Amp not turning on

[NYR36 10+ year member]

So I got a bit of a problem to say the least.

So my front speakers and a sub run off a 4 channel amp. My back speakers run off the head unit. I drive a 2004 Cavalier.

My amp likes to cut in and out whenever it pleases. Some times its for 5 minutes and some times its for a month. It cuts in for 10 seconds and then cuts out again for an hour. There is no pattern, it just does whatever it wants. It works far less than it doesn't work.

The whole system worked fine at one point, nothing was changed and then this started to happen.

Back speakers work fine. Always have. Off of both head units.

I have changed the amp at one point to a different amp.

I have changed the head unit to a different one at one point.

I have changed the remote wire as well.

Same problem with any of the changes.

Any help would be great.

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[goingdef 10+ year member]

So I got a bit of a problem to say the least.
So my front speakers and a sub run off a 4 channel amp. My back speakers run off the head unit. I drive a 2004 Cavalier.

My amp likes to cut in and out whenever it pleases. Some times its for 5 minutes and some times its for a month. It cuts in for 10 seconds and then cuts out again for an hour. There is no pattern, it just does whatever it wants. It works far less than it doesn't work.

The whole system worked fine at one point, nothing was changed and then this started to happen.

Back speakers work fine. Always have. Off of both head units.

I have changed the amp at one point to a different amp.

I have changed the head unit to a different one at one point.

I have changed the remote wire as well.

Same problem with any of the changes.

Any help would be great.

sounds like the only thing you didn't check where the power and grounds themselves, try the power at the amp and see if it reads the same as the battery also check the fuse and make sure it's tight.

 

[jasonAz 10+ year member]

Make sure you have a good ground, making sure its not hooked to a bolt of any kind. What are the subwoofers wired to? What subs do you have? What amp is it?

 

[pro-rabbit 5,000+ posts]

I concur, the ground will likely be the issue here.

 

[NYR36 10+ year member]

I appreciate all the answers.

The only thing about the ground is its been in the same spot for years. It only started being weird for the last little while.

It's screwed into a sanded piece of metal in the trunk.

Suggestions for alternatives?

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

sanded metal will rust. grounds should be cleaned and checked periodically.

but more likely is a short in one of the wires to speakers or sub. a lose connection would cause a short that would tell the amp to turn off. even the plastic terminal cups can short out.

check connections at all speakers and subs and sub box terminals. verify no bare copper strands are showing.