I am finally getting around to putting a stereo in my '87 GXL. It has no harness, but the wires are there. I am using a test light and have no power to the blue/red (12V). I get power to the acc and illumination wire (when lights turned on). Can I just run a wire from the battery and use that for 12v or will that make the stereo stay on? It won't hold memory. Also, the passenger compartment lights dont come on (door, dome, map) might this all be related? Thanks for any help. I have searched. Shouldn't I have constant power to the blue/red wire? It has no power regardless of key position. The test light actually flickered once while testing that wire and then hasn't come on again. Thanx for any help.

 

The stereo's constant 12V feed (L/R) is fed from the 7.5A ROOM fuse, which also feeds the interior lights and clock memory. If none of these work, you have a blown fuse. Should've been the first thing you checked...

 

of course it was the first thing I checked.......
not blown

 

Did u connect the Ground wire also when u tested the red/blue? I didn't have a stereo for 3 months because i didn't know that the OTHER "antenna" plug was actually the ground wire, and i grounded my stereo to some crap that was not actually grounded to the frame...
stupid me =)

 

I had that same problem, for me it turned out to be the fuse though. Take out the fuse and check to see if there is any power there at all (I prefer to use a multimeter for that) If there isnt you have serious problems and should just run a wire from the batt, if there is though, I'd check again to make sure the wires are all there. I can show you the stereo diagram out of my service manual if you need it.

 

Oh, I can tell you though that the continuous power wire is supposed to be the single pin connector that is wider than the others.

 

the Ground wire probelm took me so long to figure out!
and the mazda shop manual was so confusing =P

I drove around 3 months without MUSIC!!
Engine sound can only last so long....

 

anyways, my stereo is better now =) (except for those crappy stock speakers)
-_-

well... better get back to work =)