Installing aftermarket radio, have questions...

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LivewireBlanco

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So my 71 Dart came with a Pioneer CD player but it's never worked. I haven't installed a radio before so if someone could please tell me how it SHOULD BE hooked up that would be greatly appreciated. I don't know if the previous owner hooked it up wrong, a loose connection, or it's a busted radio. All the fuses are good on it. Thanks!
 
is there a diagram on the top of the radio?

it should show the wires and their colors and connections.

generally red is +, black is - but speaker + and - and front and rear varies between manufacturers and even models sometimes.
 
Here's what I'm working with...

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Try to go online and get original schematic for your radio, this will save us a lot of time. A radio usually only needs one hot wire. With key on, check wires going to the radio with a test light. Can you find one that is "hot"? If no, then there is your problem, no juice. Removing the radio and working with it on the bench is helpful. Put 12v to it, hook up a speaker, plug in an antenna and check it out. Good luck.
 
Try to go online and get original schematic for your radio, this will save us a lot of time. A radio usually only needs one hot wire. With key on, check wires going to the radio with a test light. Can you find one that is "hot"? If no, then there is your problem, no juice. Removing the radio and working with it on the bench is helpful. Put 12v to it, hook up a speaker, plug in an antenna and check it out. Good luck.
Will do.
 
Oh! Good post. Is yellow wire hot?
Looks like it. Trying to find a manual online but all I'm finding is user guides not installation. Seems like yellow is power, maybe red is keyed power source? The speakers are wired on already so I'm assuming those are good. I'm thinking this thing worked for previous owner so why not now?
 
The yellow wire goes to constant power. It provides memory function and powers the internal amplifier.
Red wire goes to a switched ignition source, so the radio goes on and off with the key.
Black is ground.
Green, white, gray and purple pairs are the speaker wires. Negative wires will have a black stripe, positives will be the solid color.
White is left front
Gray is right front
Green is left rear
Purple is right rear
Blue is a 12V output to turn on an external amplifier.
Orange is illumination, you can connect it to an existing lighting wire if you want to be able to dim the display, or just to the red wire if you want the display on full bright with the ignition.
 
The yellow wire goes to constant power. It provides memory function and powers the internal amplifier.
Red wire goes to a switched ignition source, so the radio goes on and off with the key.
Black is ground.
Green, white, gray and purple pairs are the speaker wires. Negative wires will have a black stripe, positives will be the solid color.
White is left front
Gray is right front
Green is left rear
Purple is right rear
Blue is a 12V output to turn on an external amplifier.
Orange is illumination, you can connect it to an existing lighting wire if you want to be able to dim the display, or just to the red wire if you want the display on full bright with the ignition.
Where should I wire up the red wire? Looks like they are all cut behind the dash except for speakers.
 
We want to know the radio's condition so on the bench let's put 12v to the terminal that we now know is input. Don't forget to ground the radio. Turn it on-does a light go on? or face light up? To get sound we would need a speaker and an antenna.
 
If we know the radio is good- then we can go on to check your wiring. Radio first, wiring last.
 
Ok s
If we know the radio is good- then we can go on to check your wiring. Radio first, wiring last.
Ok so pull the battery from the car and wire up the radio, red and yellow to positive and black to negative correct?
 
If the radio checks out, you should connect the red wire to a terminal on the fusebox that goes on and off with the key. I'd suggest running the yellow and red wires directly to the cars fusebox. Finding the right connections is easy with a simple test light or voltmeter. Connect the ground wire to a clean bare metal spot somewhere behind the dash.
 
Yes, if we are not set up to regularly do this kind of thing, then take the radio to the car with two jumper wires.If previous post is correct, then with one jumper ground the black wire terminal. Then with a hot jumper then you can touch the yellow wire terminal or the red wire terminal to power up. With one or both of these terminals hot, we should be able to turn on the radio and at least get some lights.
 
Radio turned on! I didn't try speakers since I'd have to take them out of the car. The radio never powered on before since the power wires weren't hooked up behind the dash. Now to find the correct fuses to connect to for power...
 
Good, your radio works! Now we know that the power source in the car is bad- fix it! Use Gary's post here to check out your remaining wiring.
 
Get yourself one of these splitters to connect your radio into the fusebox

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