Why does my stereos memory erase everytime i take my key out the ignition?

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MarkH

Member
I can save stations and the time into it but as soon as i take the key out. can anybody explain why and how i can fix it?
thanks for the answers, i looked but the red and yellow wires look like they're connected right. on the yellow one, theres a bit where it connects but it has an extra place for another connection, i dont suppose that has anything to do with it?
 
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labrat1

New member
The continuous feed wire has come off or was not attached. This is an unswitched power wire that feeds power to the stereo when the ignition is off to keep the clock running and to maintain power to the memory circuit.
 
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KaeZoo

Member
If it's an after-market head unit, it probably means that the red "accessory" power wire and the yellow "constant" power wire are reversed.

If it's a factory radio, then you probably have a blown vehicle fuse that supplies memory voltage to the radio. Some factory radios will work without this power source, but they won't retain station or clock settings.
 
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TravisM

Member
I think Kaezoo nailed it. The head unit has two power wires coming in, the yellow wire is constant, so the radio can save your presets when the car is off, and the red one is switched, so the radio knows when to turn itself on and off. Sounds like the head unit's getting "switched" power where it expects constant.

I don't think its going to be a blown fuse though, because if that constant wire was hooked up correctly, but blew a fuse, the radio wouldn't come on at all using only its red wire "switched" input. If the radio comes on when the key is on, and off when the key is off, then your getting power from both inputs, red and yellow, they're just hooked up backwards.
 
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TravisM

Member
I think Kaezoo nailed it. The head unit has two power wires coming in, the yellow wire is constant, so the radio can save your presets when the car is off, and the red one is switched, so the radio knows when to turn itself on and off. Sounds like the head unit's getting "switched" power where it expects constant.

I don't think its going to be a blown fuse though, because if that constant wire was hooked up correctly, but blew a fuse, the radio wouldn't come on at all using only its red wire "switched" input. If the radio comes on when the key is on, and off when the key is off, then your getting power from both inputs, red and yellow, they're just hooked up backwards.
 
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