It needs to be reset in order for it to light up. It is wired correctly. Aside from being the unit itself that may not be working correctly, there is a fuse that is found on the yellow battery wire. The fuse seems fine, and the previous indash player worked fine.This is basically what happens:1. I turn on the car, but the unit does not light up.2. I hit reset.3. The unit lights up.4. I turn off the car.5. If I turn on the car again, the unit does not light up.6. I need to hit reset for the unit to turn on.The unit is a model TS-393 (also known as DV-393) made by Avatar Electronics Ltd. You can find the unit on eBay by those model numbers.I drive a 1999 RAV 4. Something tells me it may be the fuse in the middle of the yellow wire on the unit. My old unit did not have one, what would happen if I were to eliminate it altogether, would the fuse from the car handle it?

Try exchanging it for a new one. If that solves it, then you know what the problem was.

I would try these steps first1)Try a "relay switch" ( like the one that you might use for an amp ) from your battery to the unit... bypass your cars fuse box.(2)Check the fuse... try another one in the yellow wire and make sure it is'nt it.(3)By turning your car off it is possible that you are sending a message to the unit to reset itself. Try the first option above to remedy the problem. It sounds like you have the unit tied into the starting circuit of the car. I would change that. That would be hard on the unit! Off, on, off, on....(4)Check your ground on the unit also... "wire" -- face or body of the unit sometimes needs extra grounding to work properly.Good luck , Have Fun!