Repairing the original stereo

[jodawill]

Does anyone have experience repairing the original stereos? At least, I assume it's the original. It's dated 1989, just a few months before the truck was purchased. There aren't any identifying markings on it like the Jeep cassette players I see on eBay.

 

It mostly works, but I can't read the channel number because the backlight doesn't work. I tried replacing the bulb, but it isn't sending any power to the light. Also, the cassette player seems to be stuck on eject. It won't let the tapes lock into place.

 

It's a very compact design, soldered together at some points.

 

Is there someone out there who specializes in repairing these? Looking online, I've only been able to find people who work on tube radios.

[jodawill]

I just found Minuit's post on repairing these radios. There are two in his post that look like mine, except they have the Jeep logo. Very strange that mine doesn't have it. I sent him a message. Hopefully he can help!

[MagicJames]

You have an automatic radio, pretty similar to the RX170, but people say they're less reliable. To be fair, once you get inside them, they're very similar and the problems like what you're saying with the cassette being spit out happen to all of them, whether it's a 170 or an automatic. 

 

The bulbs you replaced are for the back light that comes on when you turn on your headlights in the truck. The other light is the screen light, which is similar to a plasma screen. In my experience, the plasma screen on the automatics is always notably weaker than that on the 170/171s.

 

Both lights have their own wire in the harness, usually orange and then orange with white tracer on the newer connectors, but one needs 12V only when you turn on the highlights. The other should have 12V when you turn the ignition. In my experience, when the plasma screen light goes out you options are to replace the screen, which is a bit finicky. So make sure you're sending 12V to the correct wire just to be sure first. I think the manual calls one a dimmer and one an LCD. 

 

As for the cassette getting stuck on the eject, it could be logic or mechanical. Basically, anytime the radio doesn't like something about the cassette, it ejects it. Mechanically, this could be the motor not engaging or a belt issue. Logic issues are more unfortunate, but it could be that the radio is not passing the first logic step, where it has to sense the cassette. FYI, all cassette decks are removable inside the radios, but they did sometimes differ from year to year, so you have to get exactly the right one; the plugs and brackets for them both differed. I'm trying to build a portfolio of all the variations to post on here.

Tell me, with the lid off, when you insert the cassette, does the deck seat the cassette? Does it pull it and drop it down? 

I think people don't like the automatics because they're a bit ugly. Like, even when you play a cassette, you just get a blank screen with a direction line, no clock. I have one in my 90 limited, and it looks like this. FYI, all buttons can be individually swapped out, so if you're not happy with your power button looking like that, you can sawp if if you find a junk radio. 

 

Hope this helps