Expert: Peter G. Lee - 9/2/2006

Question
Vw Passat 1.8 20v. 1999 t reg. stereo. I've just brought the car. stereo wasnt connected so pluged it in yet still didnt work. brought adapotors for the car to wire in an alpine stereo plugged it in and still no power!!! fuse iant blown. any suggestions? oh and a yellow wire in the car connections is loose.

Answer
Hi Stevan
Without being on site it's difficult to put my finger on it as I would being there so best guess it is then.
Sounds like a power failer, scratching the old bonce and I cannot remember a yellow wire on a Passat, could well be an after fit for ignition as Passats don't have an ACC feed for the radio, only perm live and a radio needs either both or perm live all the time to BOTH live and ACC on the radio.
If you have a basic 12v probe or a meter set to 20vdc follow the text below for power and I am sure it will solve the problem, always wire the car to the radio, never radio to the car. so if the car is short a acc lead fir one. got the idea? good, well good luck and let me know how you get on.
Peter

THE FOLLOWING IS THE PROCEDURE I FOLLOW IN A CAR I DON'T KNOW,

You will need;
An AA torch battery
Some paper / masking tape for labels
A pen
Paper to make notes
A 12v test probe, (like a screwdriver with a lead and clip on it and a bulb inside)
(Or a test meter set to 20VDC)

Favourite beverage x 4.

Speaker wires. These are normally twisted together in pairs if you are lucky 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. (but not always) Touch a pair across the battery and you will hear a noise on the corresponding speaker, label it (e.g. left rear), continue until all four are identified and labelled.

Drink

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’ accessory.
Switch off ignition and switch on the side / park lights, repeat test until you find a third live ( NOTE, if fitted, not always there), label this ‘dimmer’. Switch off the lights

Drink

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, (sometimes white but it would go to a phone holder or hands free unit). Connect your DIN plug to the correct wires, test and jobs a good un’.

Two drinks!

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)