1998 Explorer factory cd/radio display

[gnx547]

The radio/cd player display light on a 1998 Explorer does not show up. I can't see the time or the radio channels. Is there a light bulb in the radio that can be replaced?

 

[windsors03cobra]

The display failure is quite common, the set can be repaired there are different places all over that do these fixes, most want about $125+Shipping it to them.
I just bought one on ebay from a radio re-builder and it sold for $110, wife was without the display for the better part of a year.

 

[99SportX]

You can buy a rebuilt radio, get it repaired by someone else, or fix it yourself.

If you are good at soldering you can attempt a fix. I have fixed two and the displays have been working fine for years. You can also just replace the power board inside the radio if you can find a replacement.

 

[gnx547]

I'm good at soldering, is there a write up on this forum for fixing the radio?

 

[99SportX]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163594

Take a look at that thread.

I removed the display board. It measures about 1" x 3-4" and has a large heat shield over it that is about 1" tall. I used copper solder soaker braid to, one at a time, soak up the solder on each connection and put new solder in its place. You may be able to just reheat each joint, but I only wanted to open the radio once. I removed the heat shield by melting the solder joints so I had access to the board. There are about 4 large resistors on the board. The leads on them were a little long so I pushed them through the board as far as I could to get them off the board for better heat dissipation.

I am sure there are just a few common joints that are faulty. When I looked at the two boards I did, there was no obvious area that looked defective. That is why I decided to just do every joint.

 

[Nueve Cinco XLT]

When I changed my headlight switch, the lights in the radio came back on. I could already see the time but everything else was out. I bought the headlight switch at autozone for $20.

 

[SoNic67]

So the "dimming" of display started to work when you replaced the light switch... interesting.

 

[Steeda90GT]

I would try to resolder the board if you have time. Otherwise, just buy an aftermarket head unit and replace the POS Ford junk.

 

[windsors03cobra]

I wouldnt call the factory unit junk, some of us have steering wheel controls and dont need a hard to operate/navigate aftermarket POS with an expensive and cumbersome steering wheel integration kit.
Beside many OEM radios are made by the big aftermarket vendors like Pioneer, Alpine, JBL, HK and Sony.

Radios can be hit and miss but many OEM radios will live twice as long as a middle of the road or even high end aftermarket headunits. Which fail plenty often. They usually cease playing unlike a bad display Ford radio.

 

[Steeda90GT]

Radios can be hit and miss but many OEM radios will live twice as long as a middle of the road or even high end aftermarket headunits. Which fail plenty often. They usually cease playing unlike a bad display Ford radio.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with this. With EVERY new vehicle that I have ever owned, the factory radio has crapped out in one way or another. ...especially with the Fords me or any of my family members have owned. Every single one. My X was actually one of the worst.

I have yet to have an issue with an aftermarket unit. They look 10x better, sound better, and have many more options which I tend to use a lot.

For a lot of people, it comes down to cost really. If your factory unit fails (and believe me it will) it's hard to justify spending $125 - $250 on another OEM junk unit when you're in aftermarket territory at that point. You'll have the peace of mind of owning a brand new unit with warranty, looks better, sounds better, and will have many more options.