Hello, I bought a vehicle from a friend and he had an Eclipse stereo system installed in it. After buying the car I had to replace the battery, which shut the power down to the stereo; and now it won't work. I asked my friend for the security code to the stereo but he forgot it. What can I do?
Is there any way I can get another code or any way I can by pass the security to get the stereo to work? Please let me know.Cade SchallaVia the Internet
This is a very common problem for any owner of a theft-resistant stereo, and it should not be difficult to get you up and running again soon. Contact the manufacturer and provide the serial number, model number and be prepared to provide personal identification for both you and your friend. You will also need proof of purchase, so I hope your friend hasn't thrown out the original invoice. The head unit will likely need to be sent in to the manufacturer for recoding.
This is generally the procedure required by manufacturers to prevent stolen stereo components from being reactivated by those who are not the true owners. As the legit owner of this head unit, you and your friend should have no problems.
I know this is probably an easy question for you, but I am having problems fixing it. Every time I shut off my car and turn it back on the stereo is reset. I don't know what is causing it. What (color) wire should I be concentrating on and what do I need to do to fix this problem?Michael Carl VoegtlineVia the Internet
Source components will often retain memory by one of two main methods. The most common method involves having a direct connection to the vehicle battery. When the stereo or vehicle is shut off, the memory is constantly maintained over time by a very tiny draw from the vehicle battery. When this wire is either not connected or is connected to the wrong circuit in the vehicle, every time the car is turned off, the memories and presets all revert to some starting point. Your clock (if equipped) will return to "12:00" and the radio station presets will all revert to the same frequency.
Another method is the use of a small internal battery. For example, the Clarion Auto PC has a button cell behind the faceplate, and a battery pack that plugs into the remote electronics housing. With all of the uploadable programs and files that can be stored in its memory, this makes good sense.
The Auto PC still has a battery wire to provide fulltime power, but the reprogramming of this complex head unit and in-car computer will require a lot of effort unless you have Compact Flash memory card backed up. On board batteries are not a luxury!
Unfortunately, you haven't provided the make or model of your head unit so you have a couple of choices. If your head unit uses an internal battery, it is likely dead. If not, the battery wire is not connected or functioning. Without knowing the brand, I couldn't begin to advise you which color the wire might be, but your local authorized dealer will know.
I have MB Quart Q component speakers that I purchased about five years ago. They have been working fine until a couple of months ago. I have been experiencing a problem with the driver's side tweeter randomly not outputting any sound. I have noticed that this happens more often at low volume levels. However, the driver's side midrange is still working fine.
I would usually increase the volume to a really loud level and then the tweeter would sound again. Sometimes it stays but sometimes it goes out again after I decrease the volume. In some cases it won't sound at all even at the high volume level, so I would open the door and slam it making the tweeter sound again. This is happening randomly, though. I sometimes go through a whole week without any problems and sometimes I can't even take a 15-minute drive without this happening several times.