Stereo wiring.. WEIRD problem.. me need help PLEASE

[platform115]

I've wired lots of stereos.... no problems...
but I went to put a Kenwood CD player in my '92 Maxima and this is the deal:

red goes to red.. yellow goes to yellow, and black goes to black...
nothing...
the old stereo worked it was just a piece of crap..
unfortunately I didn't see how it was hooked up before it was disconnected.

the stereo works I tested on the bench... works great...
but when I wire it up.... no power.

BUT.. (and here's where it gets weird)
there's an orange wire coming from the car.. I'm quite sure it wasn't being used by the old stereo just because it showed no evidence of having a wire nut on it...
but it acts as a ground!!
and the stereo works when i use it as ground instead of the black wire...

BUT...
it blows the tail light( and apparently that's the same as the dash lights) fuse when you wire the stereo that way...
but the stereo works...
so... anyone have any ideas here?
Any help is GREATLY appreciated.... Thanks so much to anyone who can help..

[i3o2Matt]

wire up to the same colors from the wiring harness in the car to the same color wires coming from the headunit...if your factory was a bose, leave off the amp wire...and the "back-up" wire is the power wire actually...the red wire is the accessory (i think)...the same thing happened to mine, i just hooked it up n let it sit overnight n it worked...try hookin it up n lettin it sit overnight...let me kno wat happens

[i3o2Matt]

another thing...does ur stereo have an illumination control on it? meaning it illuminates when its on, like a back light? if so, and that works when you hook everything up, just let it sit overnight, unless it stays on all the time, even with the key out...cuz that would just drain the battery...

[chrisr67]

I hate to tell you, but that's some wacked advice! Let the car sit overnight and it will work?? WTF??? Trust me, if it's hooked up correctly, it's going to work right away. Letting it sit overnight is not going to change anything. You're not making marinara sauce where it tastes better the next day, it's a freaking stereo! Hook it up correctly or have someone who know's what their doing hook it up correctly, and it will work the same day! Believe it or not! Overnight! That's too much!

[platform115]

Well.. I went and got a Chilton's manual and wired it up.. all works well..
red goes to red, yellow goes to yellow, and the black wire(ground), when tested.. wasn't ground.. or in the book.. somebody else put that crap in there..
I just ran a new ground.. all works.. thanks everyone

[i3o2Matt]

yea well thats how it worked with me...i wired it up correctly and it didn't work right away...i got frusterated n went inside n came back the next day n it was workin perfectly