So im trying to wire in my stereo and im pretty sure the stereo is getting power cus the backlight comes on but there is no display like its not grounding. the person before me cliped the stock harness. so i have a red wire purple wire and a black and then the speaker wires. im pretty sure the black is ground and then the red and purple are the hot and run but i have tried them all diff ways and still nothing. i also have checked the fuses. any ideas?

 

normally black is ground red is ignition and yellow is power. the purple should be a speaker.

 

+download a wireing diag off line

 

This is what i have, here is a pic.

 

24yb

 

go towww.the 12volt.com search 85 to 87 cherokee radio wiring it has a chart

 

that should clear it up

 

http://www.the12volt.com/installbay/...tail/1149.html

 

That is only true for aftermarket harnesses, stockers use random colors for everything.

 

Hey I got this online a while ago when I was installing a new radio. Not sure if it's the same for your year, but it might help a bit!



1999 Jeep Cherokee Stereo Wiring
Constant 12V+ Pink/Yellow
Switched 12V+ Red/White
Ground Black
Illumination Orange/Brown
Dimmer Black/Light Blue
Antenna Right Front
Front Speakers 6 1/2" Doors
Left Front (+) Dark Green
Left Front (-) Brown/Red
Right Front (+) Purple
Right Front (-) Dark Blue/Red
Rear Speakers 5 1/4" Roof Mount
Left Rear (+) Brown/Yellow
Left Rear (-) Brown/Light Blue
Right Rear (+) Dark Blue/White
Right Rear (-) Dark Blue/Orange

 

yea i have found that diagram but when i hook it up that way i get the backlight but no lcd.

 

You might have gotten a bad display or something with the radio if it's new. If not, your best bet might be to trace the wires and see where they go and possibly rewire if you need to. I'm not an expert by any means, but I have seen other people suggest it in response to other questions. Good luck!

 

so when i pulled the previous stereo that was in there, there was an additional wire that looked like it was not stock and was plugged in, well when i pulled it it came off where ever it was hooked. so im assuming the stock wires weren't enough and that's why they had that other wire. What would be a good replacement location for the switched or constant 12+?

 

This is just my professional opinion and is not ment to be condesending: If you don't have the tools to test the wiring you shouldn't be attempting to do this job. You risk damaging your radio as well as blowing fuses. Wiring charts with wire colors can rarely be trusted.

The symptom you describe is often associated with not having constant power to the radio. You have switched and ground maybe, but no constant- very common when someone just hacks off a wiring harness as the cutter hits the ground wire and constant power wires at the same time and then blow a fuse. Seen people do it hundreds of times.

 

Having just pulled my stereo out ('88) I noticed that the aftermarket wiring harness does not contain a ground lead. You probably should run the ground lead to a bolt under the dash (make sure it's attached to metal).

My guess that "additional" wire was a ground that wasn't attached very well or pulled out of a crimp connector.

The illumination is working because it is grounding that circuit only, not the radio. A fair number of older cars I have dealt with don't include the ground in the harness, they were typically grounded through the antenna lead. Not sure Jeep is that way but that is what it looks like on mine at least.

Hope that helps.

Jonathan