Audio Systems: Car speakers, pioneer deh 1500, channel amplifiers

Question
I'm not sure if you're the right person to ask but I need help.  I was driving one day and all of a sudden my car speakers stopped working.  Now I'm sure they aren't blown because you can tell when they blow.  I have a Pioneer DEH-1500 installed in my car and it's only been in there for a year.  I own a 98 Ford Taurus and I was looking in the owner manual for help but that thing is worthless.  I don't know if I need to check the wiring or a fuse I would greatly appreciate the help if you can and if you can't if you could direct me to the person who could help me.  Thank you so much!  

Answer
You have the right person. I know everything;;....  well, almost everything.

Without seeing the unit and being able to check it out I am working in the dark, as you can realize.  And with the symptoms you explain I don't have much to go on.  BUT: It is most likely the unit itself is in trouble.

Here is the best way, under these circumstances:

ONE:  The Pioneer head unit must be bench tested.  Doing this will tell you if the unit is in trouble or if the car/wiring is the cause.  This you must know in order to proceed.

TWO:  Bench test is simple in concept, more difficult to actully do.  But here it is.  The unit must be pulled out of the car and hooked up with long leads directly to the car battery.  And, you must have a stand-alone speaker that you can hook to one of the amplifier outputs.  To remove the unit from the car, see www.installdr.com for instructions.
(It may not have your exact year, but it will be useful to help guide you along the way).

THREE:  If the unit works on the bench - using a cd to test for playing into one speaker - then move the speaker over to another channel, checking each of the four channel/amplifiers.

FOUR:  If the unit seems to be working okey, then you can assume the problem is in the wiring or car troubles; could be shorted speaker wires, or ignition wire not giving the 12v to the unit, etc.

FIVE:  To check out the wiring in the car you will need a vom (volt-ohm-meter;  I recommend the one from Walmart electrical department $9.83).  You must know how or be willing to learn how to use the simple meter to check the voltages in the car wiring and for shorts in the speaker lines (shorts to other wires and shorts to car ground).

SIX;  If the unit does not work on the bench you will end up replacing it or taking it into a shop that does repairs on Pioneer stuff.

Hope this will get you started; ask more questions if necessary.

Cleggsan