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Factory Sub & Alpine Deck

7K views 23 replies 9 participants last post by  advancedjosh 
#1 ·
Does anyone have much experience getting the factory sub to work with an Alpine deck? I read all of the threads and made sure to get my power antenna wire (from deck) wired to my amp on wire (on harness- only blue wire available) but that didn't do the trick. I hooked up my factory deck and the sub works fine so I know it is something with my wiring. The local audio shop says that sometimes on the TJ's they have to install a power module (something like that) as well to get the factory sub to work.

My deck is an Alpine IDA-X100. I have read all of the threads I can find and haven't heard anyone mention needing any special power module at all. Maybe it is something specific to this deck but I am not sure. Any help would be awesome.
 
#3 ·
I have a 2004 Wrangler and I redid my sound system. I put an Alpine headunit it and I had to splice the stock subwoofer in with my 12" subwoofer that I put in. When you mentioned the amp, was that to the stock woofer or was that for something else because that might be your problem. Mine has done fine
 
#4 ·
I have not added any sub or amp. It is my understanding that some came with an option of a sub under the center console. This is what I am trying to get working again since I have installed the Alpine deck. I assume somewhere there is a factory amp that powers this as well.
 
#5 ·
Thats where they all are for our year. Mine is doing fine and i didnt touch the amp at all. I just spliced the wire and let the power for the amp alone
 
#6 ·
Try tying your remote turn-on wire to the blue wire on the factory harness...I had a problem with mine when I tied the wrong wires together (on the harness for the alpine deck there should be two wires...blue and blue w/ white stripe. If you're using the blue one now...try swapping it out with the one that's blue w/ white stripe or vice versa).
 
#8 ·
I tried both the remote wire and the power antenna wire on the Alpine side connected to the Blue white (amp on) wire on the jeep harness side. Neither one made any type of difference. This one has me stumped because I have always installed my own radios and never had any problems. Never had to mess with any type of factory sub on any other ones.
 
#9 ·
Hrmmm... that's odd then...

You've got me stumped dude...

Edit: If you've got a multi-meter...check and make sure one of those blue wires coming off the headunit is putting out voltage when powered on. If both are showing 0v, then that may be the source of your problem. You may need to change a setting or something in the headunit control menu to enable it?
 
#10 ·
That's not a bad idea, hadn't thought of that. I will open it up again this week and see what I come up with.

Has no one else heard any need for a power module of some sort like my local shop mentioned?
 
#12 ·
I've never heard of it... I can tell you, all I did when I put my Pioneer headunit in was remove the old headunit, install the wire harness (purchased at Walmart), plug it into my new headunit.

...realized the sub wasn't working, switched blue wires around. All was well. No weird power control modules installed or anything of that nature.
 
#13 ·
I think I will just have to open it again with a volt meter and see if I am getting a signal from the deck. I think it is strange that no one on here has heard anything of this power module. Must be some lame little thing I am missing but it is sure driving me nuts.
 
#14 ·
I'd think if your sub works with your factory headunit and doesn't with your Alpine headunit, you're not missing anything. They're probably thinking of something else...

I'd definitely check your voltages first...I bet it ends up being something simple that you overlooked.
 
#15 ·
Ok. After months of not getting to the bottom of this I pulled the deck back out to double check everything. I put the stock deck back in and the sub works fine. I put my Alpine in and no sub like before. I couldn't find my volt meter so I used the old tongue (not my first choice but it worked) it is obvious that I am getting power from the deck through both my power ant wire and remote wire. So the remote wire is hooked up to the factory amp wire (blue/white) but no success.

Maybe there is some truth to this stupid power module the shop says is needed and is only specific to the Alpine deck. Any more ideas on this from anyone. This is driving me nuts.
 
#16 ·
I had a problem with this too. I took my deck out this weekend and messed around with it until I found the right wire. I hooked up the wire for the amp from the deck (Sony) to the antenna wire on the aftermarket harness and it worked. The blue wire actually in the Jeep was the right front speaker.

I may just have a weird harness but everything works great now.
 
#17 ·
When I replaced my stock head unit I lost about 90% of the sub in the factory location.
The guys that did the install blew some smoke up my pant leg about it, but at the time I was already in a bad mood so I just let it go and got something else.

I would definitely like to know how to set it up so that my console sub, which is plugged into my factory amp, would work. I went to a LOT of trouble to stuff that little bastid in there, I'd like to be able to hear it.

Oh and FWIW, they say the same thing about the Kenwood decks, Some special aftermarket bla bla bla - that will be $100 - bla bla bla BS. Goes about a yard up my butt.
 
#18 ·
Does anyone have a diagram of the Jeep Harness. My radio harness wires are all labeled so I know what they are. There is that chance I have some messed up wires like Barticus mentioned he had but everything else works fine. A diagram may help me get to the bottom of this.
 
#20 ·
Gumpy, how about a Y/M/M on your Jeep and which audio system you have.
I have a wiring diagram, but it may not be the same.

I agree with the adapter from Walmart.
 
#21 ·
04 TJ Columbia Edition
Here is the audio system info from my build sheet.
RAAC All Radio Equipped Vehicles
RBKS AM/FM Compact Disc Radio w/Chgr Ctrl
RCUP 7 Speakers Inc Subwoofer/Tweeters
RDDP Fixed Long Mast Antenna
 
#22 ·
I also have a 2003,Sport-Kenwood head unit-everyone posted correctly in regards to the remote turn on wire.Prior to my present career,I was a professional car A/V installer for 18 years,and I was working on these when they were new!My Jeep also has the factory sub(which had a bad speaker).I installed an MB Quart Mid-bass driver in the factory hole.Make sure you hook up the rear speaker outputs from the head unit to the aftermarket-to factory wiring harness(you are using one,I hope!)-even if you do not have rear speakers!Also,make sure that voltage is present on turn-on wire.If it is,it should work!I have seen odd situations where the draw of an O.E.M. Amp would overwhelm the output from aftermarket head units-if this is the case,you can wire it through a Bosch or Hella relay(commonly available everywhere)Hope this helps!Mine sounds awesome with the new driver,but I am in my 40's,and not trying to rattle windows!Try that,and if it doesn't work,I can probably assist you further!
 
#23 ·
How do I wire up the relay? I have heard of these but don't know much about them. I am sure the remote wire has voltage and all rear speakers are wired up using the wiring harness. I will try the relay option and if that isn't it who knows what is my problem.
 
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