Stereo power issue

[redlightningsvx]

Well pretty much when I start my car and drive about 20ft or so my cd player loses power and turns back on as does the antenna. It also does it multiple times in a row up to 4 times. It doesn't reset the settings on the player but more like turns it off then turns it back on. It does it when the motors cold and sometimes when it's warmed up. I checked all the fuses and the wiring on the cd player is hardwired to a svxdc harness. This problem just started about a month or so ago and hasn't gone away cause I just can't seem to find out what's wrong with it.

[SoCal LS-L]

Since youre not losing memory, I would suspect the 12V accessory switched lead... I would start by playing your music with the car on (not running) and doing the wiggle test on the wiring behind the unit and fusebox. Could also be a ground issue but those are usually way more intermittent.

This is an aftermarket deck yes?

[redlightningsvx]

It is an aftermarket deck. When I pulled it out to check the wires I had it on and smacked them around a bit with no results. It shuts off when you either give it gas or hit the brakes. Its wierd cause this decks been in it for over a year and just started doing this.

[SoCal LS-L]

Just out of curiousity, how is your battery hold-down? I have seen this with a loose battery pulling on a chassis ground during accel and braking... worth a look. It would seem you have a loose connection somewhere.

[redlightningsvx]

The battery tie down is tight. The battey is actually a newer legacy battery cause subaru dealer didn't have an SVX one in stock. I did notice the ground in front of the battery is heavily rotted with battery acid or something. I'll clean this up and see if it helps.

[Lookin4SVX]

If you are parked and hit the gas or brake, does it turn off??

If this only happens when moving, then you have a loose something.

I agree with the other guy, check the other end of the ACC wire. That is where I would start.

Does shaking the deck do anything? I mean it could be a loose piece of solder inside the deck.

Are the pins not making good contact inside the svxdc harness? Unclip it and reclip it.

Does your deck have a removable face plate? If so is it on properly? Are its contacts on the face and deck both clean.
The thinnest layer of grime, even if transparent, can interrupt the connections.

[SoCal LS-L]

Just another thought..... some head units will completely shut down in the event of a power-stage overload, which is caused by crossed or grounded speaker wires. Check those too..... the rear being the easiest to bork since the wiring and leads can be disturbed by things you stuff in the trunk.

[redlightningsvx]

I'm picking the car up from getting tinted soon so i'll check all of those. Also the faceplate is good, shaking the deck shows no problems, I reconnected the svxdc harness and the one that goes on the back of the deck. it only does it when I move and hit the gas/brakes.

[redlightningsvx]

Ok i've narrowed it down to this. The deck shuts off then goes back to the screen it was just at ONLY when the car is started and you move about 10 or 20ft then it doesn't do it again until you shut the car off and drive it again. I replaced the radio and deck fuses with new ones and it still screws up. All connections are good as well and the harness is soldered together. Is there a relay or something somewhere?

[SoCal LS-L]

Originally Posted by redlightningsvx

Ok i've narrowed it down to this. The deck shuts off then goes back to the screen it was just at ONLY when the car is started and you move about 10 or 20ft then it doesn't do it again until you shut the car off and drive it again. I replaced the radio and deck fuses with new ones and it still screws up. All connections are good as well and the harness is soldered together. Is there a relay or something somewhere?

I may be crazy, but thats usually the exact moment when the ABS does the self-test.... maybe there is a wire or ground fault somewhere in the wiring where these two circuits possibly meet. Other than that im stumped since you checked the wiring behind the unit and the speaker leads.

[redlightningsvx]

I looked in my fsm and the wiring all goes to from the stereo and it goes to fuse# 3,17,22,25. None of the abs stuff goes to any of these. All the fuses are good to? Like I said it's wierd it's only restarting the antenna and deck only a couple feet from startup.

[sowise]

I wonder if it is too much draw on your battery, so when the ABS does the self test that initial draw could cause your head unit to reset? Don't they have capacitors you can put inline to the stereo main power? You have a great car and a nice system. Could be a tired battery or alternator.

[SoCal LS-L]

Have you checked the other grounds as well, like the one behind the intake manifold by the EGR pipe? It is very strange that it only does it once, as you drive off. Theres nothing I can think of besides the ABS self test that would be specifically at that time. Maybe the problem lies inside the head-unit itself

[redlightningsvx]

Originally Posted by sowise

I wonder if it is too much draw on your battery, so when the ABS does the self test that initial draw could cause your head unit to reset? Don't they have capacitors you can put inline to the stereo main power? You have a great car and a nice system. Could be a tired battery or alternator.

It has a newish Subaru battery in it and the stereo worked fine until a couple months ago when this happened. I probably should check the voltage on both just to be safe.

Originally Posted by SoCal LS-L

Have you checked the other grounds as well, like the one behind the intake manifold by the EGR pipe? It is very strange that it only does it once, as you drive off. Theres nothing I can think of besides the ABS self test that would be specifically at that time. Maybe the problem lies inside the head-unit itself

I'll check the ground back there tomorrow, the ground in front of the battery is so rotted I put a screwdriver on it and put a hole in the bolt. Maybe this is it? Also I don't think its the deck as it's only a year old and the antenna goes up and down when the deck restarts. I'm hoping I can find out what's causing this .

[redlightningsvx]

Haven't had time to check grounds as it's been raining and the car goes back to the tint shop today to have some window redone and parts replaced that they melted.