Please help, FM works, CD&Ipod don't

[the tech]

Hello, I have a 97 active model ti, I believe it is the 6 speaker stereo system. I purchased the harness adapters and hooked them all up correctly to my Alpine head unit. FM radio works fine, but when I put it on CD or my Ipod as the source there is no sound. This player worked fine when I took it out of my GTI.

any thoughts?

[elchicano]

I think it could be your Alpine that has gone wrong. I had to rewire my entire system and i don't think its the adapter. Take your unit out and hook up the wires to your battery. Try and see if you can put in CD mode.

[bullmand]

Check this thread:
http://www.318ti.org/forum/showthrea...highlight=sony
The stock amplifier is powered by the antenna lead from the head unit. It only sends power to the amp when the radio is on. You have to move change some of the leads around in the new harness to make sure the amp is powered all the time.

[the tech]

Hmm... thats what my friend was telling me when he wired a radio into a jeep, the fm worked fine and the cd didn't work because the amp wasn't turned on.

I just don't understand why the FM radio would come through plenty loud and the cd wouldn't....

wait I just thought of something, the wire for "power antenna" was attached and when you turn cd on, it would obviously not power the "power antenna" anymore, I think I have to switch the connector because it's actually turning on the amp not antenna.

[bullmand]

It's not the power antenna wire. It's one of the blue wires. The radio works because the way you've got it wired up now the amp is only getting power when the head unit is sending power to the antenna lead, which is a different wire than the one for the power antenna. I had this exact problem when I put mine in. I moved the blue wires around in the new harness and it's fine. You just have to get the lead that sends power out to the amp in the right place so that the amp is getting power regardless of the audio source.

[thesk8nmidget]

its the remote wire.
it signals the amp to turn one

[the tech]

Originally Posted by bullmand

It's not the power antenna wire. It's one of the blue wires. The radio works because the way you've got it wired up now the amp is only getting power when the head unit is sending power to the antenna lead, which is a different wire than the one for the power antenna. I had this exact problem when I put mine in. I moved the blue wires around in the new harness and it's fine. You just have to get the lead that sends power out to the amp in the right place so that the amp is getting power regardless of the audio source.

Yeah that's exactly what I meant I just worded it oddly.

RESULTS:

Removed the radio again, wired the blue and white wire from my headunit to the blue wire of the bmw harness adapter, retested... and it WORKS!

Reinstalled everything and it all works fine now. Thanks to everyone for there help allowing me to reassess the situation. Maybe later I'll post pictures.