Stereo Installation Help

Hi!
My girlfriends Alpine was recently stolen and I bought her a new Sony CD stereo. The connectors didn't match up with the new stereo so I went ahead and snipped the wires. (I just recently had my stereo stolen in my Jimmy and re-installing a new one was a breeze!). When I attempt to connect the new harness to the factory wires I either blow out fuses or the stereo seems to power up (hear noise and will accept a CD), but the panel does not light up. I attempted to try my JVC in case the Sony had a problem, but all I could get the JVC to do was flash the time for a few seconds and then it just goes blank.

I have the following wires to deal with. The Honda seems to have an extra wire and not sure what is going on.

Honda 2003 Civic:
Black
White/Red
Red
Red/Black
Yellow/Red

Sony Stereo:
Black
Red
Red/White
Yellow


I have until tomorrow to get this working before she has to go on a 15 hour drive for a funeral. I'm already worried for her driving that long, but to do it without a stereo scares me even more (helps to keep her awake.)

Thanks for all the help in advance!!!

www.installdr.com may help. Did you by chance save the factory plugs to install back ??

www.installdr.com may help. Did you by chance save the factory plugs to install back ??


I checked out that site...I even pulled a wiring diagram off the web...but still no luck! I do have the factory plug, but of course I cut the wires too short to attempt to use it again. I just don't get why this is such a difficult task when I have done it in every car I have ever owned...not making me look too good in the knowledge-I'mgonnagetlaidfordoingsuchagoodjob department :(

Thanks for your reply Copytech!

Any other suggestions?

I think I can help you. I have done this on my car.

If cut all the wires at the same time maybe you had a short and some fuses gone. I will take you step-by-step:

You should use a "tester light" to check what wire have electricity...

If I am not wrong, there are two fuses involved on it: back-up (when you turn-off the car, it gives electricity to the unit to store memory...), and the audio fuse.
1. The back-up fuse is on the under-hood fuse box (#9). Or just turn the key to ON position then turn it to "OFF" position and verify in the dash if the "green key" comes on and hear for the "beep". If the green key and beep are ok, the back-up fuse are ok.
2. This is on the under-dash fuse box (#8). Check it...
3. If any fuse are gone, you can use the spare fuses provided (look on the fuse box diagram for spare fuses).

As you did it on some cars you must know, but if one those fuses are damaged...

On the top of the new stereo unit should be a wiring diagram. It may have these wires:
-8 wires of the 4 channels output (2 for each channel).
-1 remote amp (amplifire)
-1 remote ant (antenna)
-1 back-up
-1 positive
-1 ground

On the factory wire harness you most have:
-8 wires to the 4 speakers
-1 ground
-1 positive
-1 back-up
The rest of the wires is for ilumination of the factory unit...

Installation: you need a tester light or some device (as other type of light) that you can use to check for electricity:
1. The "ground wire" is always black, so just connect it.
2. Then with the key on the OFF position use the tester light to found the back-up wire. For this you can just grab the "aligator" of the tester on any grond of the car (to any metal part on the body).
3. Then turn the key to ON position to found the positive wire.
4. To locate what speaker is any pair wires you can turn-on the stereo unit and set the balance and "fade" to the desire speaker...

Be sure to connet every channel apart, because if you "cross" them it may be "burned"... Both wires of each channel have a different color, just one of them have a line of other color.