Ignition switch causing radio problems??
 

I'm brand new to this forum and could use some help. So about a month ago my OEM stereo started acting up. It made a pop through the speakers then would periodically go out, no power to the stereo. In the small display above the radio, clock would blink, temp and compass display stayed on and accurate. I read in a few different sites that the ACM (Audio control module) in the factory radio could be bad so I opted to buy an aftermarket JVC double din stereo from Crutchfield. After properly installing the unit, everything worked great....then it happened... My new stereo shut off, then back on, then off. The time varies, sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes longer. It just power cycles off and on. I checked my constant power and it holds steady around 14volts. I checked my ignition switch power to the harness and it randomly drops out completely then back to 12.5volts. Any clue on why this could be happening? We're leaving for a 10 hour drive vacation in 5 days and without a radio, my kids could kill each other! Any help would be greatly appreciated!!! 2012 F150 FX4 Supercrew, 3.5 ecoboost

Something is loose and is shorting. Where are you measuring your ignition signal voltage at?Since everything in your vehicle is not cycling on and off, we can conclude that nothing before the fuse box is an issue. Now, these vehicles have what is called a smart fuse box, meaning it has a microprocessor in it that can control items with out having to rely on the ignition voltage, however if it was acting up, many more issues would be happening. You would most likely have a dead battery. So Ignition is good, fuse box is good, so where ever the ignition signal voltage source is coming from, your problem is there (hopefully it is not part of the entire fuse box)

I was checking voltage right at the wiring harness (red- ignition wire) to the head unit. The yellow (constant, I believe) voltage never really varied unless I rolled down a window, then it fluctuated slightly but never dropped below 12v.

Thanks for the response by the way!

Let me look at some notes I wrote a while back when I was installing amplifiers in to the factory system. The ignition ( red ) is what would be cutting out. Can you provide pictures, and also pictures of you measuring the voltage?

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...88e8fe1c0a.jpg

Here I am checking the yellow (battery)wire just before the stereo, where Crutchfield crimped the harness together. Stereo is removed... It holds around 14.3v. When I do the same with the red wire (ignition), I get a steady 13.5v for a while then it drops out and right back up to 13.5v. At least that is what it was doing a couple days ago. Today....I cant duplicate it!!??

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...10df1e487c.jpg

Here's where I checked the red (ignition) wire. For the longest time it didn't do anything but hover around 13.5v. So I decided to plug the harness back into the radio...Within a minute, it dropped right back out like it was the other day. Radio went dead and then popped back on, went dead again then pop back on again, Etc. So I decided to unplug the radio and leave the meter where it was and I'm sitting here watching the meter and it keeps dropping out. 25 or more times inthe last 5 minutes. Could it be something after the truck warms up causing the ignition wire to fail?? FRUSTRATED! 😠

I have the exact same truck and exact same issue with the stereo. Mine would cut out every now and then periodically, then all of the sudden one day it completely stopped working and hasn't worked in about 2 months. I have looked for an answer and have came up with nothing. Did you ever get this issue fixed? Sorry to hear that you're having the same problem as me Pollycan.