Ok so i recently tried to replace my factory stereo with an aftermarket head unit and had some rather dissapoiting results.

first off before you flame me for this post,i would just like to state that i know that by unplugging the facotyr radio and such you will lose the vent controls and all that stuff. however at the time i thought i had figured out a way to get around all that. heres what i did...

Ok so i took out my factory radio and removed a satalite radio reciever that the previous owner had installed.

I was very careful when removing the factory unit,a dn made sure to carefully dissconnect all the plugs.

after i got the radio out i made a custom panel to fit into the factory panel location (the big black panel that holds the radio and the ac/vent controls. the panel i made was a perfect fit and had the cutouts for a single din stereo and the 3 vent control *****.

I then proceeded to take apart my factory stereo. I knew i wanted to keep my vent controls so i carefully removed the circuit boards from the deck and controls and made brackets to hold them underneath my aftermarket head unit. this way when i went to reinstall my new deck (inserted into the new panel) i could simply just place the ac controls and all the circuit boards (all that were attached to the stereo) into the new panel and slide it into the dash. almost identical to the factory stereo.

now this is my problem. NOTHING WORKS. i know that seems kinda vague but i know i wired everything correctly, i know that im using the same circuit boards as the factory setup, and i know that i handled them very very carefully as not to drop them short them out or get them around any harmful dust.

the only thing that works was the illumination of the new head unit. no lcd panel, no ac vent controls, not sound no nothing. just lights.

So after double and triple checking the whole install im totally lost. i then decided to put off installing the new deck, and i reverted back to my factory unit.

however, now my factory unit doesnt work either. it still has ilumination, but no sound, no AC,DEFROST, no STEREO. however the control that selects how hard the air blows still works.

This is very strange to me as to why this wouldnt be working. i have checked every single fuse in the fuse boxes, and they are all fine.

So is there something stupid i am missing? some secret plu or fuse or something? Im totally lost here people. any info would be greatly appreciated.

thanks a lot for reading,
Chris

 

You wouldn't be the first person to have a mod go bad, that how we learn. Chris it sounds like you might need to buy a whole new head / vent unit try posting in the Mazmart forum
https://www.rx8club.com/mazmart-88/

 

Your AC controls and everything is built into the factory headunit. You have to have the unit under the CD player and the green board that connects to the front of it. You may want to check that you have a good connection between those two peices....

 

yes, jenkins is correct. you have to apply power to the radio for the a/c heat controls to work. one other thing that would help diagnose your problem is do you have a base system or the bose system?