So my fiancee bought me a KDC BT948HD for Christmas to replace my old pioneer. Was my first experience hard wiring anything, and it all went well, except for the fact my subs will only play when i listen to the radio. If i plug my ipod in or turn it on cd, the subs just simply turn off. The only thing i can think of is the fact that there is an accessory wire that was plugged into the pioneer that wouldn't fit the kenwood. I have no idea what it was used for. If anyone can think of an idea beyond that cable, any help would be extremely appreciated

 

Did you use the pink antenna wire as the remote turn on? If you did, then the new headunit probably only raises the antenna when its on the AM/FM setting. And if that is the wire you used to signal the amp for the subs, then the amp will also only turn on when the headunit is on the AM/FM setting.

Either use a different wire to turn on the amp (the headunit should have a wire for this specific purpose) or change the setting on the headunit to always raise the antenna.

 

blue white is the amp trigger wire
blue is normally antenna wire
and pink on Pioneer is VSS wire

 

pink on stock monsoon harness is antenna wire

 

I will update this with some pics later to show you guys, the pioneer was hard wired to some weird harness.

 

I think i am going to try switching the blue and blue/white. I can hear my amp turn off when i switch it from radio. Fortunately i have all day tomorrow to mess around with it