Nissan Repair: cd player problem, light fuse, haynes manual

Question

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-----Question-----
i recently put a new cd player in a 2000 nissan pulsar and it blew the tail light an instrument light fuse, i replaced the fuse and now the lights work but when i turn the headlights on the cd player losses power. Any ideas why this happens. thanxs
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Kris,

Check the wiring for the CD player since Nissan uses a strange power and ground system for isolating grounds.  When the car is off a wire that seems like it is ground turns into power when the key is on.  I would remove the player and go down and get a factory style plug connection and rewire the CD player.  It is the easiest way to make sure all the wires connect properly.  If you do not want to do that get a Haynes manual or the factory service manual to get the exact wiring code for your vehicle.

thanxs for your reply, when you say a factor style plug connection do you mean from nissan or from a car audio dealer? yeh i did test the wires and one does have power when you turn the key on and then they all lose power when u turn the headlights on. its a very strange one to me.
thanxs again

Answer
Kris,

If you have access to a stereo shop they have plugs that plug into the factory harness and the cool part is they are marked as to what wire does which function.  From what you describe you have found the problem.  The other option is to wire the ground to chassis, the constant power and switched power to the fuse box and only use the speaker wires and the instrument light wire at the harness.  This is what I have done to bypass the problem on stereos that I have installed.