Car electrical system going haywire after head unit install

[guitarist5122]

I'm new to messing with car audio but I thought I could figure it out since my job is electronics on aircraft. Please bear with me as my carknowledge is limited.

Story:

So I installed a double din head unit in my 07 Buick rendezvous yesterday. I used the proper wire harness interface for aftermarket stereos and the antenna adapter. After crimping all the wires together (that was easy since the wires were not only labled but color coated) I reconnected the battery to make sure everything was working before reinstalling everything. Everything worked beautifully! So I throw everything back together (after disconnecting the battery again) and then turned everything back on to ensure again that everything was working. Again, everything was working beautifully and I thought I actually figured out this intimidating project.

Problem:

While listening to the new stereo, I was cleaning up my mess from the install when the music suddenly stopped. Nothing was working: CD, radio, or auxiliary. So I turned the ignition off and back on. Everything from lights, guages, and stereo were flashing on and off quickly. I turned it back off and pulled the key but every electronic was still fluctuating. I quickly disconnected the battery for fear of things breaking. Now the car is just sitting in my garage with this problem and I don't know where to start. I got a suggestion to check fuses but I don't see how a bad fuse could be causing the whole car to go crazy without even a key in the ignition. From my experience, when a fuse in a system goes bad then only that system is effected. Now I've heard that these newer cars have all these systems linked as a giant circuit and when one goes bad it just causes a lot of problems. Still I don't see how this problem would be created. It just seems like a unique problem as I've never heard anyone have this issue.

Thx in advance for any thoughts or suggestions!

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[gleep52]

I'm new to messing with car audio but I thought I could figure it out since my job is electronics on aircraft. Please bear with me as my carknowledge is limited.
Story:

So I installed a double din head unit in my 07 Buick rendezvous yesterday. I used the proper wire harness interface for aftermarket stereos and the antenna adapter. After crimping all the wires together (that was easy since the wires were not only labled but color coated) I reconnected the battery to make sure everything was working before reinstalling everything. Everything worked beautifully! So I throw everything back together (after disconnecting the battery again) and then turned everything back on to ensure again that everything was working. Again, everything was working beautifully and I thought I actually figured out this intimidating project.

Problem:

While listening to the new stereo, I was cleaning up my mess from the install when the music suddenly stopped. Nothing was working: CD, radio, or auxiliary. So I turned the ignition off and back on. Everything from lights, guages, and stereo were flashing on and off quickly. I turned it back off and pulled the key but every electronic was still fluctuating. I quickly disconnected the battery for fear of things breaking. Now the car is just sitting in my garage with this problem and I don't know where to start. I got a suggestion to check fuses but I don't see how a bad fuse could be causing the whole car to go crazy without even a key in the ignition. From my experience, when a fuse in a system goes bad then only that system is effected. Now I've heard that these newer cars have all these systems linked as a giant circuit and when one goes bad it just causes a lot of problems. Still I don't see how this problem would be created. It just seems like a unique problem as I've never heard anyone have this issue.

Thx in advance for any thoughts or suggestions!

I'm no expert, but my thoughts are - your system has a system that is controlled via computer. In my 06 Chrysler, there is one wire on my factory harness that is for the can bus system - that line is for digital signals, not a 12 volt on or off wire. It is orange, which I almost hooked it up to the dimmer wire for my head unit. Thankfully my radio actually had the pin-outs labeled right on the deck, so I knew not to hook up that wire or I would have fried my control module.

I think you might have done some serious damage - but I could be totally wrong and it might be nothing like what I'm talking about... If you disconnect your new head-unit completely and put the stock one in, and the problem goes away - then at least you haven't done permanent damage. If the problem goes away with the factory head unit installed, chances are either something is wrong in your wiring or perhaps something is wrong with your head unit.

If the problem doesn't go away with the factory head unit - chances are - you've got a bigger problem than you want.

Fingers are crossed for you buddy - hope someone has better news for you than I do.

 

[tdford5 10+ year member]

yeah theres wires crossed some where or the wire harness is no actually for your model vehicle i dont know the options u have in your vehicle onstar,factory amps ect. but these all do make a difference in the harness or adapter being used may want to double check online of that the correct one is being used

 

[All_Logix 10+ year member]

Please tell us what harness you used for this, you are having data noise, I have seen this before