system only turns on when headlights are on...WHY?!

[bobwire]

hopefully this is a newbie question with an easy fix, but i am confused as hell so please help me out!

so i recently bought a used car with an aftermarket sound system already installed in it--aka i didnt install it so i dont know how its currently wired... problem is, it'll only turn on when i turn the headlights on! lights go off--so does the sound system. when the system is on, it's fully functional. but when i switch off the lights, no more music..

i should also add that when i turn the engine off, the lights (and hence the system) turn off, as well as the in-dash clock, AND the thingie on the ceiling that lights up when u open the doors also turns off.

anyone know whats goin on? it just occured to me that it may just be a weak battery (since i just bought the car, and i know the previous owner wasnt driving it much)? this isnt a super big deal, since i can still use the system but its annoying not being able to use it when the engine is not running, and i lose all radio presets, and the clock in the headunit resets everytime as well.

THANKS

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[mtlhead 10+ year member]

sounds like someone wired the remote wire into the illumination wire on your headunit

 

[NeverEnuffBass 10+ year member]

What do you mean by sound system not turning on? Head unit? Amp? both?Sounds to me like the turn on wire is tapped into the headlight wire. You want it to be ran off the ignition wire.

 

[Chevillac 5,000+ posts]

What do you mean by sound system not turning on? Head unit? Amp? both?Sounds to me like the turn on wire is tapped into the headlight wire. You want it to be ran off the ignition wire.

thats exactly what it is. and yeah its an easy/quick fix

 

[OoMesKoO 10+ year member]

lol..... all beat me to it.

 

[jmoreno150 10+ year member]

sounds like they used the headlight switch as a 12v or the remote turn on lead for the system. check your wiring. use the radio fuse and tap into that for a remote turn on.

 

[jmoreno150 10+ year member]

lol dang yall qwik as fuk...

 

[bobwire]

95% sure both the headunit and amp aren't turning on.

and thanks i'll look into that

 

[XaznKewLguyX 10+ year member]

i lol'd when i saw the title first time i've heard this happen.

 

[Chevillac 5,000+ posts]

i lol'd when i saw the title first time i've heard this happen.

second time ive heard this happen //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

 

[mrogowski 5,000+ posts]

Sounds like a safety feature the installer worked in for you. You want to make sure oncoming cars can see you if they can't hear you... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[bobwire]

just checked and neither the amp nor head unit turn on sans headlights. BUT when i DO turn on lights, head unit turns on, but amp does NOT. GAH!!!

ps. which one is the ignition wire there are a bajillion wires chillin under the steering wheel!

 

[Punk In Drublic 10+ year member]

I wired my amp to turn on when I turn lights on at all, even parking lights. It's quick and easy and my parents are happy with it cos it means I'll have my lights on all the time.

 

[bobwire]

ok so what did you do and how would you reverse it

 

[Punk In Drublic 10+ year member]

Well since your head unit only runs when your lights are on, I don't know how to help you out on that one. Sorry man.