Electronics Need help wiring something up? Thinking of adding an electrical component to your car? Need help troubleshooting that wiring glitch?

83 firebird SE - Radio wiring help PLEASE!!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Oct 27, 2007 | 06:33 AM
  #1  
thexyzaxis's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
83 firebird SE - Radio wiring help PLEASE!!

Ok I just installed my new VRVD630 DVD player in the dash of my firebird, and there is a questionable 2 wire plug that is clipped on the back of the original head unit that I am not sure what it goes to the 2 wires on the plug are a dark brown and a dark grey color. and it has a metal clip that clips on the back, seperate from the three stacked 4 wire connectors that are in the E groove.

So this is the problem after hooking up the new stereo I hooked the dark brown wire to the ground wire thinking it was a permanent ground and the other one was a switched ground... well it blew a fuse... I replaced the fuse but the headlights now do something weird and I don't know why... heres an example of what it does:

I turn on the headlight switch headlights come up... i toggle it back down... lights turn off but the headlights remain up...

I toggle it just into the other lighted mode without the headlights... then toggle it back down and finally the headlights now drop down.... its weird.

anyways I have the dark gray and dark brown wires not connected to anything ... both of these go to the clip on connector in the back of the original unit... not sure what to do with them, or what they were for... but it seems they are related to my dash & headlight lighting system.

All help greatly appreciated... dejavue for some reason.
Reply
Old Oct 27, 2007 | 07:04 AM
  #2  
coolram62's Avatar
Supreme Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,739
Likes: 4
From: Beaufort South Carolina
Car: 1983 Camaro Z/28
Engine: LU5 305 CFI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: J65/G80/G92-3.23
Re: 83 firebird SE - Radio wiring help PLEASE!!

Those wires are for memory and lights on the radio.The brown is in the same circuit with the park lamps and the orange with the lighting the instruments/console.Always keep in mind with GM black is used for ground wire color.brown isn't generally unless for speakers.
Reply
Old Oct 27, 2007 | 08:01 AM
  #3  
thexyzaxis's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Re: 83 firebird SE - Radio wiring help PLEASE!!

Hmmm what are you supposed to hook them up too after you install a new head unit? I have them hooked up to nothing right now and the headlight motors are acting funky as described above.
Reply
Old Oct 28, 2007 | 12:44 AM
  #4  
thexyzaxis's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Re: 83 firebird SE - Radio wiring help PLEASE!!

Apparently the glitch is working itself out .. i fear i have a bad headlight switch and am not sure if this is something easily replacable... anyone know anything about these headlight switches is it common they go out.. i think maybe the power surge and blowing the fuse may have had something to do with damaging my headlight switch .. i had the brown wire grounded out to my radio when it was not a ground lead as i learned.
Reply
Old Oct 28, 2007 | 03:45 PM
  #5  
84redta's Avatar
Supreme Member
20 Year Member
iTrader: (34)
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,983
Likes: 6
From: Stamford, New York
Car: 80 SE/TTA;88 T/A GTA;86 T/A
Engine: 4.9L Turbo; LT1; empty
Transmission: TH350; T56; empty
Axle/Gears: 3:23 disk; 4:10 disk ; 3.42 disk
Re: 83 firebird SE - Radio wiring help PLEASE!!

Originally Posted by thexyzaxis
Apparently the glitch is working itself out .. i fear i have a bad headlight switch and am not sure if this is something easily replacable... anyone know anything about these headlight switches is it common they go out.. i think maybe the power surge and blowing the fuse may have had something to do with damaging my headlight switch .. i had the brown wire grounded out to my radio when it was not a ground lead as i learned.
It's not totally impossible for a first timer, i'm not fully aware of the '83 dash being i have an 88, but i'm assuming it's pretty close. On the '88 you have to take the dash bezel that goes around all the guages off, like 2-3 screws underneath the dash pad up top and 2-4 underneath the dash. Once you get the bezel totally off you will be able to see the switch unit. Mine is held in by two 7MM screws, and from there as far as i know unplug and replace. Good luck!

P.S. a really big help to any stereo install is www.installdr.com. It has wiring set-ups for every major automobile manufacturer and even shows you the plugs for your stereo so you can figure things out easier!

Last edited by 84redta; Oct 28, 2007 at 07:50 PM.
Reply
Old Oct 29, 2007 | 01:14 AM
  #6  
thexyzaxis's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Re: 83 firebird SE - Radio wiring help PLEASE!!

Pontiacs not supported at: www.installdr.com
Reply
Old Oct 29, 2007 | 10:00 AM
  #7  
84redta's Avatar
Supreme Member
20 Year Member
iTrader: (34)
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,983
Likes: 6
From: Stamford, New York
Car: 80 SE/TTA;88 T/A GTA;86 T/A
Engine: 4.9L Turbo; LT1; empty
Transmission: TH350; T56; empty
Axle/Gears: 3:23 disk; 4:10 disk ; 3.42 disk
Re: 83 firebird SE - Radio wiring help PLEASE!!

I don't know about '83...i was making a blind assumption, sorry if i'm wrong...but my '88 has the same plugs as the "89-90" section under GM/Saturn. My '86 berlinetta has the same plugs, but i haven't looked at my '84 belinetta, thought it was the same. Sorry if i was wrong.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
BRoss99
Electronics
28
Aug 10, 2025 05:08 PM
1992 Trans Am
History / Originality
27
May 10, 2023 07:19 PM
colton_carlson
Firebirds for Sale
7
Mar 8, 2019 12:21 PM
OLDYELLR
Car Audio
7
Sep 30, 2015 07:10 PM
arod231
Interior Parts for Sale
0
Aug 16, 2015 02:51 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:13 AM.