aftermarket stereo question
 

I installed a Clarion stereo a while back, now it does not work anymore. It seems to get power but does not turn on. I'm gonna pull it out, how can I test it after its out of the car?

Well, the power wires going into the stock radio are 12 volts. If you spliced into these same wires during the install, you can go up front (or out back) to the battery and touch a pair of wires to the leads and see if the radio powers up. I think most radios get upset if they have no impedance from a set of speakers so dont leave it on too long. If it still doesnt work and it's past warranty, you can pop it open. They occasionally have one of those glass tube fuses on the circuit boards. There are 2 wires running into a radio, the keyon power and the constant +12volt. The second is the orange/lt blue wire and it keeps your radio stations saved when you turn off the car. I'm pretty sure even the stock radio refuses to work without this wire run. Only reason I mention it is cause it has a habit of blowing fuses on my stang.

Well, Clarions have HEAT issues. They heat up pretty fast. No need to open the unit, the fuses are on the outside behind the deck, if thats ok, fuse on the fuse panel. But I have been in car audio alot and the clarion decks fail from heat. If thats the case, save yourself the grief and just get a new deck. Pioneers last forever and have the highest RMS, and Alpines are Great as well.

well my 1st car had a pre-installed clarion head, so i added a changer, which must be clarion as well, when the head unit broke after 5 years i replaced it to keep the clarion changer. so this is my second clarion head and it lastest less than 3 years. they do heat up and they blow. and by blow i mean "blow" and "blow".