Earlier today, I installed an Alpine headunit into my '97 Cherokee. Immediately after I installed it, the radio was operating perfectly. Then, I installed two aftermarket speakers into my front doors with no ill effects.

However, just before it got too dark outside for me to continue working on the Jeep, I pulled the sound bar and removed the rear speakers. With the sound bar removed, I decided to re-check operation of the receiver before calling it a day. Now, all of a sudden, the receiver doesn't work, the interior lights don't work, and the electric door locks only work when the ignition is turned on and the door is closed.

I vaguely remember grounding something out when I was working on the sound bar. Could this have lead to all these issues?

 

yep blew a fuse

 

Any of the fuses blown?

 

Sounds like a fuse issue, but if the door locks still work when the key is on, then I'm not sure. I'd still check the fuses to make sure they aren't blown,

 

I will have to check tomorrow. I'm desperately hoping it's a fuse and not some arcane wiring issue.

 

I would suggest checking all of your fuses first to see if you blew 1 and go from there. And next time disconnect the battery before doing any work

 

http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/...tification.htm

 

this happened to me when I was doing my door speakers, it took me hours trying to figure out what fuse it was. I tested and removed every fuse in the kick pannel fuse box and they all tested good. I did this probably 4 times.
I then decided to do some reading online and it ended up being the under hood radio fuse which I replaced and all was well. I may want to start with that fuse.

 

^x2

Blew that fuse a few times installing my stereo. I put a hot on a ground off went the lights.
The interior lights and stereo are on the same fuse, on mine the fuse is labeled 'dome'

(sorry for quality, cell phone pic)

 

How did you install your head unit? Did you cut the harness? Was the harness already cut? Did you use a harness adapter?

I don't have a sound bar but if I recall correctly, they have a dome light which means they have a 12v feed so if you shorted something in there, that would be it. Make sure you don't have any charred wires or exposed copper in your sound bar.

...and check your fuses like everybody else suggested.

 

I got restless and checked the engine compartment fuse box. The ignition off drain (IOD) fuse was blown. The online diagram shows this as fuse 16, but my owner's manual and my PDC legend shows this as fuse 17 for my '97. It's in the same spot, though. I replaced this fuse temporarily with another fuse and this seems to have fixed my various issues, including the bizarre door lock problem. Looks like this fuse has blown before because the one that blew was 10A while the manual calls for a 15A for this fuse. The speakers I removed from the front doors were aftermarket so I hope the old fuse was blown while the PO was installing those. The fuse had been trouble free for the 2 months since I've owned the vehicle.

I used a harness adapter to install the stereo. The sound bar does have a dome light and I'm pretty sure that's what I shorted too.

Thanks for the quick help, everyone. A couple people told me it would be a waste of time to disconnect the battery before doing small jobs like this. Not good advice.

 

any time working with electrial unhooking the battery is advised....negative cable

 

There is a reason I always run new wire for stereo installs. From battery (both pos. & neg.) to amp & head unit (constant on red wire & grd. black wire) . Yellow switchable to the fuse box (works with key) And all new speaker wire. No cuts, splices, or anything else. Should a problem arise, I know where to look.

 

I'm probably going to replace the stock speakers on my 2000 XJ this weekend. Thanks for the heads up to disco the battery.