Radio - Front panel flickers

Steve_SK · Post by **Steve_SK** » November 5th, 2006, 4:28 pm

I have a problem with my new radio Sony. I installed it today and when I play the CD or FM, the front panel illumination flickers in rythm of music. I connected the radio to power cable which makes radio operating when key is in ACC. Everything is done properly, so I really don't know where could be a problem, please help. Thank you.
PS: Sorry for my English.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » November 5th, 2006, 9:25 pm

Where did you buy the radio? I'd take it back to where I bought it and ask them (as long as they have an installation department). If they don't know then ask to exchange it and see if the new one does it. Sounds like either a wiring problem, but you say that is right. My second guess would be a problem with the radio itself.

Steve_SK · Post by **Steve_SK** » November 6th, 2006, 5:13 am

I removed the radio from our 323 BJ-series, which we sold in summer and it was working well in that car. It works fine in MX3 too, but the only problem is flickering display. Could this be caused by speakers?

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » November 6th, 2006, 10:59 am

I think it is a problem with the radio internally. Speakers should not be able to mess with the radio like that.

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » November 6th, 2006, 7:50 pm

I'm wondering if you've tied into the dash illumination wire instead of the acc one.

Vanished · Post by **Vanished** » November 6th, 2006, 8:20 pm

The illumination wire shoudl be oragne on the harnes. DON"T connect this. As long as the 8 speaker wires, ground (black), acc power (red), and constant power (yellow) are connected then it should work no matter what.

Steve_SK · Post by **Steve_SK** » November 7th, 2006, 3:32 pm

I have 11 cables, 8 for speakers and rest for the power (connected to ACC), memory (I found one cable with stable 12V power) and another cable which have 12V and changes to 11.55V when lights are on, so I connected this to illumination. The problem is those cables are different colours to those I am used to. Speaker cables are for example - LR speaker is white with black stripe and pink with silver dots... And it is the same with the rest... Only ACC power cable is red with black dots..

Strange..

And there's no black (ground) cable, I put one directly on "-" of the battery and connected to the radio......

jschrauwen · Post by **jschrauwen** » November 7th, 2006, 8:00 pm

Don't go to the neg of the battery. The potential for a ground loop may occur. Use the shortest length possible to a good grounding point under the dash. It's obvious you've tapped into the wrong power sources. Did you refer to the online shop manual for guidance? A multimeter may show a 12V source when tapped into the illumination lead if it was set at max. Mazda does not necessarily follow routine colour coding for it's wiring. Either refer to the online shop manual or get a photo copy of the wiring schematic from your local Mazda.

Steve_SK · Post by **Steve_SK** » November 8th, 2006, 2:10 am

OK, thank you, I will re-ground the radio and see what will happen. I believe other cables are connected correctly. BTW, I cannot access online manual, it doesn't work somehow..

Steve_SK · Post by **Steve_SK** » November 9th, 2006, 5:20 pm

I haven't done anything with cables and grounding and it is OK now!!

What does that mean? My car lives its own life.....