Cant find power wire for stereo, anyone else?

[SumoBu]

Most of the G bodys didn't have that wire esp if your car had the 2 post style radio in it. Just run a wire to the fusebox and use an inline fuse.

That makes sense that I couldn't find it then lol, I was going off a regal diagram from turbobuick (all I could find at the time) that was obviously different from malibus.

I think I'm going to end up just tapping into the cig lighter so I can minimize extra wires running through the engine bay and to the battery. Thanks for the input guys!

 

[dudeface]

there is a spot right on the fuseblock...........on the right side that says batt. its a hot line which can be pluged right into using a flat male connecter. used this at least 10 times when installing cutlass stereos over the years. only to power the head unit though. amps go direct to battery

peace

 

[johnny79]

I tapped the cig lighter also, but I may have a problem. I tried to use the lighter as a power port for a car CB radio and started smelling electrical burn. Not sure if it was the shitty CB or if it was drawing too many amps through my splice. Anyone have success tapping the cig lighter and still being able to use the port for power/lighter?

 

[custom442]

All the orange hot wires come off posts or clamps together in the harness. Some are fused differently than others, and some are switched differently. The cig. lighter will work just fine, but I'd caution you to not splice it, just use that orange wire for your stereo. This also means you have a hot end under your dash hangin around :shock:

There should be a prong unless it was cut, for your stereo power, and If I remember correct it is connected (not closely though) to the only relay I've seen in the whole harness. I can check again tomorrow I'm currently redoing my wiring/harness in the car

 

[kuruption109]

i tapped my cig lighter for a constant or memory and got my radio working correctly drove to work and when i got in my car to leave work my radio wud not turn on. i chked all the fuses no burn outs... any suugestions(maybe cd player is done)

 

[custom442]

.... no tap/splice. Just cut the entire wire. Always use fuses... :shock: I *think* there is a relay on the stock radio hotwire wiring harness I'll look tomorrow. so no fuse, no relay (no switch 12v to turn your radio off) could mean its broken. put it in a different vehicle and check it out.

edit - check all your fuses and if other things aren't turning on check fusible links

 

[custom442]

Yes there is either a relay or a different type of automatic switch on the stereo power wire circuit, mine had a short ground on the very far *right* - passenger side - of the underneath dashboard frame, if you find this ground and follow it to something that looks like a relay, then follow the orange wire (will also have pink - switched 12v) it should lead you to the orange stereo hotwire connector.

if installing a new stereo put a relay in, and a fuse even if you run it from a fuse box. The fuse box fuses go to and from multiple power circuits, if it says 'turn' it may also go to another power wire besides turn.

edit - that relay/switch box may go to the power antennae