Hey guys I just got my new Kenwood KDC-355U head unit in today and after hours of installing it I finally put the illumination wire into the wire that is the memory and clock. That finally made it work but I when I turn on (or off) my headlights or parking lights the radio restarts. I am completely out of ideas of how to stop this. Have any of you had this problem? If so, how did you fix it?

 

Why did you wire the illumination wire to the memory? That just means you are turning off power to the memory when you turn off the key and it resets itself each time, so no wonder it doesn't work. Did you use a wiring harness adapter or cut up you're factory harness?

 

because, that's the only way the radio would turn on with the illumination wired into it. the Kenwood wiring harness did not have a wire for the illumination itself either. Also, the radio just restarts not reset. (the stations stay programmed, and color stays set)

 

and yes, I did use a wiring harness.

 

That doesn't sound right, you need a power wire to turn on the radio and the illumination light is not it. You are turning off the power to the head unit each time you turn off you're light because that 12V source is tied into the switch.

Take it apart and re-wire it. The wiring adapter identifies the 12V power wire with the key on and the illumination wire. It should all be color coded.

 

Yea this whole thing has been a headache. The wiring harness i have isthe metra 70-1770. It has a red wire and a yellow wire both for power. the red is labeled for the ignition and the yellow for the memory. So are you saying the yellow one is the wrong choice to put the illumination into it? since the radio would not buzz or turn on or anything before connected the illumination.

 

No, illumination is not what you wire to the memory. On the wiring adapter, you should have a red 12v source wire that will turn the radio on and off. You will also have a constant 12v wire that you attach to the memory wire.

Illumination is for turning the lights on the radio with you're dash lights.

 

I think I understand what your saying here, correct me if i'm wrong. Your saying that I should have the red to red and yellow to yellow? I have it like that, except with the inclusion of the illumination to the yellow wires.

 

Ignore the illumination wire completely, thats whats causing you're issue.

Color codes vary so I can't tell you what to wire but there are the basics. A 12v (Red) key source wire that turns the radio ON and 12v constant (yellow) wire that goes to the memory of the radio.

Yes the color codes need to match up, thats why they are used to prevent any confusion. Don't wire up wires that aren't there and don't match. If the radio itself did not have a illumination wire then it can't be done, just put a piece of tape over it and leave it.

 

Well that's another roadblock, the whole reason I put the illumination wire on it in the first place is because the head unit would not function in any way until that wire was added. and sorry for the headaches.