GrassSeed JK

I know what you are saying but that isn't the issue at hand. I disconnected and reconnected the harness probably 6 times with the hardtop in place still and my ears were not the only ones noticing the change in speaker output.

I just got back from the local dealer (they're nice but not very helpful ) but I did get the install instructions for the hardtop wiring harness so I know what wires are what now. More to come I'll keep you posted.

rp41

Does the volume # on the radio stay the same? Some radios will go back to a lower volume when you turn the key off to keep it from hitting so hard when you turn it back on. Maybe the second the power is off when you unplug resets it???

GrassSeed JK

I did check the volume, balance F to B and L to R, treble, mids, and bass. They didn't change. And when the harness was reconnected (never turning off the key) speakers returned to the previous loudness. It's a VERY noticeable change from front to back when I unplug the harness.

The_Captain

I don't think mine did it....

But a freind of mine got some rental car, and when you sped up, the radio got louder, and when you slowed down it got quiter...

That would be cool if your Jeep changed radio settings, depending if you had tops on/off...



Hey, does taking the doors off make it change too?

GrassSeed JK

This is the diagram of the hardtop harness.

This is the plug that goes into the hardtop.

DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU RUIN YOUR JK!
With that said, I took a test light hooked it to a ground (I used the ground on the trailer wiring) and was checking the different pins in the plug to find out what was causing the radio output to change. I found that when the violet w/ white stripe (CAV3 in diagram) is grounded the stereo cut out for the half second and returned back to what a call normal output if the hardtop was on (stronger output of sub and sport bar speakers).

I'm just gonna make a jumper wire that will connect the CAV 3 and CAV 6 (black wire) together. But the best fix would be to buy the other half of the plug and properly connect the the wires to make the circuit.

P.S. Some of you have said that they've removed the hardtop with no radio change and some have had the change like me. I do not know what models and years are effected. All I can tell you is that my Jk was born December 07 and purchased January 08. I do have the speaker popping problem when playing CD's but have not received the amp re-flash due to comments of diminished power output.

GrassSeed JK

I'm not sure if taking off the doors would cause this as well. I haven't pulled mine off to find out yet.

aphazia

You're my hero, GS!

When you rig up your jumper, can you get some detail photos for me? I dig that the purple/white is CAV3 and requires grounding, but a nice photo to oversimplify for it will give me peace of mind before I go doing it on my own!

P.S. - Get the amp flash done. No output differences on my end. It does still pop occasionally, but FAR less often. And amusingly enough, I find that when it pops, it's solved in 90% of cases by increasing the volume. Something about the speakers handling bottom end sound at low volume = crackle/pop. Jack the volume up (usually to around 18 or so on the MyGig radio) and it solves it in most instances.

Big Clint

Interesting stuff. I've never had my hardtop disconnected, but will try it this weekend.

What I find bass ackwards is that volume/power is DECREASED with the hardtop off? ? Many cars are made to increase volume as speed and wind noise increase, and many convertables increase the volume and adjust settings when the top is down. So the real question is...WHY IS THE JK BASS ACKWARDS?

aphazia

Honestly, it looks accidentally as opposed to intentional... "Oops, that wire doesn't ground now and the volume went down..."

CJK

Okay, I'll bite... Why the hell would grounding the wire to the rear wiper have any effect on the radio