On my way to school this morning my radio was working fine. I was enjoying Mark & Brian like always, when it suddenly turned off. Everything was still lit up and working...just no sound. I tried playing a cd thinking maybe the radio station lost power or something, but that didnt work either. It says it was playing but I couldnt hear it. Turned the radio on then off and still nothing.
I went to the gas station on my way to school and after turning it back on, it would play a few tid bits here and there, but nothing else.
When I parked I noticed it worked perfectly fine when I put the truck in park, the second I put it in drive the radio sound went off again.
Im guessing there is a loose connection someplace but I dont have the tool to remove the radio to try and look back there to find out. (Ill have to wait for Alon to come home since he has one)

But while I wait, any other ideas on what could be happening? It sucks driving around w/no radio...not to mention I ordered a new CD online that should be here soon...would suck not to be able to listen to it while driving.

 

bailey the radio tool is like $4 at like autozone

 

cool...but I dont want to go to autozone, I will end up buying/spending more then is neccessary

 

You still in warranty? I'd let the dealer tinker with it.

 

ya it is under warranty but its such a pain in the butt to take it to the dealership. I want to try and figure out what is wrong b4 I resort to that.

 

the dealer i worked at if there was something wrong with the radio we just swaped it and they where on there way no problem its worth a try

 

^^ they did that w/my old truck when the cd changer was eating cds.

If I can get it in tomorrow I might take it. Its just a pain taking it down there, waiting in line, finding a ride home, finding another vehicle to drive in the meantime, picking it up blah blah blah

But no one has any ideas on what/where the problem could be?

 

I wish I could help you diagnose it, but that's one of the strangest problems I've heard of! Good luck...

 

Ditto.

I'v got several ideas of what it could be, but none make sense with what its actually doing...

Lepricons maybe?

 

stupid lepricons...I guess the Lepricon repelant isnt working.

On my way home it seems to want to work. Itll play for a few yards just fine, then fade in and out a few times then stop completely. Works perfectly fine in park tho.

 

I made my own tool with a coat hanger. Just cut it and make one of these: ] , except with longer arms. Took a little tugging, but I finally got it out. One coat hanger will make two tools.

 

^^ interesting...if i can find any old wire hangers lying around ill try that.

jason, what do you think could be causing the problem?

 

Sounds like some how the wire to the speakers is loose since you said it'll work for a bit and shut off, but everything is still lite up.

 

My thoughts..

Well...

Grounding.

We know what its not. It's not a short to ground on the power wire that would have blown a fuse. Its not a loose or disconected harness, since it still works perfect in park. Its not connectors at the speakers.

When you start the truck the radio comes on and plays, correct? Then you put it in drive and it goes out... does it go out after you start moving or will it do it sitting still in drive?

EDIT:: Also.. if you sit in Park with the truck running, will the radio stay on indefinatly or will it go off after an amount of time?

 

~the radio does come on and plays when i turn the truck on
~the radio will stay on few a few yards then fade in then out after i start rolling, then when i stop, put it in park and then put it in drive it does not go back on (no moving)
~as far as i can tell the radio will stay on w/no problems while in park

 

What if you start the truck, put it in drive, and sit.. dont move at all...

 

havent tried that...itll probably work then die...ill go try and let you know


EDIT:

Ok I put it in drive but didnt go anywhere and it seemed to work fine.
then I took off after a few min of sitting and it died, came back and then died completely.
pulled into the driveway, stopped, but it in park...worked
put it in reverse, drive, ect...no worky
so apparently its good if i dont go anywere, but not after i do...

 

you can remove the bezel and then take out the radio with out the tool
check the ground to the radio
could also be a bad battery - the radio will stop working while other electric parts keep going as radios are sensitive to voltage drops
if the radio works in the driveway but not when you turn on the headlights - battery or voltage regulator
might just be a loose nut behind the wheel

 

^ Do this. Sounds like a loose ground that as soon as you start moving it looses contact.

If not, then I stick with Lepricons and its something internal that you should have waranteed.

This is the part that makes me think that it is something internal in the radio and not actually a ground though...

Does your radio have Speed Sensitive Volume? (not sure if its an option on Rangers)

 

no it doesnt. the pathfinder does tho!

 

i dont think its a ground because when i put my head unit it, i forgot to splice a ring terminal onto the ground so there was no way that the ground was touching anything metal and it still worked....

and if you need a radio remover use metal coat hangers...

 

Hell, I'd send you my radio removal tools, but the shipping would cost the same as buying a pair from the mobile electronics department of your local Best Buy...

 

You dont need the tool to check connections, you can just pull the bezel..

Honestly, this sounds like an internal problem and you should probably try to get it to the dealer. Maybe call and tell them what its doing and maybe they can just swap it out while you wait?..