Late Model Xj Radio Question

[Eagle]

I'm really in over my head on this one. Just over a year ago I picked up a used 2001 XJ Sport. I confess -- I was seduced by the low mileage on the odometer and the fact that in most outward respects it's a twin to my 2000 XJ. So I didn't check it out nearly as well as I should have, and I've been paying for it ever since. And paying ... and paying ... and paying ...

 

I'm gradually getting the mechanical issues straightened out. It runs decently, gets me to work and back, and having all power windows and locks is a big improvement over the '88 XJ with manual everything. But ... there's a new trick:

 

A couple of months ago, while driving guests to the airport (2+ hours each way) I noticed that the clock on the radio blacked out. A few minutes later, it came back -- spontaneously. This happened a couple of times on the way to the airport, and a couple or three more times on the way home. Didn't seem to happen around town because it took awhile before it would start playing tricks.

 

Recently, it has begun doing it during my daily commute, which is only a half hour. The radio and CD player still function -- but there's no lighting in the display, so if I'm using the radio I have no idea what station I'm on, and if I'm playing a CD I don't know what track is playing. (Fortunately, I also don't care -- I don't jump tracks on my CDs.) But I really miss having the clock.

 

This morning I noticed something slightly different. It wasn't raining, so I didn't have the headlights on -- but the radio display was very dim. Probably even dimmer than the reduced brightness it switches to when the headlights are one. It also seemed to get gradually dimmer as I drove. When I started the engine after work, there was no display -- usually it's fine on startup and then goes walkabout.

 

This is the factory radio head with tape player, CD player, and 3-band equalizer. I have no idea if the lighting is LED, liquid crystal, or a conventional bulb providing backlight. The FSM provides no information at all, and the shop foreman at the dealership tells me they don't work on the radios so he has no idea if the lighting is even serviceable.

 

Does anybody have any information on what I should look at first?

[Automan2164]

I would first try replacing it with a known good unit. I would bet it's just the radio itself, which should be pretty cheap at the local JY since not many people are looking for a stock replacement.

Rob

[jimoshel]

:agree: What with the bench rates the repair shops charge it just doesn't pay to take it to one. If you know someone with a identical Jeep see if you can swap radios with them for a couple days. Suggestion. Pull the radio, and clock, out far enough to reach the wiring harness. Find the B+ lead. Hook a volt meter to it and see what the voltage is when they're acting up.

[Alexia]

Those radios are cheap and the displays are known to die a slow death. The only repair is to replace the whole unit.

[Lemmon714]

This doesn't solve your radio issue, but it provides background on disassembly and cleaning.

http://www.allpar.com/stereo/combo-deck/index.html

[danbyrambler]

May be a ground issue - - Chrysler used at least 2 suppliers for their radios back when - Excellent stuff for the time - Anyway, on some units the antenna lead is a second ground & the display won't work without it or F's up with poor fender, splice, socket, etc probs - - Been too long since I dealt with these for me to remember the mfg name of the radios using 2 grounds - - - -  You could pull it & ck easily enough with a pigtail from radio shack/eBay - just make sure that the volume is turned all the way down if you do.

 

:idea:

[sinkrun]

 I bet its the radio and there not worth fixing. I have had the same issue in a chrysler car I had under warranty sent it back 3-4 times in a couple years just plain junk.