[IrateSpeed6]

I'm sick and tired of searching through threads and not getting an answer. Too many people said "hey, I'll try this" and never got around to either doing the install, or posting about their results.

Can anyone who has a Defi setup enlighten me as to where they tapped what wires for the power, acc, illum., and ground? I already tried tapping off the back of the radio, but that didn't have a power wire - only an ACC. I ended up trying to ghetto-splice into a fuse and I still couldn't get it to work. Can someone please help me out here?

sorry... didn't mean to come off like a prick, but I just went through 3 hours of trying to do a bunch of wiring crap and I got nothing accomplished - just a little frustrated. :tear:

 

[Sigma]

You could always grab it from the steering column. I believe it's the large blue wire, but don't quote me on that. It's been a long time since I've gone under there.

EDIT: I take that back, it's the Red/Black wire per my How-To I wrote on the push-button ignition:

http://forum.mazda6club.com/index.php?showtopic=39366

 

[awdterror]

i tapped mine off the dimmer switch not that hard, just pop it out, and use a tester

 

[IrateSpeed6]

^ thanks for the help...

ugh, I also just found this thread again... http://forum.mazda6club.com/index.php?show...911&hl=defi

Franchise did a pretty good write-up as well. Its just been one of those weeks :sarc:

 

[franchize]

Heh I was about to say, I showed where to connect power via the headunit.


Let us know how it goes.

 

[IrateSpeed6]

So far this is going horribly. This morning on my way to work (with the center console still apart) I realized that the interior illumination and the radio were not working. I think I fried something with the POS Harbor Freight multi-tester that I had.

So anyways, I found that the illumination fuse was blown, so I replaced that. Now the interior lights work, but the radio still isn't working and the dimmer switch doesn't seem to work properly either. Oh, I hooked up the control unit EXACTLY the way you had it, even the same ground you used. Nothing works with the guage - it doesn't light up or give a readout.

I still haven't screwed the radio/center console back in yet - think that there may be a faulty ground as the culprit? I know the radio harness has its own ground, but I mean for the guage. Oh, and as an added "FU" bonus, the power windows only work for the driver's window.

 

[franchize]

To fix the windows, you have to lower and raise each one with their switch on each door. Lower the window then raise it up and hold the button for a second afterwards, you should hear a click. Then they are all reset.

As for the radio and gauge not working.

Double check the radio fuse, I think it's link with something else. I'll check in a few.

The gauge wont work if the radio doesn't work. Neither are getting power.

 

[IrateSpeed6]

I checked the "audio" fuse in the engine bay - its fine. What about the "(BOSE) Relay"? Can that be bad? Also forgot to mention that I can hear the CD changer clicking away, and I could actually get a CD out of it - but the thing won't turn on...

 

[IrateSpeed6]

well, I was able to diagnose where the problem is - I got my multimeter out and these were my findings:
Battery always on: 12+ V
Illumination: got a positive voltage reading - that's working too
Ignition: 0 V - there is no power going to the radio ignition wire when the key is turned on

I checked as many fuses as I could - is there anything specific I should try to check to get the ignition wire to light up when the key is turned?

 

[IrateSpeed6]

Boy, this has been one hell of a thread by myself!

Anyways, I finally got the problem figured out. I traced it back to a 5amp fuse in the driver's foot well: "Mirror"

Damn me for not thinking to check the "Mirror" fuse when I was having problems with the radio, but I checked the owners manual and the description under "Mirror" is "Power control mirror, Audio system".

Ok, back to the car to finally put everything back together.

 

[mk706]

you probably didn't get many responses because posters find it hard to believe that even when equipped with a DMM you had trouble finding 2 wires to tap into. i know that's what i thought.

glad to hear you found your blown fuses.

 

[quiet desperado]

you probably didn't get many responses because posters find it hard to believe that even when equipped with a DMM you had trouble finding 2 wires to tap into. i know that's what i thought.

glad to hear you found your blown fuses.[/b]

All this seems like a lot of trouble. I took jjohnson's suggestion from the thread referenced above and bought the "Add-a-Circuit" fuse plug-ins for my Defi BR boost gauge. I've only got one gauge so no concern about the draw, but still. So simple and quick to do and no wondering what line your tapping into.