Dodge Grand Caravan Stereo Head Unit Install: No Sound, Amp Not Turning On, 2001-2004 Town Country

[@deadsypadilla]

Use antenna as ground, the stereo will either power up with or without sound. Sound, its done. No sound, either put back the factory radio, bypass the amp by ripping all the panels off..or sell it, its garbage. I'm selling mine, before I burn it to the ground.

[@spikeshartell4675]

You could also use a bit of heat shrink tubing to cover the center pin on the relay.

[@dayannodarse3948]

Thanks a lot man This video saved me. I couldn’t find any info related to this “no sound” issue anywhere else

[@DIYBenzGarage]

Glad you were able to understand it, it's pretty rough! It was my first video & done on a 4MP camera

[@nicknelson4401]

I’m putting one in thanks for the walk through very good step by step been looking for info on this for a while seeing it is much easier than reading it, Great video man!!!

[@DIYBenzGarage]

Glad I could help!

[@whereisfester]

Finally got around to trying this and it worked perfectly! Now I've got Bluetooth music in my old POS Grand Caravan. Thanks!

[@fieldlab4]

The little single white connector I believe is steering wheel controls. Multiplexed.

[@mariomascareno7191]

Gracias desde México

[@racketsports395]

Overall great video (I have a 2001 as well:) but does pin 85 on the relay go ground and 86 go to the red wire you fished thru (to ultimately to to the blue remote from the stereo) OR the other way around? Thank You!

[@DIYBenzGarage]

Thanks. That was my very first youtube video I ever made and it was on my first channel (15 years ago?) I just rewatched it and the part where I explained how the computer controls it by shunting to ground kind of confuses it, but is important to know. Here is the basics of the relay: Pins 85 & 86 activate the relay. The coil is not polarized so it doesn't matter which one gets ground and which one gets power, but we will say 85 gets the head unit wire & 86 goes to ground. (I just tried to match the pinout on the van in the vid.) If the relay is not energized, pin 30 and pin 87a are in contact (continuity). When you turn on your head unit, power is sent to pin 85 activating the relay and continuity is switched from pin 87a to pin 87. Normally pin 30 is the pin where power would enter the switch, but since the socket side of pin 30 is powered 24/7, when your car is off, pin 87a would be exposed and hot & a fire risk. That is why I reversed the wiring so power is fed to pin 87 (from the socket for pin 30) and pin 30 heads off to power the amplifier (the socket for pin 87). The original footage for this video, shot on a 4MP camera, is long since gone, but one day I will download this video and amend the ending with a better diagram. And FYI: that is me playing guitar in the song.

[@DIYBenzGarage]

The diagram on this relay may help www.zoro.com/grote-relay-5-pin-mini-blade-2520a-12v-84-1077/i/G6048477/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwgLOiBhC7ARIsAIeetVCMuzu2rdpwhx6riCeaMfiZT7mQozYOreOfUmXTjGwmonxEQHkf5wkaAqpnEALw_wcB

[@racketsports395]

@@DIYBenzGarage Thank you for your fast reply and good explanation. I went thru the same thought process as you with the blue wire - noticing that the car-side harness blue wire was a bridge to nowhere. But I still wonder - if that relay is sending power to the amp, didn't one of wires in the original wiring have to activate the relay?

[@DIYBenzGarage]

@@racketsports395 That is where the Chrysler design seems bass ackwards. The OEM radio sends a signal code to the computer, the computer then activates the relay not by sending 12V, but by shunting to ground. The other solenoid relay pin is always hot 12V in that socket. I think by doing this, the computer doesn't need to be fed & handle a lot of voltage it then has to distribute. The voltage is fed to the component and the computer has relays that connect to ground completing the circuit. I'm guessing it's so the computer draws less power, runs cooler, less likely to fail. If a wire from the computer shorts to ground and it was feeding 12V instead of ground, it could be catastrophic. So I guess it makes sense.

[@racketsports395]

@@DIYBenzGarage Well that's just Psycho, Norman! : ) I have wired up a relay as you suggested, but in the interim I tried the down and dirty fix from another YT video just putting a jumper wire from an ignition hot fuse to the pin 87 relay slot - just to test for sound (although that would mean the amp would be powered whenever the ignition is on, right?) Anyway, STILL no sweet sweet sounds of ...well..probably Steely Dan : )

[@Jake.Thimmy]

I have no power when i connected everything for my radio, I used the smart harness

[@KhaiMahase]

do you know where the amp in this car is located? i looked behind the rear speaker in the third row, on both sides i cant find it. I looked under the glove compartment and just see a harness

[@DIYBenzGarage]

What model year is your vehicle? In the 2001-2004 models, each of the 6x9 speakers has an amplifier mounted directly to it, those models use the relay described in this video. 2005-2007 has an amp mounted behind the right side interior body panel behind the 3rd row seat. That one is trouble, there is no relay and it is controlled by the vehicles computer system and the bypass kits are overpriced. Your best option there is to run new speaker wires from the new head unit to the speakers.

[@DIYBenzGarage]

Also you may not have the amp if your vehicle doesn't have the premium sound system. Then it's easy, just buy the adapter harness and install per the directions.

[@NicoDaGunman]

My NBS relay is empty, no pins inside either but radio still plays the aftermarket does not

[@DIYBenzGarage]

Is it a 2005 or later? I found out they changed the system in 2005 & I updated this post, but forgot to change the title (done now). This may help: 2005-2007 is different and may need this module if you have a factory amp: www.amazon.com/PAC-C2R-CHY4-Replacement-Interface-Chrysler/dp/B001U3ULQO?th=1 Here is some info: www.justanswer.com/dodge/az252-2005-dodge-grand-caravan-radio-infinity.html Expensive unit. But unlike the 01-04 models that had an amplifier built into each speaker, 05-07 had an amp in the trunk area, so you can run directly to the factory speakers from your new head unit. There are amp bypass harnesses, but they are expensive & you still need to run the wires from your head unit back to the amp adapter plug. It's just as easy to run wires to each speaker yourself.

[@NicoDaGunman]

@@DIYBenzGarage it’s a 07 town and country limited, nbs relay is blank, l do have an LC2 Pro u think that’ll work. I can’t find anything online and I’m on a budget I already bought the amp subs kits and that I’m not trying to spend any more on this what do you suggest I appreciate the help

[@DIYBenzGarage]

@@NicoDaGunman Don't use the LC2, that converts speaker level to line level. Your factory amp works with speaker level feed, your new amp works with line level (RCA jacks) that should already be on your new head unit. The problem with your model is the amp is no longer turned on by a relay, it's turned on by the computer. What I did on my current Grand Caravan: New kenwood head unit, small Kenwood class D 4 channel amp in the glove box under the passenger seat, Rockville compact sub under the drivers seat, I ran speaker wires under the carpet from the amp to the rear speakers (easy), amp to the door speakers (not as easy), the head unit internal amp to the dash speakers (easy), and to the rear tweeters (pain in the ass). I also replaced all the speakers. Now read my next reply and maybe it will help.

[@DIYBenzGarage]

First watch this video, I think your amp will be located on the RIGHT side (passenger for USA). Look at the (overpriced) bypass harness instructions pdf.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageBank/v20200526131100/Manuals/120/120706504.PDF You can use that diagram to figure out what speaker wires are where & tap into them if you rather feed through the factory wires. Ignore the power wires. You can then run the output of the new amp into those wires or from your head unit to those wires. This is not an easy job, removing that rear panel is a pain, you may need a lg socket & breaker bar if the seat belt needs to be removed.

[@DIYBenzGarage]

Actually passenger side may be the easy side. And I shoud have asked to begin with: Are you 100% sure you have the premium sound system? Did the new head unit power on but there was no sound (no power is a different issue, typically ground not connected) Did you double check all wiring?

[@gabaknegocios]

T&C 05 mine does not have the relay, do it mean my minivan does not need the relay to make it work? i have no sound with the new stereo

[@DIYBenzGarage]

2005-2007 is different, it looks like you need a module if you have a factory amp, or completely rewire from head unit to speakers. Here is some info: www.justanswer.com/dodge/az252-2005-dodge-grand-caravan-radio-infinity.html and this: www.amazon.com/PAC-C2R-CHY4-Replacement-Interface-Chrysler/dp/B001U3ULQO?th=1

[@forzafan6924]

Hypothetically speaking?? Couldn't I just find the amp remote and run it to my radio to turn on with it instead of the kit??

[@DIYBenzGarage]

@@forzafan6924 As far as I know, no. CAN bus is kind of like a computer network and the various components communicate over this network. The amp needs communication to turn on, not a simple 12v current to turn on like my 2001. Why they feel the need to put the audio system on that is beyond me. It's just a radio for crying out loud.

[@jesusc.4292]

I have the same issue but my factory stereo works fine sound and all but when i went under my fuse box the nbs relay is not used. Im working on a 2005 dodge grand caravan with the built in nav and trying to install a pioneer i got lower no sound i plugged in the factory stereo and the sound came on fine any ideas what im missing here?

[@DIYBenzGarage]

2005-2007 is different, it looks like you need a module if you have a factory amp, or completely rewire from headunit to speakers. Here is some info: www.justanswer.com/dodge/az252-2005-dodge-grand-caravan-radio-infinity.html and this: www.amazon.com/PAC-C2R-CHY4-Replacement-Interface-Chrysler/dp/B001U3ULQO?th=1

[@DIYBenzGarage]

And this will allow you to bypass the amp, but I would keep it. www.crutchfield.com/p_120706504/Metra-70-6504-Amp-Bypass-Harness.html

[@jcoleman9577]

I'm sorry but I didn't catch where the ground was hooked too. Thank you

[@DIYBenzGarage]

You can hook it to the negative battery terminal, or any clean metal part of the car body.

[@jcoleman9577]

Where on the relay did the ground go. To pin 85

[@DIYBenzGarage]

@@jcoleman9577 85 and 86 are not polarized, but I have told others to attach 85 to the head unit blue wire, and 86 to ground. If you reversed it it would still work fine. Those two pins go to the coil that activates the relay.

[@forzafan6924]

I have a 07 dodge grand caravan the amp won't turn on no sound from the radio hypo speaking couldn't I just find the power remote switch that turne yhe wmp on amd rin it up to my radio??

[@DIYBenzGarage]

CAN bus has you painted into a corner. You could bypass the amp. My current GC doesn't have the amp system, but I put an amp into the passenger seat storage compartment (for front and rear), ran all new wire to the speakers, ran the dash speakers off of the head unit itself & stashed a compact sub under the drivers seat. It worked out great.

[@forzafan6924]

@DIY Benz Garage ya the bus is a real stickler I don't want to do without the amp it makes the system sound much better but for an extra 35 dollars for the bus connector ehhhh idk if it's worth that I mean the system shouldn't sound too bad without the amp

[@DIYBenzGarage]

@@forzafan6924 If it's a good head unit, it will sound good without the amp, bypassing the amp is the pain in the @ss. Also the amp will also drive 6 speakers, not 4 (if you have dash speakers). If you bypass the amp I wouldn't use the dash speakers,

[@forzafan6924]

@DIY Benz Garage its juts a cheap 60 dollar walmart radio like 200 wata buy 50 x4 or something like that should I go with a better model any suggestions

[@forzafan6924]

@DIY Benz Garage I did buy bass blockers for my front tweeters so I can drive the tweeters qnd block any high frequencies to hopefully stop them from blowing

[@michaelmalcolm1985]

dude where is the AMP

[@DIYBenzGarage]

2001-2004 the amp(s) are mounted on the back of each of the 6x9 speakers. 2005-2007 it is mounted behind the heat/ac unit in the rear right quarter panel(completely different system, this video does NOT apply to those years.