Radio shuts off when going over a bump

Started noticing this issue a few months ago when I would hit an occasional pothole or off-roading hitting a big bump. Ive since been able to recreate the radio shutting off consistently. I would hit the bump, radio would shut off, then about 3-5 seconds later turn back on and re-connect via blue tooth on my phone. This is not an aux cord issue etc. The whole head unit goes black and looses power before turning back on. The clock on the stock dash doesn't reset. The presets of the head unit itself are not lost as it recognizes my phone and reconnects on its own. Although tonight when I hit it my LED headlights did flicker. Almost as if they lost power at the same moment as the head-unit did. Thinking a possible ground issue somewhere on the truck? Main ground? Body ground? Fault in the factory wiring somewhere?

Details:

-1st gen Tacoma

-I first had an aftermarket alpine head unit that did this, thought it was the unit itself so replaced with a Kenwood head unit and still does the same thing on a specific bump next to my house.

-Wiring on the first head unit was soldiered and heat wrapped. Second wiring was also soldiered and heat wrapped. Different connections on each head unit going to and from the headunit itself.

-Battery is secure to the truck with no wiggle room or play.

-Terminal connections on positive/negative battery post are very secure and nothing looks very corroded.



Any help or info much appreciated. Cheers

 

Something must be wrong with the connections. Maybe not plugged in correctly?

 

This issue occurred on the last wiring and this current wiring on two different head units. All functions worked to my knowledge and everything seems locked in when I was wiggling all the wires on the original unit trying to replicate the issue with it actual headunit taken out but still connected via plugs to the truck

 

Sounds like a ground and they can be a pain to find.
Start with cleaning the battery terminals and the posts. Easiest to buy the roper battery terical cleaner brush.
Also negative from the battery to the alternator and where it connects to the alt. Make sure it's bare metal, clean, and the bolt is snug.

If you can find it, scrape the area where the radio is grounded, even if it already appears to be bare metal.

 

Will do all of the above tomorrow. Think it must be some sort of actual ground for the truck causing this

 

@Speedytech7

Do you think this issue could be caused by a major ground being loose etc? Like one of the three big grounds?

I forgot I don’t have a ground strap from the negative terminal to the body right there next to the battery also. But don’t think it would cause this issue?

 

Well other than the ECU to sensor ground you would only have the body to head ground. You should replace that body to battery ground. It's important

 

The only time I've seen this is when coins are in the stereo from kids inserting them. They slide to a specific spot and ground out a power source to turn it off.

The connections to the headunit are my biggest suspect, even if soldered and heat shrink they may need to be inspected, at least +,-, and ign.

 

Will replace tomorrow then. Also will ground the headunit wiring harness ground to one of my switch grounds hopefully

Just seems off to me that both connections, on both wiring harnesses that I soldiered would be the issue. Seems like there is something else at play

 

Sounds like not a coin issue seeing as it's not been the whole time. But my kid inserted 6 cd's into my playstation I'm not overruling it.

Now, why not pull the head and re ground. Make sure it is within 3 ft of the unit. Test the ground with a multimeter and self rap if you have to and you know how and have the tools.
If not I'm sure all of us can hel you.

Although I agree with doing a check on all the ground connections like the battery and what not

 

Sounds good. I’ll definitely splice a ground within 3 feet of the ground harness from the headunit to factory wiring. So that will eliminate the factory ground being a weak point/intermittent

May splice the ground to my series of grounds on my switches there since I know those work and are a good connection also.

 

If the ground wire is long enough, you can also find a spot around the radio/console and scratch it (if there's paint) then self tap the ground there.

 

Yea true. I’ll probably end up just extending the ground wire anyways

 

Sure, you can do that.

I worked in the Roadshop waaaay back when Circuit City was around and have seen some jungles behind radios.

So that was always the easiest thing to do.

 

Haha I bet there was some absolute messes!

Hopefully grounding it directly fixes the issue

 

Battery terminals cleaned. If the ground was cutting out at the alt wouldnt I be able to see more things cut out than just the headunit?

Ground replaced and cleaned where it connected to the body panels right there. Also spliced the headunit wiring and wired directly to a ground. Headunit still cuts out when going over a big bump. Any other ideas? Power now possibly?

Headunit grounded within 3ft of the unit. Still cuts out when I hit a big bump. Any other ideas?

 

Maybe the unit is faulty.
I would take the receiver out and shake it around a bit like going over a bump with it on and see if cuts out.
If not then where did you pull power from?

 

Have you checked to make sure the dash brace is bolted well and that the grounds in the kick panels are secured well too?

 

This happened with two seperate units. I thought it was the unit also until replacing and having the same issue happen

Dash brace is bolted well. Will check kick panel grounds now also. Just remove the plastic over the door and check for grounds? Speaker grounds? Or are they actual grounds?

 

Any in particular?