97 mountianeer AWD radio has no power.

[albertinhouston]

I bought this truck for my sons first vehicle. He just passed his drivers test. I'd like to get the radio working properly before he gets it. Here's the deal....everything works it just doesn't play loud. It has the JBL audio system in it. It sounds like its an old 1970s hand held radio Or like the amp is out. Kinda like their is not bass at all.

here are my questions:

1) When I bought ithe car, the antenna was completely broken. So I bought one but it was out of a 99 so the connectors are different. So It had no power to make it go up and down.---- If the antenna has no power to it, does that affect the signal ??? My thoughts were the power was JUST for the antenna to move up and down.


2) If an amp goes out will the radio still work ???


As I said up there.... I'm trying to get this fixed today or tomorrow.
Thanks again,


Albert

 

[R1dd1cK]

Sounds like the factory amp might be bad. Normally when the amp goes out you will barley have any audio out put.

 

[albertinhouston]

I went and looked to at two local bone yards and I didn't find what I was looking for. In the back passanger panel I have a speaker in box. then I have two electronic boxes.


Is this what the Amp looks like? The one I have is twice the size this one. it's the first and the third one.


http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...&gbv=2&tbm=isch&itbs=1&sa=X&ved=0CEoQrQMwEDgU

 

[R1dd1cK]

Is this what yours looks like?

 

[albertinhouston]

exaclty

CAn you explain this set up to me please? which powers what.

 

[R1dd1cK]

The box on your left is the amp for the radio speakers. It is also the radio its self. You will see where the antenna plugs in to it. The box in the center next to the speaker is the amp for the sub or the speaker it is next to. And if I remember right the little white box controls the power antenna. Does that help?

 

[R1dd1cK]

Just to make sure you did check all the fuses first?

 

[albertinhouston]

so the one with the red and orange wires control the base right??? I saw a crap load of them. When I disconnected the wires from that one ther was no change in the sound. when I disconnected the one on the left everything cut off.

 

[R1dd1cK]

so the one with the red and orange wires control the bass right???

Yes it is only for the subwoofer.

When I disconnected the wires from that one their was no change in the sound. when I disconnected the one on the left everything cut off.

Yes that is right. The amp on the left gets it signal from the head unit. Then it takes that signal it gets form the head unit then amplifies it to the speakers. SO I would say the amp on the left is probably bad.

 

[albertinhouston]

wow thats going to suck out of 30 exp mounts I didnt see one like that.....

 

[R1dd1cK]

Well I go to the junk yards down here quite often. If you want me too I can keep an eye out for one.

 

[albertinhouston]

I'm going to pick up the one in the middle to see if that works the Pick and Pull here lets you take them back for exchange or cash back.

 

[R1dd1cK]

OK you can try that but if it didn't change anything being unplugged then it is not the problem.

 

[1996BLKBauer]

The factory radio has no bass, unless the rear mounted subwoofer works. It is a horrible design. I delt with this problem for a year before I bought a Alpine Headunit, which then solved my problem. With my factory speakers it sounded great! I honestly why they did not design it to have even a little midbass in the door speakers, and why they left all the bass handling to single sub placed in the rear.

 

[albertinhouston]

So you are on board with what R1dd1cK wrote.... I need to change the Bigger one on the left. ???

And if I want to add an aftermarket radio I would have it installed in the front and the one on the left would be usless.


Is this specific to certian years Mountaineers? I know I tried to use the middle one off a 99 mountineer and the plugs were different

 

[budwich]

I think that you might want to do a little bit of testing first before you run off to get another unit... like maybe at least see if you go power as in DC going into the unit. Might explain why the POWER antenna isn't working as it probably gets its power from the controller.

 

[albertinhouston]

The power antenna isn't working because the antenna is from a 99 mount. and the connector in the kick panel is different. I do have power at the connector coming from the harness.

 

[1996BLKBauer]

The one on the left is probably working fine, like I said it simply does not have low notes programmed to play. Mine worked fine, it is pretty much the brains, and the unit at the front is buttons, and a tapedeck. I am not entirely sure if the rear amp is completely useless if you get an after market unit. But I know you bypass all the speaker wires, antenna, and power wires, so my guess is that you are, but there is more then one plug going into it.

Honestly what I suggest is buying a $90 Headunit, spending $50 on a harness, and $20 on the dash kit, and just hook up an aftermarket unit. Since it is for your kid, he will most likely want to use an MP3 device for music. the HU/harness also has a wire for the power antenna so if my mast was not broken, it would work great, I can still hear the motor working. Also those JBL speakers sound really nice when all the notes are going though them. The aftermarket approach would be easier, if not cheaper then trying to fix the stock problem unit.

 

[albertinhouston]

cool thanks guys