Stock CD player/Radio problem, PLEASE HELP!!!

dbledown00

Registered User
Hi guys, I am having a major problem with my stock CD player/Radio malfunctioning, please give any and all input if you've had this same problem or know what's wrong. Here's the problem, I just bought a '91 S.C.(my 2nd S.C.) with the stock radio and seperate stock cd player. When I turn my car on the radio comes on but there will be no sound and the volume won't go up. When this happens my cd player won't power up or work. The problem will continue while I'm driving and stay like this for days. Few days later I will get in my car and start it up and the Radio and Cd player will start up fine with volume too! If I turn off my car when I get to my destination and try to start it back up when I get in the cd player and volume won't work. I've taken my car to a local radio shop and they didn't even look at it, they just said that they would just install a new cd player. Can someone please help me? I would appreciate it very much! I've been having to drive my dates around in a car with no tunes and I have to continually make conversation so there won't be total silence. LOL!
 
The stock JBL radio/CD units were notorius for bad capacitors inside that over time would leak and damage or destroy the units. Most radio repair shops will tell you they are junk. Many won't repair them and if they want to try, it would be cost prohibitive. Now there are many opinions and thoughts on the way to go and they are all good ones. I'll just give you my .02 and suggest that you find a mid to late 90's mustang combo unit and modify the radio connector as I outline at http://www.35ththunderbirdregistry.org/JBLReplace.htm . This at least keeps a stock look to your car. The later units used better quality caps and sound is really great.
I hope this helps some and I wish you luck.

A great weekend all.
 
Stock CD player/Radio problem

Mine does exactly the same thing. I've gotten it to work normally by turning on the CD right after I power up the radio. After the CD plays for a few minutes, I can use the radio with no problem.
I know that my radio & CD player is good b/c I swapped this JBL system from my other car that never had any problem in 9 years and the original Premium Sound head unit (no CD player) worked intermittantly, which is why I changed radios in the first place. In my case, I think the problem has to do with the wiring from the ignition switch because some times it works fine or if I restart the car it will work ok. Good luck
 
This is an update on my intermittant radio CD failure. I didn't take it apart to check the wiring yet but today it didn't work so I stopped the car and tried it from the ACC position of the key and both worked fine. I then started the car and no dice, neither worked. Now, I will definately pull the ignition wires and clean the contacts, if that doesn't fix it, I'll replace it because I know many of them were recalled for failures but I don't know the history of this car yet Ford says it has had al of the recalls. Good luck
 
Right on the dot!

That is exactly what mine does to. If I turn the key to the ACC position sometimes it will work but if I start the car up it stops working. This may sound weird but sometimes when it won't work I'll take a look under my hood to try to find some loose wiring or anything. Well, when I close my hood and go start up my car the CD player and radio starts to work. I don't no if this is coincidence or not. Let me know if you fool around with the wiring and anything improves ok. Thanks, Anthony
 
Mine was doing this before I swapped in the known good JBL system with CD and I gave what I thought was a bad premium sound radio to an SHO guy for him to try. In my mind, it has to be a bad connection or bad ignition switch that I will test ASAP. I know that our ignition switches are weak and it was recalled and replaced on my other car so I'll try swapping it in and see how it works. Good luck
 
Stock CD player/Radio problem

As I said, mine works fine the first thing in the morning when everything is cold but after work when its warm out, no CD or sound but it always works on the ACC key setting. I got the Ford replaced ignition switch out of my other car but need a tamper proof torx T25 to get the screws off. I noticed that as you turn the key, a peg moves up or down the a shaft in the switch to engage different connections in the switch. It may be posible to make it work by using some electrical lube, which I will try first before I swap it. If it always works on ACC, how can it need a radio repair? I'll get to it as soon as I finish installing a AOD in another SC and I'll let you know how it turns out. Good luck
 
Response

Your cd player seems to be cooperating for you a little bit more than mine will. When I turn the key to ACC sometimes it comes on but usually doesn't. I try to get this thing to work during the morning and evening hours but usually it's no good. Thanks for the info. and I'll be checking this thread so let me know what you find out please. Thanks, Anthony
 
Hey why don't you guys just ditch your crap factory radios and upgrade to a quality aftermarket piece? Just a suggestion.
 
Stock CD

Sony is generally known to be quality and some of us like to keep things original.
I swapped the ignition switch yesterday but it did not help the situation. So today, I pulled the CD player and added a ground to that odd screw on the back corner of it and so far, so good.
I thought about doing that while I drove home. As I was cycling the radio power on & off and at a stop light, it started to work but when I hit the gas, it failed again.
So now I have the red wire ground radio to CD, 2 radio to CD harnesses, and the new ground to frame. I didn't leave the car outside to get hot enough today but I will let you guys that are interested on Monday. Good luck
 
Stock CD problem solved

As many of you know, this has been a nagging problem for quite a while and I've swapped so many parts, (my friends thought I was nuts and most said get a new system), trying to track it down. For example, the guys at the radio shop said it was a bad voltage regulator, so I swapped my alternator, but no change.
I've also read a lot of posts about possible fixes for it.
I tracked my intermitant radio/CD problem down to a bad harness running from the radio to the CD player by first unplugging it for a day, it produced no sound but both units stayed powered up, whereas before, the CD would sometimes flash on and then go out. I replaced the 2 foot gray or silver harness with the square plug on each end and it has not cut out on me since.
I hope I'm not premature in my thinking because the weather was mild today but I drove for about an hour with no problem.
I can't say that this will solve your problem but I'm happy.
Good luck
 
i think the cd players internally short out or something. I have a 94 Mustang cassette deck and I only get sound out of it when I install the jumper(factory jumper for no CD option) into the back off the cassette to by-pass the CD players circuits(dont remeber if I disconnected the harness also at the same time...the grey audio harness).

so what other cars use that 1/2? DIN (smaller CD size) player?
 
I'm not sure which other cars use it but any with remote indach players should work.
The CD player has an internal shut-off in case it overheats. I've got a internal relay on order for it and a guy on another board said that he replaced a capasitor on the little power supply to fix his.
On yours, I think its not getting the signal returned from the CD player. I'm looking at a manual and pin 1 on the CD goes to pin 6 on the radio and when there is no signal, there is no sound. I also noticed that the end near the radio had a long black mark near the connector so I put mine back the same way.
So I would think that the jumper that you have, goes on pin 1 & 6 on your radio to simulate the loop signal that the CD would normally send back.
The wire colors are (DG/O) and (T/BK) if you want to test them.
Good luck
 
Hey Guys,

If the CD Player doesn't power-up internally, then the Head unit gets muted just due to the way the entire system is designed and tied together.

It's true that Sony (the OEM for Ford) used bad electrolytic capacitors in both the Radios and CD Players in those years. They break down and leak prematurely. (Particularly in hot climates) Once they start going bad, a whole gamut of problems and symptoms may result in both the Radios and CDs.

In the CD players, it's common for the power supply modules in them to develop leaky capacitors and prevent the unit from powering up. When that happens, it mutes the audio output from the head unit as well. Once they start going bad, they become very "condition" sensitive....certain temperatures may cause them to work breifly but ultimately, the problem is still there and only will get worse. The CDs may also start having tracking or stability problems as well if various other caps leak.

In the Head Units, leaky capacitors can cause all sorts of symptoms from poor tuner reception to intermittent audio output going to one or several output channels feeding the amp/speakers, etc. The radios are also more prone to having transistors short out once certain capacitors go bad.

Sony and/or Ford no longer supply virtually any of the replacement boards & components for these things anymore. It is just a matter of time before they ALL go bad! All of the '89-'93 units suffer from the same bad substandard components. People in HOT climates will usually experience problems sooner as the capacitors have a rated life that depends on exposure to heat.

How do I know all this ? I repair the CD players for fellow SC / MN-12 owners. (Sometimes even the Radios but they are more of a pain in the A!$ and much more time consumming)

Last word of advice: If you have working units now, use a sunshade and leave your windows or moonroof slightly open in the summer. It will help prolong the life of those crappy capacitors!

I hope this sheds a little light on things.

TwoTimeSC
 
Heres another take

I had the same problem and went to a aftermarket pioneer. When the car got hot the raidio didnt work. After the raidio did not work I went to work on finding the problem. It turned out to be the factory fuse was not making good contact. I would have 13 volts with the volt tester but when I used the test light it would not light up. I bent the prongs in the fuse box, cleaned the fuse with sand paper {it did not look burned or spotted if anything it looked normal}but now it works perfect in the hottest of days. I had a problem with my 94 parking lights and it was the same thing. Hope this helps some of you. Mark J.
 
where is the fuse you are talking about? In the fuse panel or in line?My cd/radio works on hot days better than cold mornings, turning on acc has no affect, lites up radio,slight click noise thru speakers.
bass speaker sounds blown. took out both amps and check solder jts. nothing abnormal,sounds of silence.
 
If its not the fuse, try upplugging the CD player harness (square 6 pin, shielded) at the back of the radio and then jumpering pins 1 & 6. Naturally, the CD will not work but the radio should and the CD should still be lighted up. The radios pin 1 sends a constant signal to pin 6 on the CD player. Then pin 1 on the CD player has to send that signal back to the radios pin 6, forming a constant loop. So if that works for a few days ok, then try moving the jumper to the CD end of the harness to see if the harness is at fault. Any interuption or degrading in that signal will cause the CD player and the speaker sound to fail. I hope this helps, good luck
 
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