Replacing radio - presets aren't remembered

[Red Studio]

Hi

Have just replaced the radio cassette in our Fabia as the old one was playing up. I've put in a Clarion unit from my old Felicia as it had all the correct sockets/wiring.

It works fine except that when I store preset stations the next time I start the car and turn it on the presets are all gone. The auto scan only picks up Classic FM so I'd spent nearly half an hour manually scanning and entering stations so wasn't pleased that they'd all gone.

Do I need an additional unswitched live to maintain the memory? There must be a permanent live on the conector as the old radio could be switched back on with the ignition off.

Is there anyone reading who's fitted their own aftermarket stereos and could tell me the solution please?

Thanks

Mitch

[RADIOTWO]

Just swap the red and yellow wires over

Radiotwo

[Red Studio]

Oh, simple as that? Thanks, I'll give it a go.

Mitch

[Red Studio]

Hi

Just had a look at the connectors again - no yellow wire and the red is from the speakers. :think:

Just to check we're talking about the same connections - this car is an 02 Fabia Classic and there are two connectors that plug into the back of the radio, a black multi pin and a brown multi pin.

I've looked up the wiring diagram in the Haynes manual and can't make much sense of it - it seems to suggest there's an unswitched live to the unit (black & blue wire from fuse F45) and no connection to the ignition switch is shown. The only other connection they show (appart from speakers and aerial) is to an "Electrical system control unit" (green & blue wire). Are these the two to swap?

Thanks

Mitch

[scottybhoy]

The red and yellow should b on the loom for the head unit

[Red Studio]

...but they're not. I'll get a meter on it tomorrow and find them that way hopefully.

[uma1998]

hi there this may help you

you need to swap wire on connetion A pin 4 and 7 then it should work

[uma1998]

hi there this may help you

you need to swap wire on connetion A pin 4 and 7 then it should work

[Red Studio]

Thanks Uma. Will have to cut them and scotchlock them but at least I don't have to cut into the car wiring now.

[DaKKs_152]

I noticed this as well when I installed my Pioneer. This seems to be a generic VAG issue when using aftermarket units. Its the same in my mate's passat, golf and polo. My mam's old Octavia, my mk1 fabia and my neighbour's mk2.

[Fabia_19]

I had the same issue when installing a Sony head unit. Also my friend with a VW Polo had the same issue as well.

[Avalon]

It's not just a VAG issue, HU looms wouldn't normally come with bullet connectors to swap over if it was, i've had the same issue on non VAG cars, i'm not sure why non ISO looms are so popular with car makers but they seem to be.

[Red Studio]

I'm losing it :think:

My previous reply makes little sense, I thought I was replying to another thread - I bought an adaptor lead but the input and output pin layout were the same so I was going to cut the leads in that and scotchlock them to swap the switched and permanent live.

I'd like a further offense taken into account - not reading the instructions When I took the unit back out today I noticed a sticker on top saying to consult the manual when fitting to VW group vehicles. I didn't see it before. Now I don't have the manual, the unit came out of one of my old cars, but when I looked closer at the side of the casing there was a small "VW" stamped on the side near the 10A fuse. Alongside the "VW" was a spare slot. When you pull the fuse out and plug it into that slot the unit works fine, presets and all.

Thanks for everyone's advice, hope I've not wasted too much of everyone's time.

[travs]

You've got to it now but just to clarify (as, when looking back through this thread it hasn't actually been said) losing presets is the classic sign for the Ignition Live and Permanent Live being the wrong way round. You'll usually lose the clock and on tape decks you'll probably also find things like the casette motor still plays even though the ignitions off as is the radio. No offence meant to anyone else as its what everyone has said but not really spelt out why they were saying it. And yes you would think that the blocks plugging into each other wouldn't present it as a problem. The quickfix is just to splice the two power wires - it gives you the ability to turn it on without having the key in the ignition and its quicker/easier than pulling wires out of the ISO blocks etc.

Glad its all sorted now

[uma1998]

its a vauxhall thing to do the same its a money making as they sell a adaptor that just swaps the red and yellow on after market radios

[uma1998]

Red Studio

no problems happy to help

[uma1998]

travs your right but having the radio perm is a pain in the bum as if i do not take face off battery goes flat so having radio on ign is better as if i just turn it off battery goes flat and i have two new batterys as my ice takes to much power from main one

[nastam123]

Thanks for your help.. Is there any easy way of getting the wires out of the connecter I've tried a kitchen knife but its not budging..