Infinity Sound System and NEW Kenwood Head Unit. Need help!

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Steen

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Guys,

Been searching on this topic for the past two days. Need to narrow it down to hopefully someone that has experienced not only the same thing, but in the same vehicle.

I am trying to resolve an extremely frustrating situation. I have a 2008 Dodge Ram with the Infinity Speaker Package. Installed the radio with the suggested CHTO-013BB from Best Buy. Installed all the wired connections per the Axxess instructions and the Kenwood DDX470 installation manual. Once installed the head unit powers on, but I get no sound from any source (Radio, CD, Bluetooth, Aux, etc.), even no touch screen selection beeps from the head unit. After my discovery, I reinstalled the stock unit and all works as it should. My conclusion is that I am not getting a proper AMP-TURN ON signal to the factory amps which is exactly why I bought the CHTO-013BB. When looking at the stock wiring diagram (attached), I appears that the CHTO-013BB sends a signal through the rear speakers outputs? Is that correct? Is the factory remote turn on signal from the CAN-BUS+ (pin 5)? There is nothing hooked to that wire from the CHTO-013BB.

I’ve attached some pictures for reference. Has anyone come across this problem yet?
12VoltSwitchPower_zps7fa9f4ff.jpg
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BlueWhiteWire_zps8b9c7531.jpg
22pinConnections_zpse89f48b8.jpg

StockWiring_zpsd7855c92.jpg
SolderedConnections_zpse7b2a929.jpg
22pinConnections_zpse89f48b8.jpg
 

MegaMouseGW

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Best Buy are morons when it comes to stereo installs. Not only did they make you waste god money on the wrong interface, but they wasted your time also. Seeing as everything from around 2005 to present uses the can-bus system you need the correct unit. Here is a link to the site that can help you in choosing the correct one: Pac-audio.com Products | iPod Integration for your car and More by Pac-Audio - Connecting you to the future

I used the PAC interface for my dodge and have had no problems at all. Just choose the proper one and wire it up as the instructions say, and you will have no problems.
 
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Steen

Steen

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Thanks for the reply. Yea, I hear what you are saying about the Best Buy guys.. but the kit was actually the correct one from Metra/Axxess website. The CHTO-013BB is a Best Buy exclusive item, but it's simply the CHTO-01 and CHTO-03 wrapped into one kit to get you (me) to spend more money. Spend this morning on the phone with Metra (Yes, on Sunday) and the guy takes a look at my pics and says that the module must be bad. :Stupid Me:

Best Buy was pretty cool about it though. I left my wiring in place and just went up there and they swapped the module out for me... was all excited thinking I got this licked. Get back to the truck... same crap! No sound.

What I did do though was hook up the stock stereo with the truck running. Let it run for about a minute then unplugged it and plugged back in the Kenwood.. VIOLA! Sound! Thought I was in the clear... shut truck off and restart.. Boom... no more sound!

I was looking at the PAC RP4-CH11 now before I even read your response. So it worked as should.. no issues huh? What kind of vehicle?
 

Tyrant

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I just did an install on my 2012 Laramie using the CHTO-03.

the blue/white wire i connected to the amp turn on wire of my radio (pioneer appradio 3) or to the antenna wire on other radios. (i faced a problem in my 07 charger where i left out the blue/white wire and got no audio just as you)

for the second red wire i left it alone and not connected to anything... i assumed its used to power up another device.
 

MegaMouseGW

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I have a 2007 Ram that I installed a Kentwood into. Have had no problems at all since the install and sounds killer. I used a pac audio interface too. Just remember though that there were 2 different stereo plugs used in the 2006 to 2008 Rams. One is a 20 pin unit and the other is a 24 pin unit. Make sure you use the correct one.
 
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Steen

Steen

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Thanks guys. The 2008 is actually a 22 pin (see wiring pics above). I had the remote wire hooked up both ways. Blue/White to Blue/White and I even connected the Power Antenna and Remote on the head unit side, to the Blue/White wire on the interface... Nothing.

I emailed the tech guys at Metra again this morning to see what they have to say. If they are baffled then it looks like I am heading out to pick up a PAC interface and give that a try. I will keep the thread posted just in case anyone else has this problem and Google's the crap out of it like I did.
 
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Steen

Steen

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Hope you can get it fixed. Nothing worse than no tunes in our rides.

I hear ya bud! I actually just got done putting the stock radio back in for now until I get it figured out. You're right... can't ride with no tunes.

So I talked to their main tech at Metra/Axxess today after waiting on hold for about 45 minutes. In the database there are notes that state that in 2007-2008 Dodge produced two types of amplifiers for the Infinity Sound Systems. The CHTO-01 only works on ONE of them and NOT the other. I asked if there was a way to tell which amp I have, he said there was no way. He said the only thing I could do is use the Bypass Harness (70-6514) or "physically" bypass the amp all together and tap into the speaker leads coming out of the amp. He said the "physical" option could be PIA unless you take apart just about the whole dash.

After I got completely disgusted I called PAC Audio based out of Clearwater. They have the RP4-CH11 or the C2R-CHY4 which they do not have any notes in their database about not being compatible.

Now I am wondering if I should gamble with the PAC product and see if it works (which I always thought to be subpar of Axxess) OR just bite the bullet and see what it sounds like getting powered from the Kenwood Head unit?? I guess if it's not enough for me I could always add on a small 4-CH amp. What a nightmare!!!
 

MegaMouseGW

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I had god luck with the PAC units myself. Had no problems at all with the one I got. Now to disable the amp can be a bit tricky. Yu do not have to completely disassemble the dash, just remove the glovebox and look up and a bit towards the radio. The amp should be up there and you may be able to get to its connector that way. But if you pull the harness out of where the dash is at you may find the amp interface connector in there. It will look like a y harness with one end plugging into the radio and the other end plugging into the main harness. Just unplug it and the amp is disabled. Next would be to find the fuse for the amp. Easy enough if it was factory it ill be in the fuse box. If it was put in after the truck was bought then you will have a wire coming off the battery.
After disableing the amp then it is just easy to hook up your new radio using the pac unit (get one that says for tucks without the premium stereo option), and then plugging it in. I ahd the kicker upgrade myself and did the same to my kicker amp (it was junk) and my Kentwod puts out more and better sound than the kicker amp did.
 
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Steen

Steen

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I had god luck with the PAC units myself. Had no problems at all with the one I got. Now to disable the amp can be a bit tricky. Yu do not have to completely disassemble the dash, just remove the glovebox and look up and a bit towards the radio. The amp should be up there and you may be able to get to its connector that way. But if you pull the harness out of where the dash is at you may find the amp interface connector in there. It will look like a y harness with one end plugging into the radio and the other end plugging into the main harness. Just unplug it and the amp is disabled. Next would be to find the fuse for the amp. Easy enough if it was factory it ill be in the fuse box. If it was put in after the truck was bought then you will have a wire coming off the battery.
After disableing the amp then it is just easy to hook up your new radio using the pac unit (get one that says for tucks without the premium stereo option), and then plugging it in. I ahd the kicker upgrade myself and did the same to my kicker amp (it was junk) and my Kentwod puts out more and better sound than the kicker amp did.

10-4. I just ordered the PAC C2R-CHY4 to try the whole 'use the stock amp with aftermarket radio'. Which is really all I desire for the moment. If that doesn't work then I will have to go the bypass route. See what happens.
 

MegaMouseGW

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10-4. I just ordered the PAC C2R-CHY4 to try the whole 'use the stock amp with aftermarket radio'. Which is really all I desire for the moment. If that doesn't work then I will have to go the bypass route. See what happens.

Cool here is a link for you if you decide to bypass the amp: http://www.kicker.com/sites/default/files/mopar/pdf/KICK35.pdf

Granted it is for the kicker amp install but the wiring and location of the infinity amp are the same.

:fishing1:
 
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Steen

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MegaMouseGW

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No problem I have that page I linked favorite just in case someone needs a bit of help on the amp install.
 

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