Pioneer amplifier repair and troubleshooting
#46
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,260
Received 1,737 Likes
on
1,370 Posts
In the pic below I put a circle in red where it looked a little odd to me...but I'm also looking at this on a computer monitor and not in person, so it could literally be nothing more than my imagination.
In the middle of the circle the resistor looks a little blue-ish on the ends, which would be a sign of corrosion...it could also just be the pic and it's perfectly fine.
If the Amp looks ok, put it back together, install it into the car and see if you still don't have sound.
If you don't go into the navi diagnostic menu and check for codes...if you get a code for the Amp, then you're back to a likely Amp issue.
Next step would be to confirm both fuses are fine and the Amp has power and ground...if all those are ok and you still have an Amp code, then you're still looking at an Amp.
In the middle of the circle the resistor looks a little blue-ish on the ends, which would be a sign of corrosion...it could also just be the pic and it's perfectly fine.
If the Amp looks ok, put it back together, install it into the car and see if you still don't have sound.
If you don't go into the navi diagnostic menu and check for codes...if you get a code for the Amp, then you're back to a likely Amp issue.
Next step would be to confirm both fuses are fine and the Amp has power and ground...if all those are ok and you still have an Amp code, then you're still looking at an Amp.
#47
Driver School Candidate
In the pic below I put a circle in red where it looked a little odd to me...but I'm also looking at this on a computer monitor and not in person, so it could literally be nothing more than my imagination.
In the middle of the circle the resistor looks a little blue-ish on the ends, which would be a sign of corrosion...it could also just be the pic and it's perfectly fine.
If the Amp looks ok, put it back together, install it into the car and see if you still don't have sound.
If you don't go into the navi diagnostic menu and check for codes...if you get a code for the Amp, then you're back to a likely Amp issue.
Next step would be to confirm both fuses are fine and the Amp has power and ground...if all those are ok and you still have an Amp code, then you're still looking at an Amp.
In the middle of the circle the resistor looks a little blue-ish on the ends, which would be a sign of corrosion...it could also just be the pic and it's perfectly fine.
If the Amp looks ok, put it back together, install it into the car and see if you still don't have sound.
If you don't go into the navi diagnostic menu and check for codes...if you get a code for the Amp, then you're back to a likely Amp issue.
Next step would be to confirm both fuses are fine and the Amp has power and ground...if all those are ok and you still have an Amp code, then you're still looking at an Amp.
#48
Lexus Test Driver
Awesome thread and so many great posts, suscribed.
The board with the large caps and inductor is the power supply area of the board.
The board with the large caps and inductor is the power supply area of the board.
#50
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,260
Received 1,737 Likes
on
1,370 Posts
#51
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,260
Received 1,737 Likes
on
1,370 Posts
here is a photo looking closer into that area. It does look like it is discolored compared to the other ones. Not sure if it is supposed to be like that. I think I might change the fuses anyway just to be 100% sure and rule them out. I have checked the connections for power and both have power but not at all connections. Is there a diagram that shows which part of the connectors are supposed to have power?
Maybe try taking a pic with you cell camera set to macro so it's super close.
From the above pic I think it's fine, but don't want to say for absolute sure...then find out later that was the issue lol!
#52
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,260
Received 1,737 Likes
on
1,370 Posts
Anybody having similar issues like this in the GS forum? I can't imagine this is a one off.
The following users liked this post:
Margate330 (10-27-21)
#53
Driver School Candidate
The coloring on the resistor looks very uniform, like it's supposed to be that way.
Maybe try taking a pic with you cell camera set to macro so it's super close.
From the above pic I think it's fine, but don't want to say for absolute sure...then find out later that was the issue lol!
Maybe try taking a pic with you cell camera set to macro so it's super close.
From the above pic I think it's fine, but don't want to say for absolute sure...then find out later that was the issue lol!
#54
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,260
Received 1,737 Likes
on
1,370 Posts
The boards look good from here...I think that one blue resistor is supposed to be like that.
You can check the power and grounds wires and confirm that are good. Also the continuity to ground should be less than 1Ohm from the Amp connector...ideally 0.3-0.5Ohms.
If power and ground is ok there is no reason why the Amp shouldn't work.
At that point put the Amp together and back in the car.
Fire up the car, if still no sound, then check for trouble codes. If you get one for the Amp, then I'm confident it's the Amp...whatever the issue is.
But it is crucial the Amp has power and ground, and if it doesn't, then that needs to be fixed first.
Does the car have any electronic mods?
You can check the power and grounds wires and confirm that are good. Also the continuity to ground should be less than 1Ohm from the Amp connector...ideally 0.3-0.5Ohms.
If power and ground is ok there is no reason why the Amp shouldn't work.
At that point put the Amp together and back in the car.
Fire up the car, if still no sound, then check for trouble codes. If you get one for the Amp, then I'm confident it's the Amp...whatever the issue is.
But it is crucial the Amp has power and ground, and if it doesn't, then that needs to be fixed first.
Does the car have any electronic mods?
#55
Driver School Candidate
Car is completely stock. Problem I’m not sure where to check on the connector and which pins are supposed to have power. I checked it with a gray light and it seems like few of the pins do have power on the big connector. On the small connector there is only one pin in the middle that has power. Not sure how to test for ground either. I’m gonna put the amp back together tomorrow and check for codes and also replace the fuses to rule them out.any tips on checking for power and ground?
#56
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,260
Received 1,737 Likes
on
1,370 Posts
Car is completely stock. Problem I’m not sure where to check on the connector and which pins are supposed to have power. I checked it with a gray light and it seems like few of the pins do have power on the big connector. On the small connector there is only one pin in the middle that has power. Not sure how to test for ground either. I’m gonna put the amp back together tomorrow and check for codes and also replace the fuses to rule them out.any tips on checking for power and ground?
On the first page of the PDF you will see the two fuses, the two green wires that supply power to the Amp, and the two White/Black wires that are the Grounds.
The wires go to connector T40 on pins 1 and 16 (green wires) and pins 3 and 18 (Ground wires).
If you scroll to page 20 of the PDF you will see a picture of connector T40 with the pins labelled with then numbers.
If you have a multi meter the next steps are fairly straight forward.
With the ignition on and radio on, check from one green wire (with the red lead of the multi meter) to one Ground wire (with the black lead of the multi meter)...you should get battery voltage which should be 12.something volts.
Do the same for the other green wire and other Ground wire...it doesn't matter which green and which Ground you check first, or second.
If you get battery voltage from both green wires then you don't need to check the fuses...they are fine.
The following users liked this post:
wthrman2 (10-27-21)
#57
Driver School Candidate
First download the PDF attachment to post #53 above...that is the wiring diagram for GS audio from 2013-2015.
On the first page of the PDF you will see the two fuses, the two green wires that supply power to the Amp, and the two White/Black wires that are the Grounds.
The wires go to connector T40 on pins 1 and 16 (green wires) and pins 3 and 18 (Ground wires).
If you scroll to page 20 of the PDF you will see a picture of connector T40 with the pins labelled with then numbers.
If you have a multi meter the next steps are fairly straight forward.
With the ignition on and radio on, check from one green wire (with the red lead of the multi meter) to one Ground wire (with the black lead of the multi meter)...you should get battery voltage which should be 12.something volts.
Do the same for the other green wire and other Ground wire...it doesn't matter which green and which Ground you check first, or second.
If you get battery voltage from both green wires then you don't need to check the fuses...they are fine.
On the first page of the PDF you will see the two fuses, the two green wires that supply power to the Amp, and the two White/Black wires that are the Grounds.
The wires go to connector T40 on pins 1 and 16 (green wires) and pins 3 and 18 (Ground wires).
If you scroll to page 20 of the PDF you will see a picture of connector T40 with the pins labelled with then numbers.
If you have a multi meter the next steps are fairly straight forward.
With the ignition on and radio on, check from one green wire (with the red lead of the multi meter) to one Ground wire (with the black lead of the multi meter)...you should get battery voltage which should be 12.something volts.
Do the same for the other green wire and other Ground wire...it doesn't matter which green and which Ground you check first, or second.
If you get battery voltage from both green wires then you don't need to check the fuses...they are fine.
#58
Don’t think that blue bugger is a resistor, think it corresponds to label L900, which would make it a coil. Solder connections look good, but that bulging capacitor in the power supply is highly suspect. Lots of electronics stop working when a capacitor goes bad (had to replace several in different toys over the years).
The following users liked this post:
Margate330 (10-27-21)
#59
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 6,260
Received 1,737 Likes
on
1,370 Posts
The above pic of the MOST check is the communication line check, which I would assume would be good even on a bad Amp. The MOST lines allow devices to speak to one another to transfer information.
#60
Driver School Candidate
When you first go into the diagnostic menu the first option is Failure Diagnosis I believe. Did you go into that section to check for codes?
The above pic of the MOST check is the communication line check, which I would assume would be good even on a bad Amp. The MOST lines allow devices to speak to one another to transfer information.
The above pic of the MOST check is the communication line check, which I would assume would be good even on a bad Amp. The MOST lines allow devices to speak to one another to transfer information.