1-3-2-4 Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 This problem has been getting worse for me.. What happens is (I first noticed) when it would rain for 48 hours my radio would work but say I come back to the car later and go out the radio would not work.. no power.. OK so it seemed after 24 hours with no rain the radio would work but I never lost my time or my presets.. I don't get it.. So fast forward to yesterday and I could not get the radio to come on at all.. it rained yesterday but later in the day it was dry and sunny so I removed the whole radio to check for any loose connections.. I don't get it I did not find anything and I'm still without a radio.. My radio is a Alpine 9856 I was going to try a spare radio to see maybe my radio is frizzing out.. but I have my doubts because one day messing around with someone on the car (radio was not working) I ran on the rumble strips and the radio came on like normal.. but then bumps or I should say larger bumps on the road the radio would switch on and off on it's own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted June 20, 2009 Share Posted June 20, 2009 From your statements it sounds like the trouble is inside the radio. It may be a bad power switch or intermitent connection in the power circuit. To verify you have good power to the radio you should have 12 volts on the blue/red wire of the harness. The yellow wire provides a seperate power to the memory so that is why you didn't loose your presets or clock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 20, 2009 Author Share Posted June 20, 2009 From your statements it sounds like the trouble is inside the radio. It may be a bad power switch or intermitent connection in the power circuit. To verify you have good power to the radio you should have 12 volts on the blue/red wire of the harness. The yellow wire provides a seperate power to the memory so that is why you didn't loose your presets or clock. ght Thanks, I was not sure which was the power wires on the car side of the harness I will verify with my meter to see if it has power. It's just way too odd with it always or more likely to cut out when it's wet.. and for me It's been and will rain for 3 days here in CT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 If the trouble is with the wiring let us know and we can investigate it more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 21, 2009 Author Share Posted June 21, 2009 I checked the blue/red color wire to the ground and I got 12.65V However when I checked the Ing. wire to ground I only got 0V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markmangicaro Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 Sounds like you have a cold solder joint somewhere on the switched power circuit. If this is inside the radio it will likely be difficult to fix. The good news is it is more likely to be in the harness, which is much easier to fix. Check the red wire on the car end of the harness (probably red on the stereo end as well) and be sure it has a good connection. I always like to solder the harness together and then use heat shrink, but if you don't have a heat gun tightly wound electrical tape is almost as good. If you need to buy a new harness the Subaru end is most likely 70-7552. For some reason this is listed as a Nissan part, but I have used this harness in my 1996, 2001, and 2009 Subarus. You should be able to find it for about $10. You can probably order the Apline end as well, but I have no idea on the part number. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 21, 2009 Author Share Posted June 21, 2009 Thanks for the reply, the thing is I did solider it and used heat shrink tubing for it for this very reason.. I will try to squeeze the wire to see it it has any signs of life.. However but what about the issue of I'm getting no power from the Ignition lead to the ground from the car side of the harness? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 I checked the blue/red color wire to the ground and I got 12.65V However when I checked the Ing. wire to ground I only got 0V Which wire are you taking about and was the switch ON when you took the reading? The lead may also run to the starter circuit so it won't have voltage on it until it is in the start mode. I doubt there is a problem with the ignition switch. You have proved the radio is getting power right now but I assume the trouble wasn't happening at the time. You need to check the lead when the trouble is occuring next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 21, 2009 Author Share Posted June 21, 2009 Which wire are you taking about and was the switch ON when you took the reading? The lead may also run to the starter circuit so it won't have voltage on it until it is in the start mode. I doubt there is a problem with the ignition switch. You have proved the radio is getting power right now but I assume the trouble wasn't happening at the time. You need to check the lead when the trouble is occuring next. the Blue/red colored wire from the factory harness connects to the radio's Memory wire for backup. The switch was on the whole time the radio still wont power up when connected.. if push comes to shove I can make a video and post it on youtube.. it's a shame I did not think of that before when it was cutting in and out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 I thought the blue/red wire was for power to the radio so I guess I had it backwards. Fuse 17 in the dash panel supplies power to the radio so make sure that is good. What is the wire color on the ignition not getting power? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markmangicaro Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 Thanks for the reply, the thing is I did solider it and used heat shrink tubing for it for this very reason.. I will try to squeeze the wire to see it it has any signs of life.. However but what about the issue of I'm getting no power from the Ignition lead to the ground from the car side of the harness? If you squeeze the connection and power comes and goes, that would be indicative of a cold solder joint indicating that is a point of failure. Rather than waiting for the radio to power on (or off), try removing the harness completely and test it for resistance with an ohmmeter (the horseshoe setting on your multimeter). Since the harness is relatively short, your reading should be almost the same as touching the meter leads together. This should be the case even as you twist and bend the wires. (You'll almost certainly need two small clip leads to help in this process.) For many meters you will hear a "beep" to indicate a closed circuit immediately upon touching the wires. If the beep comes and goes as you twist the wires, again, that is a sign of a problem. If your meter is indicating some resistance (displaying a numerical value) that is not the end of the world but it should be the same for ALL of the wires in the harness. Since you indicate the constant power (preset memory) is working properly, use the pins on the yellow wire as a baseline. The speaker wires should also register this same value. I'm speaking, of course, of testing the end of each wire and the respective pin on the opposite side. As long as you are going through this process, you might as well test them all while it's on the bench. If wiggling the wires causes a short, carefully cut the heat shrink off, and re-solder the connection. In a perfect world you would strip the wires back to expose previously unsoldered strands, but that would obviously make a mess out of the harness, so I would try to re-use the exposed strands first. If need, you can always strip further back and use a short piece of spare wire making two connections to keep the harness neat. I'm not sure what you mean by "getting no power from the Ignition lead to the ground." However, another thing to look for would be a pinched or frayed wire causing the problem. If the hot lead were grounding out, you would likely blow a fuse, so I doubt that is the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 "I'm not sure what you mean by "getting no power from the Ignition lead to the ground." However, another thing to look for would be a pinched or frayed wire causing the problem. If the hot lead were grounding out, you would likely blow a fuse, so I doubt that is the problem." from what I looked at online whenever the car is turned to ACC/ON the Ignition lead which is RED should be hot since it's on a switched circuit with the key. I checked all the way to the factory harness and I still don't get power from it.. Also I did squeeze the wires for the harness for the radio and no the radio did not come on still. The Ignition wire should supply power to the radio.. at least that's what I did when I had to power the radio on the bench before I put it in this car to eject a CD. my main concern is could of this happened in the past? (past owner is tapping from a fuse in the fuse panel) and I already checked it with my ohmmeter and it was ok.. the fuse for the radio is 3A and it's not blown. I can't tell where the wire is running but it's under the carpet and by that time I was pulling I got caught in the rain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 I thought the blue/red wire was for power to the radio so I guess I had it backwards. Fuse 17 in the dash panel supplies power to the radio so make sure that is good. What is the wire color on the ignition not getting power? nope it's for the memory I get 12V regardless if the key is in or not.. And for the wire color for the ignition I will get back to you on that And I will double check that fuse But I'd like to know why the last owner if the radio already had it's own fuse why are they using a fuse tap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 My info shows that the original wire color for the power to the radio is yellow and comes from fuse 17 in the dash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markmangicaro Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 (past owner is tapping from a fuse in the fuse panel) and I already checked it with my ohmmeter and it was ok.. the fuse for the radio is 3A and it's not blown. I can't tell where the wire is running but it's under the carpet and by that time I was pulling I got caught in the rain. Ah, ha! Now we're getting somewhere! If the harness has been modified there is a pretty good chance it is not as reliable as it was when it left the Subaru factory. The fact that it is running under the carpet leads me to believe this is the source of your troubles. There are two options I would recommend: OPTION 1 - The right way Find the correct wire and reattach it to the harness, replacing any length that has been damaged or is missing with the same gauge and color of wire. Run this wire where it is suppose to go or at the very least alongside other wires where it will be out of the way of any controls like steering, braking, and HVAC. Be sure to secure it with cable ties to keep it out of harm's way. Unless there is some reason you need power from an alternate source, for example if you are installing a high-current amplifier, this is the ideal option. Also get rid of the old wire. Improper and/or unidentified rouge wires traveling through your dashboard often lead to failure and/or confusion as you are currently experiencing. Unless you know the person who made this modification and can contact him/her, trying to figure out why this modification was made is pure guesswork and probably not worth your time. I do not know the specific path this wire should take, but perhaps another poster knows. OPTION 2 - The quick, but still safe, way Remove the fuse from the cigar lighter and solder an inline splice of the positive wire a few inches from the dashboard cigar lighter socket and run it up to your harness. Be sure to keep the wire clear of HVAC control operations. Cable ties are your friend. Remember to replace the fuse after you have insulated your splice. While this is in fact a rouge wire I described above it will be easy to trace since it is nearby. More importantly you can be sure it is not on a circuit with anything important, like the windshield wipers or something else that could interfere with the safe operation of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 My info shows that the original wire color for the power to the radio is yellow and comes from fuse 17 in the dash. Yep It's Yellow for power and the ground is black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 (edited) (past owner is tapping from a fuse in the fuse panel) and I already checked it with my ohmmeter and it was ok.. the fuse for the radio is 3A and it's not blown. I can't tell where the wire is running but it's under the carpet and by that time I was pulling I got caught in the rain. Ah, ha! Now we're getting somewhere! If the harness has been modified there is a pretty good chance it is not as reliable as it was when it left the Subaru factory. The fact that it is running under the carpet leads me to believe this is the source of your troubles. There are two options I would recommend: OPTION 1 - The right way Find the correct wire and reattach it to the harness, replacing any length that has been damaged or is missing with the same gauge and color of wire. Run this wire where it is suppose to go or at the very least alongside other wires where it will be out of the way of any controls like steering, braking, and HVAC. Be sure to secure it with cable ties to keep it out of harm's way. Unless there is some reason you need power from an alternate source, for example if you are installing a high-current amplifier, this is the ideal option. Also get rid of the old wire. Improper and/or unidentified rouge wires traveling through your dashboard often lead to failure and/or confusion as you are currently experiencing. Unless you know the person who made this modification and can contact him/her, trying to figure out why this modification was made is pure guesswork and probably not worth your time. I do not know the specific path this wire should take, but perhaps another poster knows. OPTION 2 - The quick, but still safe, way Remove the fuse from the cigar lighter and solder an inline splice of the positive wire a few inches from the dashboard cigar lighter socket and run it up to your harness. Be sure to keep the wire clear of HVAC control operations. Cable ties are your friend. Remember to replace the fuse after you have insulated your splice. While this is in fact a rouge wire I described above it will be easy to trace since it is nearby. More importantly you can be sure it is not on a circuit with anything important, like the windshield wipers or something else that could interfere with the safe operation of the car. I will see if I can try option one. Edited June 22, 2009 by 1-3-2-4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 I assume that added lead for the power to the radio doesn't have voltage on it so the radio isn't getting any power. This could be happening because of the ignition lead that isn't getting power to it. What is the wire color of the lead you are have trouble with on the ignition switch? We need to determine if that is really a problem or not. To see if the radio will work you can just jumper 12 volt power to it from a power source point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 A update right after work I took the radio out and started checking again So I touched the Power wire for the radio wire harness and that's when the radio turned back on.. so unsure what side it was on I finally narrowed it down to the harness i brought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted June 22, 2009 Share Posted June 22, 2009 A loose external power connection. An easy fix. Thanks for the update. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 How do I go about fixing it? I can't seem to back the pin out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 (edited) There are a number of options. You should be able to stick a pin or in something small in between the female socket and the connector. Try to bend the socket so it is a smaller diameter. You can also bypass the connector. Just cut the ends of the bad wires near the connector and crimp on some other new insulated terminals for the leads to tie them together. The female terminal would normally tie to the power side and the male on the load side. Edited June 23, 2009 by Cougar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 23, 2009 Author Share Posted June 23, 2009 I will try Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1-3-2-4 Posted June 23, 2009 Author Share Posted June 23, 2009 I used a xcato knife to close the connection on the back end of the male side of the plug, so far no more radio cutoff.. But glad I found out where the fault was. I have the Service manual for the 1999 Legacy but everything seems to be pretty much the same and in the same locations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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