Hi,

I have a 2005 Octy Vrs Mk1. I have recently installed an Alpine headunit which I had lying around.

The headunit worked fine in the last car, however it seems to be acting up in the Octy (daft things like random track selection when first switched on, doesn't automatically switch on with ignition, tilt doesn't go back to normal on switch off etc). At first I thought head unit was faulty, however tonight, the remote central locking stopped working on the car which I though was unconnected at first. I went back to the car about 10 mins later and for the first time the headunit was working as it should, however still no remote locking.

I then started the car up and left it running for a couple of mins and turned it back off. Hey presto I have remote locking, but the headunit has gone haywire again????

When I installed the headunit all I did was transfer the standard iso connectors and aerial from one unit to the other. I have fitted headunits to several cars in the past and really don't understand what is going on????

Has anyone got ideas on this????

Cheers

Chris...

Did you swap the red and yellow wires over? (live and switched live)

Did you also remove the aerial booster wire from the new head unit wiring? As this line will connect to the diagnostics line (k-line) if you don't remove it, which is bad!

Supposedly leaving this connected can fry any diagnostics kit, as it's sending 12v straight out.

Those are the only two HU wiring oddities of the car, so maybe they are the cause. Does your HU lose memory?

No the HU doesn't loose memory but when its first switched on it doesn't select a preset station, however, a preset can be seletced by presseing 1-6???

Same goes for CD when you first switch it on, it will not read the folder on a mp3 disc. However if you eject the disc and reinsert all is okay??????????

I didn't realise there was an aerial booster, if so how do I disconnect it?

Did you swap the red and yellow wires over? (live and switched live)

Did you also remove the aerial booster wire from the new head unit wiring? As this line will connect to the diagnostics line (k-line) if you don't remove it, which is bad!

Supposedly leaving this connected can fry any diagnostics kit, as it's sending 12v straight out.

Those are the only two HU wiring oddities of the car, so maybe they are the cause. Does your HU lose memory?

Is the wire coming off the booster not just a power supply to amplify the signal received by the aerial? I have an aftermarket HU, and the radio signal is a bit flakey with this wire disconnected, and a lot better when connected?

Swap the red and yellow wires in the ISO to alpine loom so that they are wires the correct way around.

Also make sure you have removed the wire that goes to the k-line diagnostics. This is IIRC usually the same place as a powered ariel output would be and sending 12v down this can drive the car nuts and potentially create a big bill.

No the HU doesn't loose memory but when its first switched on it doesn't select a preset station, however, a preset can be seletced by presseing 1-6???

Same goes for CD when you first switch it on, it will not read the folder on a mp3 disc. However if you eject the disc and reinsert all is okay??????????

I didn't realise there was an aerial booster, if so how do I disconnect it?

That sounds like it's losing memory of settings to me. Which would indicate that you need to switch the red and yellow wires over. Try it and see, it won't hurt anything.

The standard head unit does not use the ISO aerial booster line, but instead uses it for radio diagnostics. An aftermarket radio has the normal ISO connections, which means it has the booster line coming out of it. So you need to look at the wiring diagram that came with your new HU, and either remove or cut the wire marked aerial booster, otherwise you'll damage something.

You can get an aerial booster adapter, but I don't use one. Not sure how they are connected. I'm guessing they use the booster line off the aftermarket HU and then somehow attach in-line with the aerial cable.

I need to dig out the Skoda wiring diagram to see which wire in the loom goes to the aerial (booster), if any.

My radio signal is fine on my daily commute, but I lose it when out on a drive, but it doesnt bother me. Might be down to my stubby flashy aerial!

You can get an aerial booster adapter, but I don't use one. Not sure how they are connected. I'm guessing they use the booster line off the aftermarket HU and then somehow attach in-line with the aerial cable.

I have an inline booster. It is powered from a blue cable (electric aerial, iirc). It simply plugs in between the back of the HU and the aerial cable (coax). I found the receiption on my Pioneer was poor without one.

:iagree:

I had the same problem until I fitted one. I just spliced the switched B+.

Took it back out this morning and sure enough the switched and perminant lives were wrong way around. Have also disconected aerial booster wire and all seems okay now.

Many thanks to everyone who gave me advice on this.

Chris....