HELP!! I'm an idiot, need help tracing wires. POWER ISSUE!?!?

[justmessin]

Hey everyone, I have a question that I hope you can help me with. I'll lay out the background info before I ask the questions.

My wife has a 2008 Jeep Laredo (cherokee). We have had it since 2010 and havent had issues until recently. The alternator and battery went out.. in the process of figuring out which went out, the guy putting my battery on crossed my pos and neg cables. (i have since used someone else), but i ended up replacing both the battery and the alternator to be safe.

When the cables were crossed, it blew the link wire for the starter; so we replaced that. It doesn't seem like anything else was messed up BUT the radio.

I checked all the fuses that I can find and they are all good. Even for good measure... ive replace ALL of the fuses (it turned out that there was one blown that went to the cig. lighter)

We also bought a new head unit for that model, but we still cannot get any power. I think when you install a new radio, there is a fuse on the power wire... is that the case with the factory wires? if not, what are your ideas?

I honestly think that it is a power issue... but I cannot trace the wire... there are SOOOO many wires that are all bundled and taped up that I would have to spend HOURS trying to unwind and untape/zip tie all of them.

Is there a diagram that tells me where all of the wires go for the radio? I'm thinking that the wire may have popped for it.

If so, and if it doesn't have a fuse tied to it; can't I just run a new wire from the fuse box to.. whatever it ties into?

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[DukeNut 10+ year member]

Try using this wiring color diagram. The Install Doctor - Radio Wire Harness and Colors - Dodge Chrysler Plymouth

 

[All_Logix 10+ year member]

I would start by looking up the radio wires like DukeNut mentioned. You can also try, the12volt.com or Metraonline.com. Second I would get a cheap DMM and test to see if you are getting power on the 12volt wire, this should always show 12v. If you don't I am willing to beat it is the fuse hidden in the under the hood distrobution box that few people are aware they have. If it is, I am betting that is messed up the BUS computer system these vehicles use in order to turn the radio on. If this is the case, I would have a long talk with the guy that switched your wires.