Worked
Bought a 98 sport 2 days ago,,radio led was off no display,I read and read and read,and today 2 days later I pulled it apart as to the instructions on this site.
First get the radio out,can make 2 hooks from a coat hanger like I did,this fix cost me $0.00 as I had solder iron,solder,de solder strip and free coat hanger,,was nice to have a free fix for once that other want $200.00 + for hahaha
then follow these steps:
take 2 screws out on face plate only on sides,and one 3/4" screw on top right when holding deck from back upright in your hands.there is 1 phillips screw for top cover its holding.
Pull up 2 black tabs on each side of faceplate to clear the metal retaining tabs that are part of the radio housing.
Wiggle off the faceplate but do not pull far since a series of blue wires is attached to it (no need to remove any knobs).
The blue wire harness you want to remove is plugged into the socket in the middle. Grip the white harness that the blue wires go into and wiggle it out of socket. The other set of blue wires just goes from top of faceplate electric or circuit board (whatever the correct terminology is) behind volume control to the bottom of faceplate electric board.
After faceplate is removed, pull off metal top of radio housing, by gripping in the middle front, this will bow it in the middle and give clearance for the tabs on the side of the metal radio-housing frame.
The electric or circuit board you need to remove is the one that the blue wire plugs into. There are two small metal retaining tabs that need to be bent out of the way to remove the board. The first is in front next to where the blue wires plug in. The board is colored white beneath it, green most everywhere else. This one is easy to bend to side. The second one is tough, look in the semi circle in the thin metal cover from top and you will see it, again on a white background. You need long nose pliers to bend this towards side of radio so it lines up with slot in the electric board.
Remove orange screw from back right of heat sink that screws into copper colored clip at rear of electric board.
If the 2 small metal tabs are lined up correctly, and the back right screw removed, you should be able to reach in the semi circle hole with a finger and pull the electric board up and out. You may have to wiggle it a little to get the tabs to line up. The thin metal cover with the semi circle is only welded to the board so be gentle
I pulled the power supply board out like explained above,and had it in my hand after a few mins,,I cleaned with 99% alcolhol and a mild bristle brush,than I desoldered the RF silver plate held on by 4 solder points(,2 were allready cracked).
I inspected the board and seen a few areas that looked overheated,so anyhow,I soldered all areas I could get to on the upper side of the board, I was working on than flipped it over and did the same on the other side.
I had maybe 30 solder points to re blob a small amount to,I did not want to have to remove the radio/cd unit again in a week from just cleaning it.So I decided all the chips i can resolder (had access without difficulty)was better than a few that were xplained in earlier posts,for the xtra 5 mins it takes I was allready into this so whats a few more solders,the cracks are so thin u cannot see with the human eye..
After I was done soldering chips and diodes,I drilled about 15 holes in the RF plate thinking maybe it would bypass heat better,(optional).
I than resoldered the RF silver cover back on where it was before i took it off.
I plugged in radio to my truck,and YAE WALLA!,,display I see working fine.
Replacing the board into the radio was a little difficult. I slid the board in from the front so that the board was just above the two metal tabs that you bent out of the way to remove it. This way, the quarter inch round hole in side of thin metal cover (the one with the semi circle on the top) will line up with the circular rivet/tab on side of radio metal housing. Line up the two metal tabs you bent out of way and push the board down and bend the tabs back in place. Replace the orange screw from back into the copper colored clip at back of board.
Plug in blue wires to face plate and reattach faceplate with two tiny black screws.
The people I bought truck from never mentioned the display not working of course,but Thanks to a little reading and 30 mins well spent,I fixed my display and seen it work for the first time,now I can add better speaker,amp and worry about mp3 player later after I am sick of the stock player..It has a mach audio in this truk,,was fully loaded,leather sunroof everything.
I read that many had this problem with no display on 97 to 01 xplorers and many other vehicle types too with same pioneer stereo thay are useing.
I just wanted to add my success story,to say its true and does work,and I believe because I soldered all points It will last another 80,000kms which I will have replaced the stereo or sold truck by than.
At least I can read what channel and song I am on now
..
Good luck it was not hard,an average steady hand can do it.I used a 15 watt iron by the way!!.
Good luck guys.My partner at work could not believe I did this,He said was too far for him to go,but he watched and was amazed the working unit after only 30 mins,,will post if it ever goes out again,,but i believe its good to go for yrs to come as there alot more of a buildup of better solder than factory on it now thanks to me.
Factory solder looked dry probably cause this unit gets so hot from the heater ducts it melts the solder sometimes dulls and dries away and will crack solder.
Thanks FOR ALL THE HELP people in earlier posts,,I will say cleaning is not the ticket,,you must at least re solder dried areas on this board..
Good luck!
