Anyone ever had a problem with their TJ killing the radio?

[KimsJeep]

Hey guys, just curious if any of you have ever had an issue with your Jeep killing your radios? I am now on my 3rd radio as of today. My first one died about 4 months or so after I got it. I was driving home and all of a sudden the sound just shut off. It still had a few lights that worked, but nothing else. I switched it with a used radio my hubby had at his work. Today it quit working. I actually didn't even realize it was off till I decided half way to the coffee shop that I wanted to turn the radio up. I reached for it and it was off. Thought that was strange, it normally comes on when I turn the key. So I hit the power button and nothing. Got to the coffee shop and turned the Jeep off, then back on and still no radio. After I removed it to install another radio, I checked the fuse in the back and it was good. I have no idea what is killing them.

I do have a small amp hooked up to the radio. The amp is grounded via it's ground wire. But, it is not bolted to the Jeep. I have zip ties holding it to the steering column. Could that be causing my issue? It is so strange that they work for a while then just die.

I bought this little guy today. The girl at Walmart told me she thinks it is just the face. I told her no, I think it is the whole radio. LOL I didn't want to spend a lot of money so it came to about 22 bucks with a 2 dollar 2 year warranty. LOL I don't care about cd's anymore so my main concern was being able to hook up to my phone. It does that.

Have you ever seen a radio so small? I shouldn't have to worry about it getting bounced around. There isn't much to bounce. LOL

No, the lights are not purple, just looks like they are in the pic. They are blue. Only thing I don't like about it is that the clock will not stay as the main screen. I have to push a button for a few seconds to get it to display the time, then it will automatically go back to the radio station display. But, for 22 bucks, if it dies in 6 months, I won't be out a lot and if the warranty works, I get another one. LOL

So anyone have a clue on why my radios are dieing?

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I recently installed a Kenwood Bluetooth stereo that lacks a disc player. It's not THAT shallow, but it's probably half the depth of the CD player I took out. I thought the same thing...maybe this one will be less prone to breaking the mounting bracket.

Sorry, not much help with the killing radios thing but that amp is certainly a good place to start looking.

 

[Chris]

When you say "killing the radio" do you mean it's blowing the fuse on the backside of the head unit?

If so, that's a wiring issue most likely.

 

[KimsJeep]

When you say "killing the radio" do you mean it's blowing the fuse on the backside of the head unit?

If so, that's a wiring issue most likely.

No, the fuses are fine. The last radio just never turned back on. The one before that I got a few lights, but no sound and no other functions. Both radios had good fuses before and after they were killed. LOL It's just weird how they last 4-6 months and then just, poof, they're dead.

Edit to add, the amp is wired to the battery with a fuse in the line going to it. It then has the remote wire and the RC jacks hooked to it from the radio. Radio is powered by one of the fuses in the fuse panel to the Jeep.

 

[Chris]

No, the fuses are fine. The last radio just never turned back on. The one before that I got a few lights, but no sound and no other functions. Both radios had good fuses before and after they were killed. LOL It's just weird how they last 4-6 months and then just, poof, they're dead.

That doesn’t make any sense. The fuse should blow before the head unit is fried.

I’m really racking my brain on this one.

 

[KimsJeep]

That doesn’t make any sense. The fuse should blow before the head unit is fried.

I’m really racking my brain on this one.

Yah, it's got me baffled. I guess I will wait a few months and see if this new cheapie radio gets fried. LOL

 

[scottgraham]

Kim, some radios also have a fuse in the back of them, not just the one in the fuse box if you haven't looked there.

 

[Mjv]

If the internal fuse is smaller it will blow first. Thus the fuse in the panel will still show good.

 

[Goatman]

The vibrations from the Jeep could be causing internal circuitry to break. Try a marine head unit next time. They are (supposedly) built to withstand more vibration and abuse.

 

[KimsJeep]

The vibrations from the Jeep could be causing internal circuitry to break. Try a marine head unit next time. They are (supposedly) built to withstand more vibration and abuse.

Wow, I didn't even see your post till just now. I actually was coming back in here to bring my post from the "What did you do today" thread so I don't take up that thread with to much of this subject. LOL If that made any sense? LOL

Anyway, to reply to your theory, that is what I was kind of thinking too at first. The first two radios I put in there basically just laid in the hole with only the actual console holding it from moving around. The piece that is supposed to hold the radio was broken from the PO.

With the new radio seen in my pics above, I actually bought a new kit so I can bolt the radio in the right way.

Anyway, I'm going to go copy and paste my "What did you to to your tj today" post over to this one.

 

[KimsJeep]

Here is what I wrote,

All I did today was look for my radio problem. I have had 2 radios just up and quit. My newest one is just a cheap Walmart special and yesterday when I went to the parts store, I was making a 3 point turn to be able to back into the parking spot. Out of the blue, the radio turned of and reset itself to like it is when first hooked up. I had to reprogram everything. I think my dash cam turned off and back on too.

I was thinking maybe a loose wire somewhere. I checked all the wires that I hooked up and also replaced one that was the push together type (seen in pic). It doesn't go to the radio, it goes to the dash cam and the other wired I have connected with the blue connecter goes to my power port. After all that, I also wiggled the wires here and there and couldn't get the radio to turn off so I put it back together. I'm beginning to think that the problem is possibly in the factory wiring. I figure if it does it again, I will run new wiring to the speakers and also to the fuse panel and do away with the factory wires. Maybe that will solve the problem. ??

It was suggested to check my grounds to the body etc. I plan to do that soon. I will also get info on the amp and the speakers and post it in here when I get a chance too.