Audio Systems: Car Radio Not Working, jeep cherokee sport, antenna cable

Question
QUESTION: Hi,
I installed a Sony CD/Radio player in my 1994 Jeep Cherokee Sport about three months ago and I don't know which button to tune to different stations.  Also, the only speaker that works is the back one.

I have to listen to CD's all the time because only one station works. The rest are dead.

When it was first installed, the stations worked fine. Now all the sudden only one station works.

The antenna must be fine since at least one station works but I wonder what the issue is.

Thanks.

Andrea

ANSWER: No, the antenna could very well be poorly grounded and only the strong station is getting through. I suggest you check the antenna wiring and make sure there  is a good ground and that the plug is solid in the back of the radio where the antenna cable connects.

If improving the antenna signal strength does not help then the tuning circuit may be on the fritz. You may, may that is, recover it by doing a hard reset.  Follow the manual for how to reset, but if you don't have the manual you can also do it by removing all power to the unit for 20 to 30 minutes before repowering it.

The dead speaker is either a bad channel in the amp, bad wiring or a bad speaker.  If you can, switch the speaker wires to the speakers at the back of the radio unit. If the good speaker keeps working and the bad one switches over you have a bad speaker or shorted wiring somewhere along the way.

Hope this gets you started on a good solution; let me know what more you need as you progress.
C



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Will it help if I physically do something to the antenna?

Answer
If it is an antenna problem, yes.  You must find where the antenna ground wire is located and disconnect it; sand or file down the surface so that when you screw it back down it gives a good ground connection to the metal on the car.

At the back of the in-dash radio unit you should pull out the antenna cable and plug it back in a few times to make sure it is cutting through the metal plating to give a good solid connection.

Also, it could be the antenna or cable going to the radio unit is open circuit inside; doesn't happen often, but is very possible.  The replacement of the antenna and connecting cable is not terribly expensive so it might be worth just replacing the whole antenna.

You can go through the "outfit your car" steps at crutchfield.com and it will lead you to antennas and accessories.

http://www.crutchfield.com/g_232750/AM-FM-.html?tp=3449

The above is a universal antenna page for Jeep.  Take a look at it.
If it turns out the antenna is not defective you will not be out a whole lot.

C