Radio display going out; CD won't work

[B33p3r]

Merlin, I'm also interested in fix. Tried to email you but it was blocked. If you're still willing to email: [email protected] . If you have explorer 4.0 XLT SOHC i may be able to help you out also.

[ajmerc]

I just jioned the forum today and am experiening the same display issue on my '99 Explorer. If anyone has the "fix" and would care to share you can email me at [email protected].

Thanks,
Tony

[Doug Rodrigues]

Don't know if you've fixed your radio yet, but the web site to get that information is www.shareamemory.com. I've repaired the display on two radios so far for less than $40. Broken down: $20 for the instructions and $20 for Radio Shack tools.

[dmerkley]

Originally Posted by Merlin7111

I had the same problem and have fixed it PERMANATLY. Ford charges an arm and a leg and it usually breaks a month later. The fix is a little tricky and requires a soldering iron and about an hour of your time. E-Mail me if you are interested in the fix and I will send you the instructions.

I am having the same problem!!

I don't see merlin actively posting..........so if anyone could send the fix I would greatly appreciate it!!

Thanks

Dave

[Doug Rodrigues]

Sorry, you're going to have to spend the 20 bucks and buy the fix. Too many photos and pages to just "send you the fix." Besides, the guy who has that site has to pay a monthy fee to maintain it; he did the research; and he offers a service no one else does. I think that he deserves the $20.

[tseymour]

Merlin, Having same problem. Please send to [email protected]

[bumpinkicker04]

Originally Posted by tseymour

Merlin, Having same problem. Please send to [email protected]

found a link with the instructions for the fix. sorry no pics though. hope it helps everybody.



To try to re-solder the board....
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A LOW WATT SOLDERING IRON AND SMALL SOLDER.
~~~
Here's the directions that helped me...Good Luck:
By opening up the radio you will find a narrow display power board
With in the left side of the radio (faceplate toward you). This board
has a metal cover soldered to it, with a toroid (wire wound doughnut)
inside on one side, and a bank of surface mount resistors and
capacitors
on the bottom side. One end of the board (SCR heat sink) is screwed
to
the heat sink at the back of the radio, the board is secured with 2
metal bend-tabs, and it has a white mini connector on the other end
which connects to the faceplate. Remove the board from the radio.

On the bottom of the board look for surface mount components
R1057/C1071/R1058/C1083/R1064. The colder these resistor/capacitor
chipsets get, the brighter the display. I left the car out in the +5
f
degree weather and the display worked until it warmed up a little.
That
is how I was able to track it down to these temperature sensitive
parts. Freeze-it also helped after I narrowed it down to a few
components.

Here is the contact information for vendors who sell the replacement
board.

Me~Gober wrote:

I have traveled this road. I have a 1998 Ford Explorer with a blank
radio display cd\cassette\am\fm. I tried to re-solder the components
on the display power supply as suggested on previous posting with no
luck. I looked on ebay but didn't see anything worth buying. I again
tried to re-solder the board...still no luck. So this is what I have
learned. If you can't fix it with the re-solder posting, or don't
want to try it, you will need to replace the display power supply.
Most radio shops I called said they only do component level repairs
starting at $100.00. Then I found a few shops that have the circuit
boards for sell. The board comes in a 3 board set, a new power
supply
board and two new tuner type boards, sold as a "compound set". Here
are the shops I found that have it.
Speed-O-Tach, Inc. they sell the 3 boards for 73.95 + shipping (5.00
ish)
Auto Radio & Electronics PART NUMBER HWM0043
Corporate Office
4090 Pike Lane
Concord, CA 94520-1227
Toll Free: 1-800-442-4491
Tel: 925-691-4090
Fax: 925-691-4101
or
speedometerservice.com 3 boards cost is 82.82 6.75 shipping
Phone number
1-800-332-1827 Georgia Watts
1-800-241-2385 National Watts

I found other sites but the price jumped to 215.00!

The board is very easy to swap. Pull the radio out, take to 2 black
screws off the side of the face plate (1 on each side. Face the back
of the radio, now remove the screw in the top right corner. Pop the
front and top cover off the radio. Unplug the blue cable that leads
from the display to the display power supply. There are 2 tabs that
hold the power supply in. One is next to where the blue cable plugs
into the power supply. To find the other tab, look inside the half
circle on the tin heat shield. The board is painted white where the
tabs are. Now straighten the tabs with a screw driver. Pull straight
up on the tin heat shield. Now you have it out swap it with the new
one and put it all back together.

[padave44]

I had the same issue with my 98 Explorer Limited. I seached the forums and found a site, www.shareamemory.com/radio , which will sell you detailed step-by-step instructions (with photographs) to resolder for $19.95. If you don't like to solder, Duane has a 'Save Your Sanity' program, where he does all the soldering, and you phycally replace it for $104.99 (with a money back guarantee).

I went for the "Save Your Sanity' program, and everything went like clockwork. Now my radio works fine and I saved a few hundred dollars.

Don't live with no display - it was driving me crazy.

Dave

[j_w_spence]

The cold solder joints in the power supply fail due to extreme heat. You can remelt/add solder and fix it temporarily. The power supply has some updates that should be performed when you pull it to fix it. These are only availabe at radio repair depots. I sent mine to a guy....he updated it and sent it back. Best 85 bucks I spent on this truck. Here's the address:
http://www.shareamemory.com/radio/
Let him fix it
Tell him a VERY satisfied customer recommended him.
Throw him some business...he's got two cute little girls to feed!
Hope this helps!

[PEGGYSUEHC]

Hi Im Hoping To Get Your Fix On The Display Being Out My Email Is [email protected] Cause Ford Dealers Want Alot Of Money To Send This In And Fix, Thank You For Your Help. John

[Dennis D]

Please send me the instructions, [email protected]

[Dennis D]

Please send me the instructions, [email protected]

[lmarcus]

Originally Posted by Merlin7111

I had the same problem and have fixed it PERMANATLY. Ford charges an arm and a leg and it usually breaks a month later. The fix is a little tricky and requires a soldering iron and about an hour of your time. E-Mail me if you are interested in the fix and I will send you the instructions.

I have a 99 Explorer with the same problems. Would appreciate the quick fix instructions.
I'm at [email protected]

Thanks

[slee69]

I would like the radio fix please. My radio display works intermittently and I just replaced the radio. The previous one did not work at all. My email is [email protected] Thanks, Sean

[shorod]

Do you guys actually read the thread before posting, asking for the instructions? Particularly, you should read posts #35 and #37. Merlin's post was in 2004, and he has not been an active poster. His post on this thread, post #4, asks you to send him a message, not post here asking him to e-mail you.

-Rod