[nct73]

Hi.

I have just bought a new car stereo & had it installed by the shop. The instructions are gobbledegook & obviously translated but I have worked out how to store radio stations. It will happily flip between stations & from cd to radio and remember the presets but as soon as you turn the engine off, it loses all the settings. Am I missing something, is it not correctly fitted or is it my car? The stereo is an In Phase IPS 520MP and the car a Vauxhall Astra mark IV.

Anyone else had this problem? Advice? cheers.

[the chimp]

Originally Posted by nct73

Hi.

I have just bought a new car stereo & had it installed by the shop. The instructions are gobbledegook & obviously translated but I have worked out how to store radio stations. It will happily flip between stations & from cd to radio and remember the presets but as soon as you turn the engine off, it loses all the settings. Am I missing something, is it not correctly fitted or is it my car? The stereo is an In Phase IPS 520MP and the car a Vauxhall Astra mark IV.

Anyone else had this problem? Advice? cheers.

Two of the wires on the connector block need swapping around, its all to do with where a permanent live comes in and the wire that only becomes live when the ignition is switched on, I have had to swap these wires over nearly everytime I have swapped my stereo, there are two different standards but the only difference with each is just these two wires in opposite positions on the connector block.

[chrisjr]

The stereo is not connected to a permanently live feed off the battery by the sounds of it.

Most modern stereos have two power feeds, one that is always live and one switched via the ignition. the always live feed keeps the memory alive when the ignition is switched off. The switched feed (fairly obviously) turns the stereo on and off with the ignition.

Depending on how the unit is wired in there could be a bunch of wires two of which will have in line fuses in them. these are the two power lines. They would normally go to two different places inside the car but in your case it looks like they are both connected to the post ignition feed.

The alternative is that the car and stereo have a plug and socket arrangment that plugs the stereo into a pre-wired loom in the car. especially if you are using the built in speakers in the car. Maybe this is miswired or the stereo and car loom don't quite match up.

The third possibility is that the permanent feed is wired OK but a fuse has popped. though i'm not sure if the stereo would actually work under those circumstances.

Further investigation required i think. And if it was "professionally fitted" then the guys who fitted it for you ought to sort it out and get it wired correctly (and for free as well if it turns up they made a cock-up!)

[nct73]

Thanks for such quick & clear responses. Have phoned the audio shop & they have agreed that the wires might not be correct as you said. They are going to sort it no charge first thing tomorrow. The main fitter was off today & I think the junior lad really wanted to prove himself. He was ever so apologetic & embarrassed. I feel kind of sorry him. Thanks again you clever bods on Digital Spy.