Dead radio

does200Member

Got into my car yesterday for a cruise and notice the radio face plate was turned to show the radio, whereas I always have it turned to cover the radio. So, went to operate the radio and it is dead. I went to fuse 8 and it has juice to it (test light lit up with car off), and also hazard lights work, since I see from the manual the radio fuse also works the hazard lights. Not sure what else to check. as I looked behind the radio and don't see any other fuses back there. Any ideas what to check? Not that I play the radio, but I like it to work and for face plate to turn to show the blank side as shown in the photo. A couple photos below:

Rex Gelert photoshoot by JanDaMan, on Flickr

Radio Wires by JanDaMan, on Flickr

3/4/166:04 PM

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George PAdmin.

Hey Jan

I hope all is well my dear friend.

I agree fuse 8 was the original intended source of radio power. But your under-dash wiring is anything but "stock". Its a rat's nest.

Wiggle fuse 10, see if it helps. That's the accessory fuse. If I were an installer, that's the circuit I would have used for the radio.

Of course that comes off the accessory position of the ignition switch (green wire), which as an installer would be my second place to acquire power for the radio. So its the second place to check. The ignition switch can be a source of gremlins, although its usually the fuses.

Best of luck.

3/4/166:25 PM

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lf-tp2511Member

Radios usually come with their own in-line fuse holder, found on the radio's factory power leads.

Did you dig into the wire nest enough to find and check it, if it is in fact there?

Larry

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3/4/166:27 PM

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jb1490Member

Jan,

The purple wire with the black spiral stripe (red arrow in pic) is the factory radio wire from fuse #8.

Check for power at the black terminal block that is just to the left of the red arrow in the pic.

Most radios have two power sources; one is switched with the key, and the other is unswitched for the keep-alive memory (the radio's memory, not yours!)

John

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3/4/167:10 PM

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does200Member

Thanks guys. Your right, that purple wire is from fuse 8 in looking at the fuse box wiring. But now my light tester doesn't show any light on any of the fuses, so I wonder if somehow the light tester blew. Maybe I could try this volt meter to test fuses and that purple wire you show? If so, what would I set the meter to on the dial?

image by JanDaMan, on Flickr

3/4/168:09 PM

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speedunlimited (Guest)

Here you go...I'll send you my bar tab!...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgC3CETFCv8

3/4/168:46 PM

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tecnosound-jimcoyneMember

Set meter to DCV 20. Ground the black lead,use red probe to check for voltage , meter will show 12 volts (approx) if you have it .

3/4/168:53 PM

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5754If you're not kickin' up dust, you're collectin' it!

Hi Jan,
I have the same radio (Kenwood), and one day it stopped working, it turned out to be the ribbon cable had worn out (the flexing every time the faceplate opens and closes eventually causes a break somewhere in the copper). I ordered a replacement on e-bay and a bit of soldering later and it's was like new again.

If this is your problem (and not some other electrical gremlin), then have a quick read of this site on how to replace the cable ...
Replacing Kenwood Ribbon Cable
Just search on the model number of your unit and you should be easy enough to find someone selling replacements (buy a couple, as it will eventually break again. Also review the manual for the unit, if I remember correctly, there is a way to disable the face from opening and closing automatically, thus saving on wear and tear.
Hope this helps.

3/4/1611:23 PM

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michael1424It takes energy not to get used to it!

Love the idea of the radio faceplate thing... I'll have to look in to it to see what I can get over here...

3/5/1612:06 AM

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does200Member

Thanks for all the info and various scenarios, as this info really helped. I tested the purple/yellow wire coupling, and that was good with well over 12 volts. Then that yellow wire went though some 1" black plastic unit (yellow in and yellow out). So I wanted to test the yellow wire on the other end of that plastic unit, and decided to try and see if I could test the yellow wire right at the radio itself. When I tried this test it immediately made me think of my IT troubleshooters at work when I would call them with computer problems, and they would say "Is it plugged in?". It appears the vibration of the car over time had made the rear wire connection to come lose on the radio. It was connected (visually), but not firmly pressed in to the hard snap position. When I pressed it in solid, then the face plate rotated and radio works.

Thanks again, you guys are a wealth of knowledge.

3/5/165:05 PM

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panteradougMember

quote:
Originally posted by DOES 200:
Thanks for all the info and various scenarios, as this info really helped. I tested the purple/yellow wire coupling, and that was good with well over 12 volts. Then that yellow wire went though some 1" black plastic unit (yellow in and yellow out). So I wanted to test the yellow wire on the other end of that plastic unit, and decided to try and see if I could test the yellow wire right at the radio itself. When I tried this test it immediately made me think of my IT troubleshooters at work when I would call them with computer problems, and they would say "Is it plugged in?". It appears the vibration of the car over time had made the rear wire connection to come lose on the radio. It was connected (visually), but not firmly pressed in to the hard snap position. When I pressed it in solid, then the face plate rotated and radio works.

Thanks again, you guys are a wealth of knowledge.

Careful. Sharing the 'Wealth' is a dangerous topic right now in the US?

Personally I don't like walls BUT the idea of a very large bug zapper "on the border" is intriguing to me?

Zit! There goes Juan! Zittt! Juanita!