Electrical trouble
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2
Electrical trouble
Hey all...
I have an '03 GT Mustang with the Mach 460 sound system
Recently I replaced the entire sound system. (Headunit, all 8 speakers, new amps, added a sub. The whole deal)
This included wiring it all
I used a stock ford wiring harness to supply power to my headunit. The lines to the speakers I ran myself as well as a direct 8 gauge wire from the battery to the trunk to power the amps>
OKay now here's the deal. The night after I finished this aftre work i got in my car and turned the headlights on only to find that my dashboard illumination wasnt working. I have a short drive home so i figured eh... get it tommorow. The next day I checked the 5 amp fuse and sure enough it was blown. so I replaced it and didnt worry about it. The next night after work... same issue
I finally put a 30 amp fuse in the slot for the illumination and turned the headlights on and boom that one blew out too.
I really would like to fix this myself
Any ideas on where I should look for the wiring problem? I think there is a short after the fuse causing my problem?
Anyone else seen this before?
Ryan Cullan
I have an '03 GT Mustang with the Mach 460 sound system
Recently I replaced the entire sound system. (Headunit, all 8 speakers, new amps, added a sub. The whole deal)
This included wiring it all
I used a stock ford wiring harness to supply power to my headunit. The lines to the speakers I ran myself as well as a direct 8 gauge wire from the battery to the trunk to power the amps>
OKay now here's the deal. The night after I finished this aftre work i got in my car and turned the headlights on only to find that my dashboard illumination wasnt working. I have a short drive home so i figured eh... get it tommorow. The next day I checked the 5 amp fuse and sure enough it was blown. so I replaced it and didnt worry about it. The next night after work... same issue
I finally put a 30 amp fuse in the slot for the illumination and turned the headlights on and boom that one blew out too.
I really would like to fix this myself
Any ideas on where I should look for the wiring problem? I think there is a short after the fuse causing my problem?
Anyone else seen this before?
Ryan Cullan
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 38
RE: Electrical trouble
The wire that turns on the factory radio back lighting when the head lights are turned on is probably grounded out someplace. Find out which wire it is on the cars connector and make sure that it is not shorted to ground. Just a guess though
Gentleman's Relish
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 13,189
From: AZ
RE: Electrical trouble
ORIGINAL: G6120T
Hey all...
I have an '03 GT Mustang with the Mach 460 sound system
Recently I replaced the entire sound system. (Headunit, all 8 speakers, new amps, added a sub. The whole deal)
This included wiring it all
I used a stock ford wiring harness to supply power to my headunit. The lines to the speakers I ran myself as well as a direct 8 gauge wire from the battery to the trunk to power the amps>
OKay now here's the deal. The night after I finished this aftre work i got in my car and turned the headlights on only to find that my dashboard illumination wasnt working. I have a short drive home so i figured eh... get it tommorow. The next day I checked the 5 amp fuse and sure enough it was blown. so I replaced it and didnt worry about it. The next night after work... same issue
I finally put a 30 amp fuse in the slot for the illumination and turned the headlights on and boom that one blew out too.
I really would like to fix this myself
Any ideas on where I should look for the wiring problem? I think there is a short after the fuse causing my problem?
Anyone else seen this before?
Ryan Cullan
Hey all...
I have an '03 GT Mustang with the Mach 460 sound system
Recently I replaced the entire sound system. (Headunit, all 8 speakers, new amps, added a sub. The whole deal)
This included wiring it all
I used a stock ford wiring harness to supply power to my headunit. The lines to the speakers I ran myself as well as a direct 8 gauge wire from the battery to the trunk to power the amps>
OKay now here's the deal. The night after I finished this aftre work i got in my car and turned the headlights on only to find that my dashboard illumination wasnt working. I have a short drive home so i figured eh... get it tommorow. The next day I checked the 5 amp fuse and sure enough it was blown. so I replaced it and didnt worry about it. The next night after work... same issue
I finally put a 30 amp fuse in the slot for the illumination and turned the headlights on and boom that one blew out too.
I really would like to fix this myself
Any ideas on where I should look for the wiring problem? I think there is a short after the fuse causing my problem?
Anyone else seen this before?
Ryan Cullan
Make sure you wired the 12V Ignition wire and the (+) Power wire correctly on the head unit wiring harness. If you reveresed these, you will pop fuses because the 12V wire is only meant to let the system know the ignition is 'on' The other one actually powers the unit. Anything above 1-2 amps will blow the fuse.
If the problem were elsewhere, your dash lights would work just fine. Double check the wiring harness.
Gentleman's Relish
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 13,189
From: AZ
RE: Electrical trouble
Very true, electrical rule #2 never replace a fuse with a higher one than was rated, there's a reason it blew. (#1 do not put the negative wire on the positive and the positive on the negative.)
4th Gear Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,123
From:
RE: Electrical trouble
you can use a bigger fuse but not by that much ampage and not for very long, if its a 15 amp slot u can use a 20 amp fuse but only use it temporairly, also the more amps the fuse the more likely u r to blow out your system before your fuse
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