1998 explorer MACH radio button "backlighting" | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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1998 explorer MACH radio button "backlighting"

russ12

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July 19, 2016
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City, State
lexington, ky
Year, Model & Trim Level
1998 ford explorer
I have a 1998 Explorer Eddie Bauer I don't have radio button illumination or backlighting. I do have station and clock illumination after replacing the power supply with a new Dorman part I got from Amazon.. I just assumed all the buttons would now light up as all the radio lights had been out several years. Near as I can tell all other dash lights illuminate and dim properly.

I am assuming that the radio buttons should have backlighting. If so, what could be my problem?
 



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Radio button illumination is separate from the display illumination. First thing to check is for power when the lights are on - according to the schematic the illumination wire is a red/black wire in position 1 on the 16 pin connector. If you have power there, the problem is internal to the radio. If not, trace back to find out where the power is being interrupted. Good luck.
 






Thanks, Good advice. Do you have an on line source fo the wiring diagram?
 






Most likely you have a crack in the circuit board from it flexing when the buttons are pressed. If that's the issue, the generic answer is buy a new radio, though there might be some repair service on eBay/etc or the take it apart, trace the fault and DIY alternative.
 






Most likely you have a crack in the circuit board from it flexing when the buttons are pressed. If that's the issue, the generic answer is buy a new radio, though there might be some repair service on eBay/etc or the take it apart, trace the fault and DIY alternative.
Also good advice. I just may pull the radio and at least do a visual inspection of the connections, especially the face plate and power test of the red/black wire.
 






Also good advice. I just may pull the radio and at least do a visual inspection of the connections, especially the face plate and power test of the red/black wire.[/QUOTE
I pulled the radio, used contact cleaner on connections, did not see any wires. Did not test the red/black power. at this time. Still the same, no button backlighting.
 






You'd pull the faceplate and circuit board attached to it, supply power, and probe the board with a multimeter to find where the light circuit has a break in it. Without power you can still do continuity checks and diode tests for the LEDs, but whether that'll find it without power applied depends on where the fault lies.
 






Does this help? You didn't say if you have the Mach or Premium system. This is for non-mach systems.

Function Typical Wire Colors
Memory / Constant 12V(+) Yellow
Switch / Accessory Red
Ground Black
Illumination Orange/White
Antenna Remote Blue
Amp Remote Blue/White
Left Front (+) White
Left Front (-) White/Black
Right Front (+) Grey
Right Front (-) Grey/Black
Left Rear (+) Green
Left Rear (-) Green/Black
Right Rear (+) Violet
Right Rear (-) Violet/Black
headunitwh.gif
 






Does this help? You didn't say if you have the Mach or Premium system. This is for non-mach systems.

Function Typical Wire Colors
Memory / Constant 12V(+) Yellow
Switch / Accessory Red
Ground Black
Illumination Orange/White
Antenna Remote Blue
Amp Remote Blue/White
Left Front (+) White
Left Front (-) White/Black
Right Front (+) Grey
Right Front (-) Grey/Black
Left Rear (+) Green
Left Rear (-) Green/Black
Right Rear (+) Violet
Right Rear (-) Violet/Black
headunitwh.gif
Thank you. Sorry mine is the Mach system.
 












Source for wiring diagrams:
Auto - Online Repair Info
http://search.ebscohost.com/
Login ID: chattech
Login PW: avenue
Select: Auto Repair Reference Center
Fill in: Find Your Vehicle
Follow prompts down to Wiring Diagrams.
 












Yep - old one worked for years. No idea how long this one will work, but it's good for now.
 






I have a 1998 Explorer Eddie Bauer I don't have radio button illumination or backlighting. I do have station and clock illumination after replacing the power supply with a new Dorman part I got from Amazon.. I just assumed all the buttons would now light up as all the radio lights had been out several years. Near as I can tell all other dash lights illuminate and dim properly.

I am assuming that the radio buttons should have backlighting. If so, what could be my problem?
 






I replaced my Mach radio from a junk yard. The original and the replacement eventually came to a point where I had to wait at least 24 hours before the CD player would accept another CD. So I can't play more than one CD per day. In the last week I can no longer reset the clock as per manual instructions. The RDS button just causes RDS to cycle between 'RDS on & off''.

To summarize: the Mach radio electronics 'invents' 'new' problems periodically. Sometimes disconnecting the battery for more than 10 minutes cures a problem and originates another new one.

Anybody find similar problems?
 






The components inside all electrical devices like radios will develop issues with old age. It's common at near 20 years to have things happen to the stereo, the compass, the trip computer, an AC electronic control unit etc. Parts like capacitors do not last forever, they do wear out.

Popular devices will have repair sources who know how to rebuild them, fixing well known things. I suggest contacting some of the repair sources who advertise locally, or on eBay etc. There are people who can rebuild the Mach and Pioneer units, but locating them will be the hard part. I'd expect the cost to be near $100 at the bottom end range. I know someone who will handle any of the issues with the 1984-92 Mark VII's. I hope to get that gentleman take a look at my spare Mach and see if he could do something for them. I haven't been in any hurry, lots of other things to do right now. The man's name is Paul Protos, you could try to search his name and see if you find his email address, and ask him. I don't know if he has ever touched anything of these Explorers, I think he may have experience with the CD changers.
 






At this point I wouldn't even want the factory radio as a replacement, with inexpensive aftermarket now having bluetooth, USB or SD card playback. I suppose there's an argument to be made for preserving steering wheel controls if you have them but with old school radios like these, where they were designed for ergonomics, I don't find the steering wheel controls as necessary as on newer vehicles.
 






Sounds like these problems are a good excuse to get a new radio! Unless you're like me and want to keep it simply because of how cool the rear radio controls are...
 






^ That seemed cool at first but over time I became unsure whether that's a feature or a flaw.
 



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^ That seemed cool at first but over time I became unsure whether that's a feature or a flaw.

The radio controls? Feature I guess, but if you have kids who mess with them I can see it as being a pretty big flaw.
 






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