Helping out a buddy install a Kenwood CD reciever (KDC-X979) into his '98 Accord and keep blowing out his tail light and dashlight fuse. Here's the situation: we believe it's the illumination wire that's causing the problem. According to the instructions, orange/white wire from the Kenwood reciever is +, so we need to connect that to the + orange wire on the aftermarket adapter that will be connecting to the Honda wire harness. Here's the problem, the aftermarket adapter has a negative orange/black wire too which does not exist on the Kenwood adapter... so we decided to ground that wire. Sounds logical?? Now, when powering up the Kenwood reciever, all the dash lights won't turn on and the tail light as well... its fuse keeps blowing out. Anyone run into this situation??? Do we just ignore the - illumination wire and only connect the + wire? As it is now, when not connecting the + and - illumination wire, the clock and climate lights does not turn on with the parking lights as it did in the past.

Tried calling Kenwood and all they can tell me is that the orange/white wire from their harness is + ... and couldn't tell us anything else usefull other than, it's not the Kenwood unit's fault.

 

I just left illumination out all together. I capped the orange wire on the radio harness as well as both(ORG/WHT;ORG,BLK) on the harness adapter.

 

That's what I have done and now the clock and light on the climate display is out... is this because I have left out those wires or could it be a burnt clock/climate display due to the fuse blowing out earlier?

 

Check the bulbs. If the fuse was replaced, check the wiring.

 

All wires look fine... I'm hoping it's just the bulbs... so on my way to the store for new bulbs than. Hopefully that's it.

 

are you sure you didnt get the illumination and dimmer wires mixed up.. if you grounded one, that couldve caused the fuses to blow.. i agree with totalimmortal and just rip those orange wires out of the adaptor harness and cap off the orange wires from the deck.. not hooking up those wires are not the cause of your clock and climate lights to go out.. they would only dim the deck display when you turn your headlights on.. not needed at all.. as for the clock and lights, im hoping its just the bulbs too, no fried electrical wires.. (seen it done plenty of times) goodluck..

 

and your not using one of those radio wiring kits that connect the radios plug to the stock unit?