HELP!!! Radio won't turn off when key removed

[Anytus]

Hey everyone,

I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport 4x4

So here is my problem:

I installed a remote car starter and an amp/subwoofer yesterday. Everything works great! Except now my radio stays on even after I remove the key. My power windows and door chime also work with key removed.

I tried unhooking the car starter, still happens.

I removed the ignition switch from the harness and it still happens.

I have checked and I have no short circuits that I see.

Please help! I am afraid that my battery will die. It seems that teh truck is always in accessory position...i don't get why if I remove teh switch it doesn't help.

 

[blueka]

My Gf's 07 Ranger had a similar problem, no add ons like yours but it wouldn't shut off, so they ended up replacing it 3 times....had to go back to the stealership with it.



Si

 

[Anytus]

Well I found the problem. I had used a line converter on the rear speakers to connect the amp and the remote trigger wire from it was actually supplying +12v to my remote trigger wire from the accesory wire on the back of the radio, which somehow then powered the whole accessory circuit...one little wire...grr...oh well atleast I found it, no damage done and everything works again. Just thought I would post so others searching may find this if they've doen the same thing.

 

[BrianDye]

Glad you fixed it man, I remember doing something simaler to that like 4 years ago, I wanted to wire up a "switch" for the "accessories" in my taurus, so I wouldnt need the key to turn the radio on (Back before I could drive, and it was still my grandmas car), so I wired up a switched 12v line to the ignition wire on the back of the headunit, and it worked great, and I was stumped as to why the windows and wipers would work too, until I realized it was backfeeding to the whole accesories circuit, but hey you learn from all your mistakes right?

 

[Anytus]

Hehe yeah...that is exactly what mine did

At first I was annoyed that I spent so much time trying to solve such a simple problem...but then I realized how releived I was that is a free fix and I hadn't fried anything or cost myself a lot of money.

This is why I love these forums. They provide such great opportunity fro us to learn from eachother's mistakes.