awwsnap

Hey guys.

I recently just bought a 05 Honda Civic EX Sedan. When I first got the car the clock was blinking on the stereo head unit and it wouldn't let me set the time. Then when I would cut on the radio and I could hear the music/broadcast through the speakers for like 3 seconds and then I would hear silence. So I turned off the radio and turned it back on and this time I heard nothing - not even 3 seconds of sound. If then I wanted several hours and tried the radio again it would actually cut on again but only for 3 secs and then NO SOUND.

This afternoon I tried disconnecting my battery (black cable), waiting for a couple minutes, reconnected it and when I got back in the car the blinking time was gone and now I saw CODE. So I put in my car's security code and the radio turned on! Then I waited the 3 seconds where I expected the sound to shut off, but to my delight it kept working! So I was geeked and I figured it was all fixed.

Two hours later... NO SOUND. I was listening to the radio, clicked one of the buttons for the station presets and then SILENCE.

FML. PLEASE HELP ME.

I'm thinking it's not even the head unit because it had worked earlier today so even if I get an aftermarket head unit it won't work?

Let me know what you guys think.

FYI: i duno if this will help, but the car has been in an accident before. not totalled cause the title is clean, but it has been in an accident for sure. don't know details tho.

goomzthegeneral

perhaps a speaker wire is grounding out causing your sound to cut off due to the accident depending where the car was hit. maybe the amp in the radio is shot.

killaxkev92288

true .. u may need a new radio

awwsnap

How do I check to see if that's what the problem is?
Is there anyway that I can figure this out on my own?

Or should I take it to a shop? dealer?

awwsnap

o and sorry for being such a noob, but what does it mean when a speaker wire is "grounding out"?

killaxkev92288

well u can put ur radio out and check to see if everything is clipped in and tight.. ur antenna cable could also be loose or almost falling out .. what he means by grounding out.. it could be touching other wired or there may be a short.. if anything u should try to get a new cheapy radio to check it out.. taking it in will cost alot more then buying a cheap radio and installing it urself

speedooo

this. it means a wire is frayed or loose and has made contact with metal

goomzthegeneral

most shops wont take the time to take your radio out to test it, esp not a factory radio, the dealer wont be cheap w it.

when a speaker grounds out, basically a speaker wire is cut and touches metal, causing interruption due to polarity differences. i.e. a pos wire is cut and touches metal.

if the car was t-boned on either drvr or pass door, check the speaker wire for any cuts in it. if its ok, i would buy a new radio.

awwsnap

hmmmmm i see. thanks guys. i'm gonna try pulling out my radio today and seeing if i can find anything that catches my eye and i'll have to get back to you guys.

awwsnap

any of you guys have any tutorials that you would recommend for taking out the head unit?

goomzthegeneral

ur cars a pain in the *** if i remember correctly to remove the radio. but unfortunately i dont remember w/o seeing it in person.

XstreamRocker

Is this the interior of your car? I've searched for pre-written tutorials and could only find for 04 Civic Si Coupes..... I'm hoping this image will help jiggle somebody's memory on how to do this.

awwsnap

yup. that's exactly what it is. (except i have an automatic) but yeah everything else is the same.

fcm

I am guessing the problemis in the HU itself.

To test if the outout(s) are shorted, [shorted speaker or speaker lead] use the HUs balance and fade controls, start by fading all the way to the front and test system, then fade all the way to the rear and test system again, you can also balance all the way left and right or use fade and balance so only one speaker is playing.

It is unlikely that all 4 speaker outputs are shorted, if HU will work with any speaker faded or balanced off, the problem is a short, if problem persists no matter what speakers are on or off, the problem is most likely the HU itself or possible a connection problem, [power] at the plug on back of HU.
I would swap out the two radio fuses, radio acc. fuse and radio constant power fuse with new or known working ones, [swap with other fuses in the fuse box] DO NOT change fuse size, this will elliminate one of them as the problem.

http://documents.victorytechnologies...roduct/902.pdf

The hardest pard is "unclipping" the dash bezel, it is best to push from behind then trying to pry it out with a tool, [screw driver], it clips in tightly.

Although not exactly the same, the 99-2000 Civic is close, [actually more work]... http://www.installdr.com/InstallDocs...PDF/466005.pdf 94

awwsnap

Thanks for the info. I'll try to take it apart tonite.

XstreamRocker

Ya know, I was looking for those websites earlier but since I'm using a new computer all of my saved searches don't come up automatically. Thx for posting those, fcm.

audioroach

i have a hunch try this:

go into the trunk and disconnect the rear speakers and see if it solves your problem.

awwsnap

here's my update:

so i tried to follow the instructions that fcm posted up on the thread, but i think that the 05 model is quite a bit different than the 00 models. sorry for being such a noob guys but basically my conclusion is i couldn't figure out how to take out the panels to access the radio. = /

couldn't really find the screws i was looking for where i thought they were supposed to be and i didn't want to just start yankin stuff. also there are these weird snap in clip things that are clips in on the sides of the middle panels and that confuses me as well.

any suggestions or help? = /

awwsnap

disconnect the rear speakers? how do i do that?

fcm

In the trunk, unplug the speaker leads from the speaker.

Fading all the way to the front should have the same effect as unplugging the rear speakers. 94

awwsnap

unplugging the rear speakers didn't do anything. = /

anybody have any insight on the whole removing the head unit for the 05 civic?

fcm

What part of removing HU are you having a problem with?

Did you try the fade/balance trick?

Did you swap out the fuses?

Kind of a waste of time pulling the HU out only to find the problem is a defective fuse. 94

awwsnap

i tried replacing the fuses you'd mentioned but nothing seems to have changed.

fade/balance doesn't seem to work either.

as far as removing the HU i'm a total noob and the only thing i've been able to figure out so far is just removing that panel under the steering wheel that exposes the interior fuse system. = /

fcm

You need to move the center console to access the 2 screws that hold the lighter/power outlet panel in place, onceit is removed you have access to the 2 screws that hold the radio/heater control panel in place, once they are removed you can "unsnap" the panel from the dash.

http://documents.victorytechnologies...roduct/902.pdf these instructions are for your 05, they are from the Metra kit used when installing aftermarket HUs into the car.

Here is some more... http://www.sound-repair.com/index.ph...-instructions/
Here is a removal froman 04, [youtube] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME8UuEFWjmI&feature=fvw 94

vtecfast

the 12v turn on wire that goes to my stereo losses power when i use my cig lighter. any1 no why?