2002 Lincoln Ls won't start after removing radio.

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Cameron Rader

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Hello everyone,

I attempted to install an aux input into my car today and I had to disconnect the ground wire and the radio accessory wire from the harness to do so. Now when I plug everything back in, the car will not start. I know you have to have the stereo connected for the car to start, so I thought I wasn't completing the circuit. I twisted the ground wires and radio accessory wires back together, how they were from the beginning, and my car still won't start.

So my question to you guys is:

Is there any way to bypass the stereo having to be plugged in to start the car or will I have to buy a new harness and connect all the wires.

Thank you for any help.
 
Cameron Rader said:
... I know you have to have the stereo connected for the car to start, so I thought I wasn't completing the circuit....
Click to expand...

You "know" wrong. This is absolutely not true. The LS could care less if the radio is there or not as far as starting and operating the car goes.

You have messed something else up. Please describe exactly what is and isn't happening. Here are some questions to help get the descriptions.
1. Are the interior lights working?
2. What is the PATS light doing when you try to start it?
3. Do the gauges cycle or do anything else that isn't normal?
4. Do all the normal dash warning lights come on?
5. Do you hear rapid clicking under the hood when you try to start it?
6. Does the start crank the engine (starter turns crankshaft)?
...
 
+1 the PCM doesn't give two sh!ts if the radio is on the can bus or not, you may have drained your battery too far to be able to start the car(^#5). but your problem is not the radio having cut power wires...

and as joe mentioned, no body can help you by you telling us that the car just wont start... there are many different ways a car won't start, all with different problems

so, what do you mean that it wont start? does the engine crank and turn over and just wont fire up, or will the starter just not engage to even attempt to start the car (^#2 & #5)








on a different note, I'm very interested in why you "had to" disconnect the radios power and ground wires just to install an AUX input? I've put a couple hundred systems in and never had to cut/break the wires in the harness. tap into the power and ground wires, yes, cut them, never... most of the time if its an OEM style system, you just unplug stuff and then plug it back in, and most modulated systems just tap into the radios power and ground wires.
 
I was going by this video to remove my stereo, and they also say the car won't start when the stereo is out: http://youtu.be/Zqalg2cxF38

So that's why I assumed it was the stereo because my car worked just fine before I took the stereo out.

As for my car not starting, I'm sorry I didn't add a lot of detail, I was in a panic.
When I turn the key, I get a click and all the lights and dashboard lights work. I get a single click, not multiple.

As for why I had to disconnect wires, I'll admit I messed up big time. I'm a stubborn kid who should've gotten help but did not. I thought I could do it my own but lesson learned.
 
I'll have to wait until I get home to post further start up noises and visuals
 
As Joe and 1loud said, follow their advice. You will be well taken care of. In the mean
time, go back to basics. Once you have removed the radio, have you re-connected the
vent/fuel/status/rest controls ? Have you re-connected the AC/Heating controller below
the radio ? If not, begin with this, you should take care of your problem.

I drove my car for about a month with no radio. The only issue I came up with was the fact
I realised I don't have a good singing voice.:rolleyes:
 
Jack Flash said:
As Joe and 1loud said, follow their advice. You will be well taken care of. In the mean
time, go back to basics. Once you have removed the radio, have you re-connected the
vent/fuel/status/rest controls ? Have you re-connected the AC/Heating controller below
the radio ? If not, begin with this, you should take care of your problem.

I drove my car for about a month with no radio. The only issue I came up with was the fact
I realised I don't have a good singing voice.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
I'll give it a shot :) what year did you have?
 
It sounds like this may have been the last straw for your battery. Put it on a battery charger for a few hours and then try it. If that works, you probably need to replace the battery. Be sure to get the correct one with the vent tube connection (and be sure to connect the vent tube).
 
joegr said:
It sounds like this may have been the last straw for your battery. Put it on a battery charger for a few hours and then try it. If that works, you probably need to replace the battery. Be sure to get the correct one with the vent tube connection (and be sure to connect the vent tube).
Click to expand...

I placed my battery on the charger for 16 hours until it said my battery was fully charged. I put it back into my car, and connected everything I had disconnected trying to change the radio. The car started trying to turnover the instant I put my key in the ignition. I didn't turn it or anything. When I turn the keys, it tries to turnover but doesn't quite get there. When I take the keys out, all the needles away back and forth.

Any ideas? :(
 
Cameron Rader said:
...Any ideas? :(
Click to expand...

New battery. You can have the existing one load tested to make sure it's not a connection issue (with the battery cables or such), but it sounds like it's a bad battery.
Have you been doing any non radio modification or rewiring?
Do you have a remote start?
 
joegr said:
New battery. You can have the existing one load tested to make sure it's not a connection issue (with the battery cables or such), but it sounds like it's a bad battery.
Have you been doing any non radio modification or rewiring?
Do you have a remote start?
Click to expand...

Alright, I was iffy on if I needed a new battery of not.
The only thing I did was radio wiring on the wiring harness that connects to the stereo.
I do not have remote start.
 
Cameron Rader said:
The car started trying to turnover the instant I put my key in the ignition. I didn't turn it or anything.(
Click to expand...

Cameron Rader said:
I do not have remote start.
Click to expand...


honestly, since this car is not like newer Ford PTS, chrysler or GM cars where the PCM handles all the starting of the car, I do not know how that's even physically possible without having a remote start system or something else tied into the starter and ignition wires...
 
1LoudLS said:
honestly, since this car is not like newer Ford PTS, chrysler or GM cars where the PCM handles all the starting of the car, I do not know how that's even physically possible without having a remote start system or something else tied into the starter and ignition wires...
Click to expand...

Was waiting for someone to bring this up. Yeah something is definitely not right. The LS doesn't have the capability to turn itself over without cycling the key unless there is some serious aftermarket molestation going on.
 
SoulSoak said:
Was waiting for someone to bring this up. Yeah something is definitely not right. The LS doesn't have the capability to turn itself over without cycling the key unless there is some serious aftermarket molestation going on.
Click to expand...

Honestly, when I placed the key in and witnessed it, it scared me because I've never seen a car do this before. I'm going to change the battery tonight and see where that gets me.
 
honestly, I would pull knee bolster off and give it a good inspection, if you did not buy the car new, then who knows what kind of crazy sh!t could be going on back there. cant tell you how many times I've taken a car apart and there has already been a remote start in there that the previous owner (or dealer) lost the fobs before getting rid of the car. honestly, you wouldn't believe how many people bring in OEM RS equipped cars to get a RS put in because they didn't think they had one because the "button didn't work"... (it makes more sense to spend $300 for a new starter, VS taking five minutes to check the manual to make sure you were following the sequence correctly)


if your car tried to start itself without the key being turned on, there has to be more going on than a dead battery. its not just as simple as the starter cranking over, power would have to be provided to the PATS before the car would even let the starter crank.
 
This is such a late reply it's not even funny. My apologies.

I got the car to start. Turns out there was one wiring harness I did not have plugged into the back of the stereo. After I connected the harness, I recharged the battery and it worked.

I don't know if it is this specific year or not, but it looks like the stereo does have to be plugged in. Any thoughts?
 
1LoudLS said:
...whether you would like to believe it or not, you do not have the one ford car, ever that wouldn't start without a radio...
Click to expand...

Yep, pretty clear case of confirmation bias.
 
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