QuestionQUESTION: I have a 1996 jetta with a premium sound radio standard VW issue. My battery went dead. I tried to jump start and my friend crossed the wires on good battery. The fuse for radio blew. I have a new battery/fuse installed and the word safe should appear and I can follow the reset steps as I have in the passed.
The anti theft light doesn't blink nor does the radio act like it has any power.
Can the radio be salvaged or did my radio get fried?
ANSWER: Darn it Mike; It sounds like the radio is .....in a word...Toast! Yeah, it's fried, man. Sorry. Just as well, right. You wanted a new one anyway.
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QUESTION: What level of expertise do you have with Vw?
AnswerI'm a fully certified Volkswagen technician, and have been for years. I've worked on a lot of different cars for 35 years, and I've been Volkswagen only for over 3, and a half years now. I'd say I had quite a bit of expertise. I've seen your kind of radio over 100 times, and I've seen 5, or 6 of them with the same problem you are experiencing now. If you want to keep your style of radio, then get it out of the dash, and take it to your local Volkswagen dealer. They will have to know some other information though to get you the one that will pop right back in...(1) How many speakers, front, and rear...(2) Is there a CD changer in the trunk, and finally they will already be able to see that it is a "Premium" radio. If they have all that information you can order a replacement with the proper "coding" from your local dealer.
