Car Stereos: Car Deck Diagnostic, car deck, ford focus

Question
Hey Scott- I got a Pioneer Deck about 3 years ago and placed it right into my Ford Focus Hatchback. I got in a wreck about a year and a half ago, due to the "amazing" rear suspension of my Hatchback.....There is strong sarcasm in that last sentence. Anyway, it hasn't had any problems till about a month ago. It likes to constantly mute itself while i'm driving. It tends to do it when the car is shifting its weight, like when I'm stopping, or accelerating. But it does still do it when i'm just driving around. I was thinking it was a loose cable either going to the battery, the ground, or to the Amp, but I checked them all and they seem to be properly connected. It mutes when I am playing music through the Ipod, the radio, and CD's, so I am thinking it is a short problem with the Deck. What should I be looking for if I take out my deck? And how do I go about fixing it? Thanks for your help-

Answer
Andrew,  Your diagnosis is dead-on.  There is definitely a short.  I would suggest that it is inside the radio itself, like where the plug pins are soldered to the circuit board.  Get the radio pulled loose from the dash, but do not disconnect it.  Then, turn on the key.  With the power on, jiggle the plug going into the radio.  If it causes the radio to make sound then not, then you have found the problem.  If it is located inside the radio, I would take it to a repair shop and have it repaired for about $50.  If that doesn't seem to make the sound cut out, the short may be located somewhere else in the car.  In that case, start wiggling the wires in the back until something happens.  It really is sometimes tough to tell, but I don't think you will have that problem.  Hope this helps, Scott