. I agree with Dan. It sounds like your constant is lose or shorting. I would def find the problem because if it shorts bad it will blow your output chip and itll cost alot to fix if you can even find someone to fix it. You should try running a wire straight from your battery to your constant, just as a way to see if it is in fact you connection.

[Two Fowty]

It shouldnt be your amp. I agree with Dan. It sounds like your constant is lose or shorting. I would def find the problem because if it shorts bad it will blow your output chip and itll cost alot to fix if you can even find someone to fix it. You should try running a wire straight from your battery to your constant, just as a way to see if it is in fact you connection.

I'm not understanding. What do you mean by constant? What is my constant?

[33alez33]

I'm willing to bet that your constant 12 volt wire is bad.

The constant power wire provides 12 volt to your deck 24/7 it's not on a switch or anything it is literally a wire straight from your battery and through your fuse block, no switches. This power keeps your clock and settings. If at any point this is interrupted you will lose your settings.

It sounds like you are using the deck to power your speakers so it will draw a fair amount of power when you have your system cranked and if you have a bad ground that would cause the deck to turn off to protect itself and shouldn't cause clock loss. If you have a bad 12 volt constant wire or connection it will reach a point where it cannot get enough power and that's going to cause the the problems where it loses all power and it resets. At startup there is extra stress on that wire when your deck switches off for a second and then back on, your voltage will increase with the car on usually from around 12 volts up to 14.4 there is also stress on that wire when you crank the sound up.

I'd even check your interior fuse box, I had a problem a long time ago where I had a 3 partially blown fuses on an MTX801D and the amp was really weak but still had power.

If you have a spare wire you can try running a wire directly from your battery's positive post and right to the constant power wire of your deck, if the problem goes away when you do that go find a fuse block and make your own power wire to the deck, the same as you would have done for the amp for your subs.
Modified by 33alez33 at 7:29 PM 4/23/2009

[DanThaMan]

might as well check both the constant and switched power one at a time while you have your deck out.

[rictask8er13]

Honestly with the kenwood decks they do this some times when you have a grounded speaker or a blown speaker, if you have a multi-meter and can get behind your radio check the resistance of each speaker, I work at best buy and seriously about once a week we get one in because of something as simple as that.

[Two Fowty]

i tried a different deck and it still does it, so I don't think it is the stereo itself.

I'm still not getting where the constant wire is, how do I identify it?

[Broadfield]

Constant is just that........ constant 12 volts all the time. In other words battery power. Switch power is controlled from the key. So your radio uses both. Constant to keep memory: clock, presets etc. And switch power so the radio will only operate while the key is on. Try running a temporary wire from the battery to the yellow wire on the Kenwood. If this doesn't fix the problem then tie both the yellow and red Kenwood wires to the temporary wire from the battery. This should fix the problem for sure. You will then need to either find a new wire for constant and/or switch power or need to replace your ignition switch..... which is what it sounds like to me.

[koukis4teen]

33alez33 is pretty dead on. Whatever the reason for the problem the problem is your memory. It is usually the yellow wire. This wire has to be spliced to something that is hot constantly even without the key in the ignition at all. Could def be a fuse problem or something like that. Just use a test light and find something always hot for the memory wire to be spliced to. If you wanted ajury rig you could run a wire straight to the battery if you ran a inline fuse for fire safety and use that as the hot wire. I say that just to give you an idea of whats going on.. Please don't really do that lol.