80 sport stereo wiring

[Ian W]

Hi guys.

I've had a look at changing my stereo in my 80 sport today.

The problem is that although the plugs match up easily enough, my new stereo isn't getting any power at all.

When this new stereo was in my previous car, it switched on with the ignition rather than the constant live the Audi's current stereo seems to have.

Is there any known problem with swapping stereo's in the 80?

I don't really want to start cutting and matching up wires when i'm not 100% what they do.

any help much appreciated, thanks.

Ian

[Del75]

Hi guys.

I've had a look at changing my stereo in my 80 sport today.

The problem is that although the plugs match up easily enough, my new stereo isn't getting any power at all.

When this new stereo was in my previous car, it switched on with the ignition rather than the constant live the Audi's current stereo seems to have.

Is there any known problem with swapping stereo's in the 80?

I don't really want to start cutting and matching up wires when i'm not 100% what they do.

any help much appreciated, thanks.

Ian

hi ian, i got the same problem, my previous cd player was a " live " connection, and my new one powers via the ignition, the wiring in the 80 needs altering so when u plug in the head unit, it powers from ignition. i dont know how to change the wires yet( so i got no cd player in my 80 ). but if u r a bit technical ( i am not lol ), im tood it preety straight forward.
as for my head unit, i taking it to halfords lolol

[Ian W]

hi ian, i got the same problem, my previous cd player was a " live " connection, and my new one powers via the ignition, the wiring in the 80 needs altering so when u plug in the head unit, it powers from ignition. i dont know how to change the wires yet( so i got no cd player in my 80 ). but if u r a bit technical ( i am not lol ), im tood it preety straight forward.
as for my head unit, i taking it to halfords lolol

yep, sounds like exactly the same problem alright. i just put the old head unit back in for now so at least i have a radio.

if you can, try and ask them what they do to it for me, unfortunatley i'm out of work at the moment so can't afford to take it the those monkeys at *********.

[Ian W]

The old audi80/90`s only had a permanent live feed, you need to run an ignition operated live idealy from the ign barrel, or join the two live wires ign/perm together from the new unit you are trying to fit only thing with doing that is the head unit will not turn off automaticaly Ie with the ign.

If your not sure pm me.

pm'd :D

(although mine isn't old as such, it's a 95/M)

[Del75]

yep, sounds like exactly the same problem alright. i just put the old head unit back in for now so at least i have a radio.

if you can, try and ask them what they do to it for me, unfortunatley i'm out of work at the moment so can't afford to take it the those monkeys at *********.

i will do Ian, my appoijtment is on friday ( a week away ) , i,ll find out wat they didi and let u know, ( if peeps in here dont get ya sorted first ) lol

[Ian W]

i will do Ian, my appoijtment is on friday ( a week away ) , i,ll find out wat they didi and let u know, ( if peeps in here dont get ya sorted first ) lol

i've got a way round it now but i'd still be interested in knowing what they did.

thanks

Ian

[Ian W]

I've noticed after having a look around the net that Autoleads do an adaptor harness for fitting an aftermarket head unit to an audi 80.

question is, has anyone used one of these before?

[Ian W]

Right. I think i may just bide my time with my tape deck at the moment before i can get someone to put an ignition fed live into the loom to the stereo.

The Alpine that i have waiting to go in takes an eternity to switch off via the button and would no doubt drive me insane :D

[Ian W]

Where in the world are you Ian?

Am in the scottish borders Andy :)

[san]

Would this be the same story for the Coupe model too... as I am experiencing the same problem - although there is already an aftermarket cd unit fitted. I am trying to fit my Kenwood to replace Pioneer & there is some kind of power as i can her it "whirring", but no indication that its working, no display, sound etc... any ideas.

Also the "beast" may be for sale in the next month or so, if anyone's interested, will post full details nearer the time ! :beerchug:

[Marc97]

I assume we are all talking about the standard 'din' connection here?
Simple fix, as AndyB8 says, join the permanent live feed to the ignition live feed.
Check the stereos wiring diagram first but the permanent live is usually red and the ignition live is usually yellow (it is on my Kenwood anways). All you need to do is join those together on the stereo side of the plug. Some stereo manufacturers even put spade connectors on these plugs so the wires can be swapped round for cars which are powered this way.

[Del75]

I assume we are all talking about the standard 'din' connection here?
Simple fix, as AndyB8 says, join the permanent live feed to the ignition live feed.
Check the stereos wiring diagram first but the permanent live is usually red and the ignition live is usually yellow (it is on my Kenwood anways). All you need to do is join those together on the stereo side of the plug. Some stereo manufacturers even put spade connectors on these plugs so the wires can be swapped round for cars which are powered this way.
HI, my head ubit has the " spade " connectors, when i switched them together ( ie : red to yellow and yellow to red ) the power came on for 5 seconds then turned off again. even after reseting the unit same thing, any ideas ?

[Ian W]

well, i went back out to my car with stereo in hand today and fitted it no problems at all. in fact, i can't believe how easy it was!

my new head unit had spade connectors in it's wiring so all i had to do was swap a wire over and bamm....job done.

so pleased i don't need to listen to my ipod through a tape adaptor any more :D

[san]

Not such good news from my end :mad:
Upon trying again, but swapping the wires as suggested the stereo in question decided that enough was enough & died....... took it to local audio store as nothing on here worked, they plugged it in their system and advised that the unit had given up.... great !!!

[Ian W]

Not such good news from my end :mad:
Upon trying again, but swapping the wires as suggested the stereo in question decided that enough was enough & died....... took it to local audio store as nothing on here worked, they plugged it in their system and advised that the unit had given up.... great !!!

oh no :(

was it a decent head unit then? assuming it was an older one if not under warranty at all (having said that my Alpine was brand new condition but over a year old).

did your audio store get you sorted in the end?

[san]

it was quite old to be fair, but was good in its day & sounded great - also had some sentimental value... (soppy I know, but......)

Have left unit it came with in, its not a bad one, but wanted mine !!