Car Stereos: No Audio Output on when playing Ipod and CDs, power antenna, antenna wire

Question
I installed an Alpine CDE 9852, radio works fine.  But when playing Ipod or CD's not sound comes out of speakers.  All track, titles, albums and artists displays.  When the source is at Ipod or CD there's something on the screen displays "FUNC" on the lower left corner of screen.  I want to know what this code means and if it's related to the no sound being produced.

Answer
Hi Ted,

I'm not completely certain about the "func" display, but I think it's related to the preset buttons.  When you have something other than "tuner" selected as a source, the 1-6 aren't used any more, except that the "4" and "5" buttons are used to access the repeat and random play modes.  I think the "func" indicator is there to remind you that the buttons will access the alternate functions (labeled with symbols on the 4 and 5 buttons) instead of the presets.  In any case, I'm convinced it's not related to the lack of audio output.

When you have a head unit that produces sound with the radio, but not with other sources, it's almost always related to the wiring.  I suspect you've installed the head unit into a vehicle with factory amplifier.  Most OEM amplifiers are activated with a wire in the stock radio plug--just like an after-market amp's remote terminal, when you apply power to the amp activation wire, the amp will turn on.  Right now, the amp's activation wire is connected to the Alpine deck's power antenna wire.  In other words, the factory amp is only turning on when you're playing the radio, and it shuts off when the radio isn't selected.  You need to switch it so that the amp's activation wire is connected to the Alpine deck's remote output.

Here's what you should do:  pull the head unit out, and disconnect whatever you have attached to the blue wire in the Alpine plug.  Leave the blue wire disconnected, and use the blue/white wire in its place.  In other words, if you're using an adapter harness, and there's a blue wire in the harness that's connected to the blue wire in the Alpine plug, move it over to the blue/white wire in the Alpine plug.

This is an extremely common problem, especially with Chrysler vehicles (mainly because of the way the wire harness adapters for Chrysler are made--they often use a blue wire for the factory amp activation circuit).

Hope this helps!

Brian