Intermittent Short in Factory Audio?

[cherrybomb]

Hello All,

I've got a 99 Eddie Bauer. I *think* it's the premium audio system, though, I'm not sure.

As I understand it, the premium system should say "JBL" all over it, which mine does not (that I can see anyway). But it does have a 6 disc changer in the center console, rear controls etc.

At any rate, the reason for this post is, it intermittently seems to short out. As I'm driving along, I'll hit a bump, and the stereo goes off, completely, and the display goes blank. Sometimes it doesn't even have to be a bump, but a turn taken a little fast etc. Then other times, it plays fine for hours with no problem.

Sometimes when it switches off, it forgets all of my radio station presets, and the time.

I'm suspecting it's either a bad power connection, or a short.

Unfortunately, I don't have the "keys" to remove it and take a look. But I ordered some from crutchfield, and they should be here early next week.

Just posting to see if anyone else has experienced this, or has any suggestions of what I should look for when I get the tools to get it outta the dash.

P.S. I used to work for an installer here in Santa Barbara, so I know my stuff. Just looking for anyone with experience with this particular system. I never got my hands on one.

 

[cherrybomb]

Of course when I try a slightly different search, I come up with some better results!

I found this so far.

Any other experiences?

 

[DanHmfn]

I have the same problem in mine, same model, same package.

Weird thing I noticed last night, when I put it in Drive, the display would display a "wave" of all the symbols, but then go blank again. I put it into park and drive a few more times and it did it each time.

Usually a swift bang on the radio will get it working again. There's a short somewhere...

 

[cherrybomb]

Yeah, that's definately the symptoms I'm having. I feel a little bad banging on the dash to bring it back.

Sometimes, the LCD will go out, along with the lights, but the audio will continue playing. Very strange.

I got the keys for removing the deck like two days ago, so I'll take a look at it later.

I'm thinking though, it may have something to do with some of my other wiring woes. We'll see, when I get it back from the dealership.

 

[jeff96]

has to be either power, remote or ground. Check the pins.

 

[cherrybomb]

Solved!

So, I took the deck out, to take a look.

And as I turned it on it's side, I noticed a *clank* sound inside. As if something is loose in there.

After disconnecting the wires, and shaking it around a good bit, I ended up finally getting the foreign object out.

It was a quarter! A quarter in the tape deck!

Glad I didn't try stuffing a tape in there yet, mighta made things REAL bad.

So, moral of the story.. If you have the premium audio, and are having problems with the stereo.. Make sure your kids haven't put any foreign objects in the tape deck! No I don't have kids, so unless it was my wife, it happened before I got it. ;-)