Radio does not turn off in Vanagon

[Voltaire302]

I'm having problems with my Vanagon's electrical system, and my battery is constantly running out, and for some reason, whenever I shut the car off, the radio screen light continues to stay lit. Any advice is appreciated.

- Matt

[Perales]

Who installed the radio? Is this a new condition, new radio?
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-- 1987 Westfalia automatic (Captain Vino)

[buildyourown]

The stock configuration is to have the radio stay on, even after the ignition is off. ie, the radio has an on/off switch completely independant of the ignition. This is a dead battery waiting to happen if you also have newer cars and get used to the radio being on all the time.

Newer headunits usually don't have an off switch. They come on with the ignition. On install, you need to pull a on/off signal from something near by (fan switch, etc.).

[914 mike]

I had a stereo that was doing similar things. Radio would be off, but light would be on. It even came on by itself a few times. I remember waking up at 3am wondering who the hell was blasting their radio so loud in front of my house. I got out of bed and went to confront the idiots.....there weren't any.....the music was coming from my westy. Michael Franti "Yell Fire" blasting!

Turned it off....but the gremlins continued for a few days. Turned out it was a bad ground.....check yours.....might be something simple like mine.

Mike

84 Westy
2.2 Suby
In a world full of ponys, its a thouroughbred horse.

[1621]

I'm not a car audio guru, but I believe most headunits, even the newer ones, have a way of turning off. My new Alpine doesn't have a dedicated on/off button, but rather you depress a button for tw0 or three seconds and the radio shuts down completely. Maybe you have something like this.
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'85 Westy

[DAIZEE]

THIS drives me crazy!!!At first I used to forget but now I'm pretty good at this irritating behavior. Turning mine off via the radio button is complicated because sometimes it takes you thru various modes (have a 10 CD changer wired to it) and when you think it is off its not. If the light/message says it is off then its not as it is still drawing for the light/message.

If I was keeping my Westy I would have it rewired for sure so when the ignition is off the radio draw is off.

I'm hoping my anticipated Country Home doesn't present like that. I honestly might take an ax to it. Well at least have it rewired.
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[Vanagonner]

There should be two power wires in to the unit- one for main power (includes memory power) and one that enables the unit to be switched on (ignition trigger). I finally got mine hooked up the right way, and hooked the trigger wire up to the "key in" sensor wire in the ignition bundle. It is a mod found here. Works great now.
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Sage
'82 Westy 1.6 D
the mighty n/a

[Jon_slider]

It seems my westies were wired so I could play music at camp with the key out.. I dont care for that battery draining option.

In my 85 Westy, I pop off the faceplate of the stereo, else the display stays on even with the key out.

In my 86 Westy the faceplate does not pop off, and I kept leaving the radio ON, sometimes with the volume turned down so I could not tell by listening, with the key out.

So I rewired my 86 so it only powers the stereo when the key is in the ignition.. Love the ability to turn of music by simply removing the ignition key..

instructions here:
http://www.weidefamily.net/vanagon/HTML/04/09/01.html

[Wildthings]

The unit in my Bay got so it would draw power all the time through the memory circuit, even when the second "ACC" wire was disconnected. I ended up feeding all the power through an extra switch. Not ideal as I lose the memory every time I turn the switch off, but cheap compared to buying a new unit or dealing with battery troubles.

[ANGOVAY]

I had the same problem with my radio. I was told to take off the face plate in order for it to be completly off. It worked but I got tired of doing this all the time so I had an audio guy put in an on/off by-pass switch under the dash. Works great and only cost about $25.
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Mark
90 Westy 1.8T Sold
2016 Sprinter Field Van

[buildyourown]

You guys are making this sound hard.
Pull the head unit. Look up in the Bentley what wire on the fan is switched by the ignition. Cut it and splice it to the on/off signal on the head unit.
Done. Now the radio will act just like any newer vehicle.

[wasserbox]

[PDXWesty]

Sounds like a weak battery or charging system too.

I think the OP should just learn how to turn off his radio. Every unit has an on/off function.

Voltaire - What model radio do you have?
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89 Westy 2.1 Auto

[shenan-agon]

What I just recently did with mine was to run the stereo on/off wire straight to one of the terminals on the fuse block. On the back of the fuse block are a bunch of male spade connectors; the ones on the left side seem to be constant 12V, the ones on the right are switched. My head unit now gets its turn-on signal from this point and its main power straight from the aux battery.


edit: I do like the sound of the key-in solution on Brent Weide's page, though. That would allow you to run the radio just with the key in the slot but not turned, so no drain from other systems. Could also pull both the turn-on and constant power from the aux battery that way. Hmm - might have to makes some alterations when I get a chance...

[DAIZEE]

When I push the on/off button on my radio it doesn't mean it turns off completely. Sometimes it goes to CD, sometimes to something else which I don't know and some times it says OFF but its still drawing power. I need to keep trying until I get no message on the screen.

[wasserbox]

[Vanagonner]

[Wildthings]

[DAIZEE]

have done that. it seems to rely on the pulse of the blood thru ones fingers. Seriously and I know how to wire to ignition but as I am selling I am leaving it as is.
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[shenan-agon]