Radio problem

[Kirk]

I installed a new battery in my 2006 Explorer XL. Everything works but the radio/clock etc. does not come on. Is there a relay that cuts out or some other thing that activates it? How do i get to the fuse box to check the fuse?

 

[BrianDye]

I dont have my owners manual in front of me, so I cant tell you which fuse, but your fusebox is under the drivers side footwell area. Get down there, look up, towards the side closest to your door, and its a slim black box. One end has a little tab you push or pull and the cover will come off.

Sounds like you might have just popped the fuse. I know when I last disconnected my battery, the way it popped when I reconnected, sure sounded like I might have blown something, but all was well...knock on wood.

*Edit, funny thing is I have an aftermarket Pioneer double din head unit which saves all my settings. (EQ settings, radio presets, etc, everything but the clock) I had it disconnected for nearly a week or two when I traded my Edge in and picked the Explorer up. I hooked it up and all my settings were there still.

I unhooked my battery yesterday for a brief period while I was wiring up my new headlights, and when I was done, everything was reset like the unit was brand new for some reason.

 

[Kirk]

I dont have my owners manual in front of me, so I cant tell you which fuse, but your fusebox is under the drivers side footwell area. Get down there, look up, towards the side closest to your door, and its a slim black box. One end has a little tab you push or pull and the cover will come off.

Sounds like you might have just popped the fuse. I know when I last disconnected my battery, the way it popped when I reconnected, sure sounded like I might have blown something, but all was well...knock on wood.

*Edit, funny thing is I have an aftermarket Pioneer double din head unit which saves all my settings. (EQ settings, radio presets, etc, everything but the clock) I had it disconnected for nearly a week or two when I traded my Edge in and picked the Explorer up. I hooked it up and all my settings were there still.

I unhooked my battery yesterday for a brief period while I was wiring up my new headlights, and when I was done, everything was reset like the unit was brand new for some reason.

Thanks. Got the fuse out (need to be a contortionist to do it!) but it was not blown.

Do you think an automotive scan tool might identify the problem, or they for engine diagnostics only?

 

[BrianDye]

Hm, I think the scan tools are specifically for check engine/drivetrain and airbag codes. I could be wrong.

Is anything else not functioning? It's possible that the radio could've just coincidentally died, but I doubt that. You could pull the radio out and test if it's getting power or not with a test light or multimeter.

Did you check all the fuses? I use a little LED flashlight to shine through the fuses to see if they're blown.

 

[Tech By Trade]

is it just the display on the radio, or is the entire unit dead?

 

[Kirk]

The whole radio was dead, clock and all.

BUT - I noticed the tines on the fuse looked gray, so I ran it in and out a few times and VOILA! The radio came on. Probably had nothing to do with the battery change - just a coincidence.

Thanks for your comments.