Rookie Mistake - Extra Wire

[EBS]

Hi All - so I decided to undo the old radio wiring and put in a couple of connectors so that I can remove the center panel more easily on my '94 NAS ST. I studiously labelled all the wires, was certain I had everything accounted for, checked and rechecked. When I went to splice in my connectors, I noticed there was an extra wire, red/black to be specific, coming from the car side harness that was not on my spreadsheet (yes, Excel, good for everything). I must have missed it by assuming it was the black/red speaker wire for the RF speaker.

My workshop manual indicates it is probably switched lighting for the left side of the vehicle but I have no idea what it's supposed to be connected to. Hoping someone can point me in the right direction. Let me know if more info or pictures would help. Thanks.

 

[jymmiejamz]

Any chance it is the illumination circuit for the radio?

 

[Uncle Douglas]

What Jimmy said. Dims stereo display when lights are turned on.

 

[EBS]

That's helpful, and I appreciate jymmiejamz asking me the question like I know what I'm talking about. I wonder what wire it connects to on the radio side then. There are 12 wires on the sony radio harness. 8 for speakers, blue/white amp remote (not used in my case) acc power which connects to White Orange, constant power which connects to purple, and black to ground. I saw something elsewhere that indicated it might be connected into the white orange, but that doesn't make too much sense to me. Is it possible it just isn't used?

 

[Napalm00]

Some aftermarket radios don't support it

 

[WreckITFrank]

Right Hand Rear Speaker Out, as per the manual.

 

[EBS]

Hey Frank. My speaker wiring jives with a different page (pg 456) in the manual, pasted below. I have black red for front right. I'm looking for the function of the red black. I assumed that section you pasted was for the 110, but not certain.

I don't see anything in the radio documentation for dimming, so I'm going to assume that it was wrapped up in the big wad of electrical tape I took off and not connected to anything. Would make me feel better about missing it. I think I should be able to just safe it off and call it a day but if anyone disagrees and thinks it needs to be connected to anything please let me know.

 

[WreckITFrank]

I think it was for 94, but I can check again if it matters. I don't have a NAS, so nothing to go by except the ETM I was looking at. FWIW orange/white is generally considered illum, but on the (aftermarket) radio side, but not always vehicle. The others have way now5 working knowledge, so likely as stated.

 

[Uncle Douglas]

If the wire came from a questionable black tape bundle you can test it easily. If the wire is indeed tied to illumination it would have been capped/terminated so that it couldnt cause a short when lights are on. Do you have a test light or meter ?
Turn the lights on and see if the wire is powered.

 

[EBS]

Yes, have multi meter so I will give it a test. And I would put a crimp cap plus some tape on it to close it off if powered. Helpful to highlight that lights would need to be on. Thanks.

 

[EBS]

Confirmed, power to wire when lights are turned on. All sealed off, everything seems to work, and back on my way to almost mediocre sound! Thanks all.