While installing a new stereo, I realized that the constant power supply wire which allows the stereo keep it's memory when the car is off. never has current going through it. I checked the accessory fuse, which was fine, the cigarette lighter also works fine, i'm not sure whether or not these are on the same circuit but just a bit more info. Is there typically a fusible link in the constant power supply line somewhere, or is it run off of another fuse. Anyone have any ideas what is going wrong? Also, an aftermarket alarm was installed on my car by an amature, based on the looks of the installation. Would the guy have taken the feed from that wire away from the stereo and into the alarm?

You sure you have the right wire hooked up? It's a yellow or orange wire usually. Matt

Yea the wire is correct. For the stereo to turn on, both wires need to have current going through them. Even when the car is on and the power wires are hooked up correctly, the stereo does not turn on. I need to splice the variable power supply wire into both power inputs on the stereo.

In the older harness that we had, there was a fuse (bad fuse) that led to the memory line... Fixed that, and it worked. so just check directly behind the radio and see if you can see an in-line fuse (looks sort of like a connector to allow you to disconnect two wires from each other)

other than that.. i have no idea.