Speaker & Headlight Switch short

A few months ago I wired an amplifier in my 96 Tahoe.

I probably wired it wrong, as I did it by splicing the rear speaker wires.

In any case, I have lost sound in all of my speakers AND have shorted out my headlight switch (headlights will not come on in the "on" position but work in the "park" position).

I purchased a new deck and tried to install it this morning. I get power, but no sound. I also disconnected my amp, but still nothing.

Anyone know if the amplifier may have caused the short in my switch and why I don't have sound?

i dont understand what you mean when you say "i spliced the rear speaker wires". Did you splice the speaker wires and install a RCA converter to plug RCA connections into your amp? or did you just splice into the rear speakers to put into the amp output.

Electrical isn't a good thing to screw with if you don't know what your doing

"spliced rears"

I didn't use an RCA converter because I was still using the factory stereo, but I cut into the rear wires (using those little plastic splicers) and ran the extra wire into the "input" on the amp.

I was told you could do it both ways, but it seems like I didn't start having trouble until I installed the amp.

I guess I was wondering if it was possible to blow the factory amp (if this year Tahoe even has one) or if a power surge from the aftermarket amp could be causing my problems.

You did what? Are you saying you just took the Rear speaker wire and 'T'd into it with a connector and didn't unplug it from the deck or the speaker?

Ok so first question is are you using the factory stereo or have you installed an after market stereo? If you have an afermarket obviously you should be using the RCA outputs on the back of the deck to run to the amp.

If you are using a factory deck and after market amp, the amp should have two plugs. one labeled Input level and the other Output speaker. The Rear speaker wire needs to be cut. the end coming from the deck gets connected to the input level and the end going to the speaker gets connected to the output speaker.

That would still not explain the headlamp issue. look under the hood at the fuse box. check the first big 50 amp fuse to see if it is blown.

The "input" on most amps is an RCA jack input. How did you get straight up hard wire into the amp? I dont understand that at all, you would have to get an RCA converter. Thats the only way you can run a stock radio with an amp. Can you post pics of what this amp looks like or what you did?

And no, this wouldn't effect your headlight issue. But if you wired it how I think you did, I'm sure you fried the stock radio's internal amp...

photos

I'm attaching a couple photos to show you how I wired the amp. Right next to the pre-outs is the other speaker input. I didn't use the RCA's because I was using the factory deck.

It went to crap (lost sound, like it was shorting out) so I bought an aftermarket deck. I hooked it up, this time using the pre-outs, and I get sound out of my sub but nothing from the factory speakers.

photo retry

sorry...these didn't show up the first time

I would try running all new wire from the speakers to the amp. I would do away with that hardwire input and just run the aftermarket RCA's to the amp. I'm not sure if you have a factory amp or not, I know the Bose systems do. If you do, that could explain why your not getting sound to the factory speakers and only the sub.

thanks

yeah i'll definitely use the RCA's this time. actually, last night i tested one of the rear speakers (wired it directly to the new deck) and i got sound from the fronts as well.

so i guess this is the only option. i'll have to rewire the whole damn thing. oh well, will give me something to do while i'm listening to wisconsin run all over texas and unlv!

Sweet man. Let us know how it works out.

rock on

well i only had to rewire the rear speakers and i'm getting really good sound now. i don't know why. i just know that i don't have to drive around in silence.

also slapped in a new headlight switch and she's shinin bright again. i was told by a mechanic that switch problems are pretty common with this tahoe, particularly new ones.

FYI, they're pretty easy to change. they just snap in and out.

Cool man, sounds like your happy with it now. Good job!