I've just bought a new motorhome based on a Ducato. The Radio/CD player requires the ignition key to be turned before it will work. However, in contrast to my previous vehicles the key has to be turned to the second position, i.e. immediately before starting the engine, with the oil and ignition lights on. Is this normal? It doesn't seem a good idea to leave it in this state for any length of time.

I also have a camper built on a Ducato chassis, when I fitted my new radio/cd mp3 player I got the installer to have power to the radio at all times as you can then listen to the radio at all times without the key in the ignition. The way yours is fitted now could damage the coil and other components. Have a radio installer look at it for you.

Hi there

Take the radio out till you can get at the connector at the rear. There is a supply to the connector, on pin 4 I think which has 12v on all the time. This is for the radio memory. If you've got a test meter or light use that and you will soon find it. Check again for the one that is switched by the ignition, pin 7 i think again.
Cut the one from the ignition, and splice one onto the permanent 12v supply to the radio feed

Hope this helps.

I've done it and mine is now available with ignition on or off.

Thanks for the suggestions - as the van is brand new, I'll take it back to the dealer, but I think the point about the supply directly from the battery is valid - I'll try it if I get no joy with the installer. Looking at Blaupunkt's website, it seems there may be a conversion cable available, but I'll leave that to the dealer to confirm.

many thanks

Hi

I know this thread is a couple of months old, but on the back of the standard CD player in a 2004 Ducato there are the 2 sockets for power and speakers etc, but there is a thrid one.

Does anyone know what this 3rd socket does?

It only has 3 wires which are labelled as RC-A, RC-B and Earth.

Any Ideas?

Cheers

Paul

I think the third socket is for connecting a CD changer.

I've got one installed under the drivers seat. It simplifies the routing for the loom to the rear of the radio.

Cheers

Julian

I had the same problem on my camper van, so I just cut the wires and re-terminated them, so the radio would work all the time.

On my 2003 2.8JTD, I noticed the same problem. However on mine, if you rotate the key slightly back from the "pre-start" position, it has a position where the radio will work, with nothing else powered. The radio needs to be switched on manually in this position, and the "click stop" on the key mechanism is much softer than in the other positions, but it's definitely there. Oddly, there is no mention in the manual of this.

My brother-in-law has a Peurgeot estate with exactly the same problem -- he advised me to try this, and it worked.