Head Unit, Speakers...or something more.

[rickhamilton620]

Started having this issue today. I tried playing my podcasts on my phone using a cassette adapter. I couldn't hear the sound which was weird so I turned it up more on the phone...not much sound.

I tried the head unit: at max volume it was just audible enough to hear.

I switched sources to the radio. Same thing so that rules out the phone and cassette adapter.

Now i've had issues with this head unit before, namely becoming frozen in tape mode but not actually engaging and playing the tape. A restart sometimes fixes it, other times I can get it working by holding down the power button. In any case when it does start again, it starts in AM mode.

I plan to use the car again tonight so i'll see if its a glitch with said head unit but just wanted to see what FG thought.

 

[Spectre]

The head unit has probably failed due to age. It's not terribly uncommon - but try pulling the radio/clock fuse out and leave it out for 30 seconds before you give up on it.

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Someone reminded me - you might want to check to see if you have an amp in the thing. If you have it, it will be a silver box mounted to the back of the rear seat on the passenger seat. That might have died instead of the head unit. Do you have the JBL option?

 

[LeVeL]

If restarting makes it work sometimes, I would guess its the headunit. When mine failed, I found a stocker online for $30 or so. Cleaned it up, put it in, and hasn't had any issues since.

 

[rickhamilton620]

The head unit has probably failed due to age. It's not terribly uncommon - but try pulling the radio/clock fuse out and leave it out for 30 seconds before you give up on it.

- - - Updated - - -

Someone reminded me - you might want to check to see if you have an amp in the thing. If you have it, it will be a silver box mounted to the back of the rear seat on the passenger seat. That might have died instead of the head unit. Do you have the JBL option?

Pulled both fuse 8 (clock/radio memory) and fuse 11 (amplifier, radio, power antenna) and counted to 30 and reinserted. Same behavior happens.

Oddly although I'm sure I pulled fuse 8, the radio has remembered my presets. The clock did reset though i'm sure.

I don't have the JBL option, just have Ford's generic "premium sound" branding on the front door speakers.

As for the amplifier, the car does indeed have one behind the rear seat. I do have items in my trunk...I wonder if something could have damaged it by bumping into it? The entire rear of the trunk/rear seatback is shielded by a protective panel though, including the amplifier.

If restarting makes it work sometimes, I would guess its the headunit. When mine failed, I found a stocker online for $30 or so. Cleaned it up, put it in, and hasn't had any issues since.

Restarting only fixes the tape deck, so far it has not fixed the lack of volume.

 

[Spectre]

Pulled both fuse 8 (clock/radio memory) and fuse 11 (amplifier, radio, power antenna) and counted to 30 and reinserted. Same behavior happens.

Oddly although I'm sure I pulled fuse 8, the radio has remembered my presets. The clock did reset though i'm sure.

I don't have the JBL option, just have Ford's generic "premium sound" branding on the front door speakers.

As for the amplifier, the car does indeed have one behind the rear seat. I do have items in my trunk...I wonder if something could have damaged it by bumping into it? The entire rear of the trunk/rear seatback is shielded by a protective panel though, including the amplifier.



Restarting only fixes the tape deck, so far it has not fixed the lack of volume.

Yeah, you need to get either replacement OEM bits or the aftermarket head unit and an amp bypass harness. And yes, you can have the amp be damaged by stuff flying around in the trunks.

I would suggest this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pioneer-DEH...In_Dash_Receivers&hash=item5ae3bc1019&vxp=mtr

 

[NecroJoe]

It probably wouldn't fit, but I'd be glad to offer up the stereo from my 2001 Mercury Cougar. I'd keep it to swap it back in when I sold the car, but we did have to butcher the dash a bit to get the new one in.

It's the CD + tape FoMoCo combo unit.

 

[Spectre]

Don't think it'd fit. That's going to be a 1.5 DIN unit IIRC and the Taurus of this year is still single DIN.

 

[rickhamilton620]

Yeah, you need to get either replacement OEM bits or the aftermarket head unit and an amp bypass harness. And yes, you can have the amp be damaged by stuff flying around in the trunks.

I would suggest this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pioneer-DEH...In_Dash_Receivers&hash=item5ae3bc1019&vxp=mtr

I popped the trunk and looked, there's not much of anything that could have hit it.

Replacing the amp with one on fleabay would likely be a plug and play affair i assume...compared to replacing both the head unit and installing a harness. Plus I'd keep a stock looking head unit. But with the latter i'd gain a auxiliary jack (bye tape adapters!).

Thanks for the link, I'll be sure to check it out!

 

[Spectre]

I popped the trunk and looked, there's not much of anything that could have hit it.

Replacing the amp with one on fleabay would likely be a plug and play affair i assume...compared to replacing both the head unit and installing a harness. Plus I'd keep a stock looking head unit. But with the latter i'd gain a auxiliary jack (bye tape adapters!).

Thanks for the link, I'll be sure to check it out!

The harnesses are also plug-n-play except where you have to connect them to the aftermarket radio's harness. Also, many of the stock amps have died due to age as well.

 

[rickhamilton620]

It probably wouldn't fit, but I'd be glad to offer up the stereo from my 2001 Mercury Cougar. I'd keep it to swap it back in when I sold the car, but we did have to butcher the dash a bit to get the new one in.

It's the CD + tape FoMoCo combo unit.

Sorry, forgot to quote you, thanks for the offer!

The harnesses are also plug-n-play except where you have to connect them to the aftermarket radio's harness. Also, many of the stock amps have died due to age as well.

I googled and found this: http://www.installdr.com/installdocs/flm/PDF/356011.pdf

Sounds simple enough. Anyway I'll definitely keep this thread in mind/handy for when I decide to go through with the upgrade once I've been working at my new job for a while.