Amps/subs installers, I need info please

[jaima]

Hi all,
I have now noticed on my X5 that some owner(s) before me must have had an Amp(s) and or sub(s) installed at one time or another and removed it/them as I see a lot of spliced wires with electrical tape around them!
Does anyone who has fitted amps and subs know which of the wires (if any) is more likely to cause battery drain if rewired wrongly ?
I have found that when pulled, the Audio/Nav fuse #72 (12v constant red/green wire in cargo area) the battery will not drain, does anyone know where that wire runs to ?
I have taken the mid system out and the glove box off to try and trace that wire but no joy so far?

Thanks for any help here!

[Bulk]

A typical rookie error with stereo connections is to connect the accessory wire to the hot battery wire so I would check that.

Can you get us some detailed photos, that would help a lot

[jaima]

Hi Bulk,
Thank you for the reply! dont know if these pics are any help?

[jaima]

Bulk,
The 3 wires you see in pics 1 & 3 (same wires different angles) are coming from the Smart Nav unit behind a cover (on the rear quarter panel) behind the dvd and cd changer.
These 3 wires (red, black, blue) branch to pics 2 & 4 (same wires different angles) which are under the bottom rear hatch But they also to go towards the front of the vehicle!

Do you know why anyone would have same three wires from the Smart Nav unit branching in opposite directions, surely the wires that has been tapped into would run the length of the vehicle (rear and front)

Thanks very much
Regards
Jaima

[faranks]

Hard to tell, but most of those wires could not cause a battery drain. The twisted pairs coming out of the amp are low voltage speaker wires. I can't imagine why wires would be tapped to any other component back there.

What I would do is identify the wire that is non-oem, remove it from the oem wire, tape it back up(assuming it is still continuous). Seems doubtful that one of these could be your problem though. If you had a wire that was a dead short, you would likely have a blown fuse. For aftermarket amp installs, 9 wires are typically interfaced. 8 signal wires (the twisted pairs), and the only wire with voltage that is tagged is the accessory wire at the factory amp for a remote turn-on. The other 12V wire comes directly from the battery.

Check that all your courtesy lights in the hatch are working properly. I had a tailgate latch switch problem that melted one of mine and caused a slow drain.

Also, familiarize yourself with a good multimeter, you own an X5, probably not the first time you will need it.

[Bulk]

Hey Jaima, this is gonna suck but it's a foolproof way to fix the carnage that is your stereo wiring.

There is a simple explanation why someone would have three wires spliced running to the front of the vehicle.... they needed a hot 12v, an accessory 12v and a ground wire.

Do you have any aftermarket options? If not this is going to suck but I need you to cut those 3 wires that have been spliced. Cut them so that the original wires are not affected but the "after market" wires are disconnected.

Once you have done that turn on the car and see if you notice something not working. If you're lucky you won't notice a difference and all you'll have to do is tape over the unshielded portion of the wire. If you're unlucky something will not work and we will have to work on getting that thing working again.

[jaima]

Hiya Bulk,
Managed to trace where the other 3 wires (red, black, blue) branch to please see attached pic!
Is this what you are talking about? (sorry pic is a bit blurred)
I do not have a clue what it is or what it is for mate?
As i said it was wired to/from the Smart Nav unit, I would imagine that it is of no use now if it was to do with Amps or Subs?

Thank again
Jaima.

[Bulk]

Have you disconnected it from the vehicle now? Have you turned the car on and seen whether anything has stopped working?

I can't identify what that part is so I'm not sure what it would do. To be honest that looks like a slap dash job so it could be anything it just so happens that the decided to take power from the navsat unit. Could have been for a fridge, a dvd player, anything.

I'd just leave it disconnected and see whether you vehicle still operates normally.

[Bulk]

Have you disconnected it from the vehicle now? Have you turned the car on and seen whether anything has stopped working?

I can't identify what that part is so I'm not sure what it would do. To be honest that looks like a slap dash job so it could be anything it just so happens that the decided to take power from the navsat unit. Could have been for a fridge, a dvd player, anything.

I'd just leave it disconnected and see whether you vehicle still operates normally.

[jaima]

Hi Bulk,
I have started the suv and nothing seems amiss!
I will put the radio fuse #72 back into its holder and see if the battery drains, is it remotely possible that this part could possibly cause battery drainage?

Thanks for all your help mate

Best Regards
Jaima

One other thing Bulk, the remaining 3 wires that are spliced, do/will I need still them attached?

Thanks again mate!