Audio Systems: car stereo not getting power, torch battery, saturn sl1


Question
Saturn
SL1
1994

stereo not coming on.


i have checked the yellow wire and the red wire, for the 12v. yellow is 12v, but the red is not reading at all. it may be a messed up red wire, but im not sure.

Answer
I attach std text answer that seems to cure 99% of all know hook up problems, try it and remember, wire the car for the radio not the other way around. If you are short an ACC (red) wire fit one from the fuse box.
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)