Expert: Peter G. Lee - 8/16/2006

Question
Hi I have an Alpine 9853 audio deck in my 1982 Fiat car Spider.  It is 12 volts negative ground.  Due to the age of the car there is no factory plug adaptor for this radio.  I just installed the radio and it works fine for a couple of minutes then stops.  I'll wait a minute then hit the power button and it starts again then stops.  I've spliced wires from the factor harness to ground, positive and the speakers.  The manual identified what wires were for  each purpose so it should work.  I've also noticed a small fan in the rear of the deck doesn't spin when power is applied.  Any ideas how to get this too work?  Where I could send it for service.  etc.  Thanks  

Answer
http://www.alpine-usa.com/en/support/  this will get you a local dealer

Text below is standard tracing procedure, so it might help you too.

Fan should come on by thermo sensor when unit is hot, I think.

You will need a test meter set to 20vdc or a 12v lamp or test probe.

I run this test when working on a car where a previous owner has ripped the connectors out of a used car and the new owner is in the same boat as you so it cover all the basics and should sort you out. So armed with your 12v probe or test meter, some paper, masking tape and a felt tip pen, here ya go!

Speaker wires. (non-amplified) these are tested with a AA battery across a pair of wires and you will here a 'pop' from the speaker,

These are normally twisted together in pairs (if you are lucky) and usually in a loom of their own before going of to the four corners of the car and are the same colour for each pair but one with a colour trace on, i.e. blue and blue/white, green and green/white.
Label it (e.g. left rear), continue until all four pairs are identified and labelled.

Earth one side of your meter or tester to a metal part of the car, probe each wire until you have a wire that is live all the time with the ignition OFF, label this ‘+30’.
Switch on ignition and redo test until you find another previously dead wire now live, this is ‘+15’.
Switch off ignition and switch on the side / park lights, repeat test until you find a third live, label this ‘lights’. Switch off the lights
You should now have two or three left. One will be earth, (usually black or brown); one could be to an amp and or electric ariel (usually blue or blue white) and one for phone mute if fitted. Clip tester to +30 and probe one of the remaining wires, if you have an electric ariel it will go up. Connect your DIN plug to the correct wires and jobs a good un’.
DIN connections  are.
Speakers

Right rear -,  right front -,   left front -,  left rear-,
Right rear +, Right front +, left front +, left rear +

Power block viewed from cable side

Phone mute (white),/   n/c, /      ariel & amp (blue), /ignition (red)

N/c, / 12vlive, (yellow or orange), / lights, (various colours),/ negative (black)
The third, usually top, block is for accessories such as cd changers