JBL Audio Mess - Can Anybody Help?

jbowman55

Registered User
Trying to rescussitate the audio system in my 93 SC. It's the JBL premium system, with parts missing and some creative wiring in the trunk. Can anybody help me?

1. AM/FM CD unit (all in one) in the dash does not work. I've no idea if it's the unit that was in the car from the factory - it's a Ford unit, though. It is receiving power, and lights up when the headlights are on, but none of the buttons are responsive. Three times in the two weeks I've had the car I've seen the radio display the word "BAD." I've purchased an AM/FM Cassette head unit off eBay to install in its place (one which should be compatible with the JBL premium audio).

2. The subwoofer is missing, enclosure and all. Both amps are present, and appear to have wiring intact with just a couple of puzzling situations. The speaker amp has the yellow and red wire with gray plug, and that is plugged into wires that come from inside the car. However, behind the speaker amp and hanging down a couple of inches is one split black wire that isn't connected to anything. One side of it is solid black and the other side is black with white markings. Anybody know what this wire goes to?

3. Also near the speaker amp is what looks to be an additional "pigtail" of wires held together with wire wraps. In this pigtail there's one wire with a connector that looks like it belongs on a pair of headphones, one wire has a connector with a 5-pin din connector similar to what you'd see on a PC mouse but turned sideways, a white rectangular plug with two orange and one black wires running to it (one orange wire has a red stripe), and then a black wire that has a flat, interrupted but circular metal end crimped onto it. Would this have connected to a CD changer in the trunk?

4. Shouldn't there be a pigtail or connectors of some type coming out of the sub amp to connect to the subwoofer? The only wires I see coming out of the sub amp go behind a panel in the very back of the trunk, like they're going into the passenger compartment.

5. Where can I possibly find a replacement subwoofer and enclosure?

Any ideas and suggestion will be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Jane
 
There was a JBL system, and a Premium system, so I'm going to assume you mean the JBL system. JBL should have a head unit, special speakers with internal crossovers a JBL branded amplifier, and a Subwoofer and amp.

The premium system just has standard speakers with a standard ford amp.

The 35th Anniversary site has collected a lot of radio info:
http://www.35ththunderbirdregistry.org/Radio/RadioRelatedPages.htm I haven't been into one enough to know if the mess you see are actual system wires or something someone has cobbled together in the past.

If you search, and on the 35th site, there is a guy here that's been repairing the radio's and CD players that came in the JBL system. He's done good work for a good price, so if you think your head unit may be bad, he can put it back in working order for a lower price than a decent aftermarket unit.
 
Thanks

The information on the 35th site has already been helpful. It appears that I had the amps confused, so the black & black/white wires I asked about are for the sub speaker itself. Think we'll be able to figure it out now. Thanks again.

Jane
 
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