Volume Control Repair on 1998

[mkjbrumpf]

Does anyone have a fix for the Volume Control on a 1998 Explorer. Sometimes the Vol will work fine. Other times it won't work at all. Many times when you try to increase the volume it will instead decrese the volume to zero and then no longer respond to further adjustments. This is driving me crazy. Since I have to pull the radio to repair the display problem it also has, I wanted to repair the Vol problem at the same time. Also, my Haynes maual suggests disconnecting the battery to avoid accidental airbag deployment when removing the radio. Is this really necessary? Thanks for any help anyone out there can offer.

 

[TJM623]

I think the airbag deployment would be because of a short...? I've pulled 3 radios with batteries connected, and installed aftermarket ones 2 and I've never blown a fuse or nething, just don't start touching wires together

 

[jeff96]

better safe than sorry right? that would be one nice blow, just as you connect a wire. Bam! hit in the side by the airbag ouch.

 

[TJM623]

I live life on the edge

 

[edd189]

So any ideas on the volume control issue??

 

[briwayjones]

Sounds like it might be a bad volume control/potentiometer (sp?). The can get corroded and the connection inside doesn't work well. The only way I know to fix it is replace the volume control or take the volume control apart clean the contacts and put it back together. Both involve un-soldering the control from the board and then soldering it back.

 

[bad*dawg]

1998 Explorer volume control

Does anyone have a fix for the Volume Control on a 1998 Explorer. Sometimes the Vol will work fine. Other times it won't work at all. Many times when you try to increase the volume it will instead decrese the volume to zero and then no longer respond to further adjustments. This is driving me crazy. Since I have to pull the radio to repair the display problem it also has, I wanted to repair the Vol problem at the same time. Also, my Haynes maual suggests disconnecting the battery to avoid accidental airbag deployment when removing the radio. Is this really necessary? Thanks for any help anyone out there can offer.

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Daughters 98 has the same problem with rotating the knob there's no bars showing. Kind of surprised there's no-one else with similar problems.

 

[bad*dawg]

98 Explorer Sport

After more troubleshooting have found the rear seat volume control works fine and the bars move accordingly on the faceplate. Hate to get into the main switch / volume control as the assembly is sandwiched and held together with melted plastic buttons. Googled F87F-18B914-AA (SWITCH COMPLETE) but not seeing any single items

 

[bad*dawg]

After more troubleshooting have found the rear seat volume control works fine and the bars move accordingly on the faceplate. Hate to get into the main switch / volume control as the assembly is sandwiched and held together with melted plastic buttons. Googled F87F-18B914-AA (SWITCH COMPLETE) but not seeing any single items

Not for the faint hearted! Removed the off / on switch and volume assembly. Unsoldered the circuit board and popped the four plastic buttons that hold the potentiometer together. Found the three brushes that contact the resister field to be weak and not proving good contact. Bent them outward a tad, used circuit cleaner on everything and reassembled. Working fine now.