I have a 89, and last week out of the middle of nowhere, I was drving home with my headlights on, and my radio turned off. Now, if I turn my lights off, my radio will come back on, but as soon as I turn the lights on, the radio cuts out. I checked for any wires touching on the back of the radio, but I didn't find any. Anyone have an idea?
weird electricial prob
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kd7kmp
New Member
Get your battery and alternator tested. I just went through this same thing. I ended up getting them checked too late. My battery had one cell short internally and it took out my alternator and the windshield wiper governor.
Kevin
Kevin
projectSHO89
SHOless In St L
By your description of the radio "turning off" or "turning on" in conjunction witht he headlights, are you referring to only the display? Or was the radio playing and you lost audio AND the display?
Is it the factory head unit or an aftermarket unit?
It isn't the battery or the alternator. They don't normally cause this kind of problems with only an audio system.
Steve
Is it the factory head unit or an aftermarket unit?
It isn't the battery or the alternator. They don't normally cause this kind of problems with only an audio system.
Steve
THe whole dash will do dark when I turn the lights on. the radio is an aftermarket unit, but it has been installed for about a month before this happened. AS soon as I turn the lights off, everything comes right back on.
qiksho
SHO Addict
Possible you have a problem with your multifunction switch. I had problems with headlights and dash lights that were intermittent until I lost all lights 300 miles away from home. 
Other than that I am not sure. GL
Other than that I am not sure. GL
rangerj
Active Member
Who installed the aftermarket radio? It sounds like the radio is getting its "hot" feed from the light circuit. The light circuit is a hot circuit, that is you do not have to have the key in the on position for the lights to work.
Does the radio work when the key is in the off position? It shouldn't. If it does it is not wired correctly.
Just because you recently installed a "new" battery does not mean that it (the battery) is working properly. If the new battery did not have a full charge on it, that could have a negative affect on the alternator.
I think Auto Zone will test the battery and alternator for free. In fact Wall Mart should also do that for you for free.
If the battery and the alternator are in proper working order, then the radio connections would be the next suspect as a cause of your problems. rangerj
Does the radio work when the key is in the off position? It shouldn't. If it does it is not wired correctly.
Just because you recently installed a "new" battery does not mean that it (the battery) is working properly. If the new battery did not have a full charge on it, that could have a negative affect on the alternator.
I think Auto Zone will test the battery and alternator for free. In fact Wall Mart should also do that for you for free.
If the battery and the alternator are in proper working order, then the radio connections would be the next suspect as a cause of your problems. rangerj
Spin
Member
hmm, since i didn't see anywhere that the radio goes completely off (as in no sound) i'm thinking that u just hit the dimmer switch and it's really low, so when u turn on ur lights, the display is dark enough as to where u can't see it. but if there is no audio from the radio, then that's another problem, but if it is as simple as the dimmer switch, then it's all good
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