Stereo troubles

[itavaltalainen]

here's a wiring diagram:

http://www.motor-talk.de/forum/aktion/Attachment.html?attachmentId=716149

[JMK3]

Earth will come from the stereo will be a black wire also is your stereo plug and play or do oyu have an adapter wire that comes from the stereo and plug into the car loom.

Ok, from the stereo where will it end up? may as well clean the earth while im checking it all.

It has the adapter wire from the stereo to the loom

[Foreveryoungaus16v]

Bad connection somewhere.Why not just tape off the earth and live you have it connected to and start over.Find another permanent live and do your own earth.

Take it to a garage to do

sounds like an idea
how would i do that? im not very knowledgeable with how to do that sort of thing haha

[MereKat]

Join the permanent and switched lives on the headunit and join them to the permanent live from the car wiring. If it comes on by switching the headunit itself on then that should rule out the permanent live in the car.

My guess, as i had the same thing, is the ignition switch. They're fairly common to wear on the Mk3! Easy to change and its a £9 part on ebay.

Edit: just seen that's pretty much what was already said after reading 3 times!lol Mine also cut out randomly on bends, bumps etc but the engine kept running...not had a problem since changing the switch.

[itavaltalainen]

just fyi:
joining permanent and ignition 12v is ok for testing but not permanent solution - most radios then will drain battery.

[MereKat]

Mine was permanently connected for a year until starting the car became problematic and i changed the switch. Had to turn it on and off manually though.

[JMK3]

Just checked the wiring and i have the yellow going to red and the red going to a yell.
New switch has also been orderd

[itavaltalainen]

the red - yellow thing is correct because vw don't comply with iso and igntion and permanent 12v are the other way round.
did you check the other wires? i.e. the one in the car's loom, not the radio harness?

[JMK3]

i checked them as far down as i could follow and couldnt see a problem

[itavaltalainen]

check them with a multimeter (£10), anything else is guessing