86 radio failure
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
86 radio failure
ive tried searching the forums with no luck. it seems many people have replaced/fixed their delco/bose radios due to outdate or issues. Now to the question.
I was driving the other day and the stock cd HU was working fine. Went into the house, came out a little later started the car and the radio turns on, you can select stations/cd, but the volume is not there. There is absolutely no sound. I have researched these forums and I think it may be the Bose Control Module behind the HU, or possibly the pink power wire to the 4 amps is bad/loose. I was wondering if there is a common known issue for this or is what I said about it. Thanks.
I was driving the other day and the stock cd HU was working fine. Went into the house, came out a little later started the car and the radio turns on, you can select stations/cd, but the volume is not there. There is absolutely no sound. I have researched these forums and I think it may be the Bose Control Module behind the HU, or possibly the pink power wire to the 4 amps is bad/loose. I was wondering if there is a common known issue for this or is what I said about it. Thanks.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 579
Likes: 2
From: High Bridge New Jersey
On my 91
I had to replace both the "real" radio receiver (not the head unit) and all 4 amps in the speakers -- since all your sound went out at once I would suspect the CDM (receiver) and not all 4 speaker amps blown at once.
Slingshot
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,817
Likes: 24
From: Charlotte NC
ive tried searching the forums with no luck. it seems many people have replaced/fixed their delco/bose radios due to outdate or issues. Now to the question.
I was driving the other day and the stock cd HU was working fine. Went into the house, came out a little later started the car and the radio turns on, you can select stations/cd, but the volume is not there. There is absolutely no sound. I have researched these forums and I think it may be the Bose Control Module behind the HU, or possibly the pink power wire to the 4 amps is bad/loose. I was wondering if there is a common known issue for this or is what I said about it. Thanks.
I was driving the other day and the stock cd HU was working fine. Went into the house, came out a little later started the car and the radio turns on, you can select stations/cd, but the volume is not there. There is absolutely no sound. I have researched these forums and I think it may be the Bose Control Module behind the HU, or possibly the pink power wire to the 4 amps is bad/loose. I was wondering if there is a common known issue for this or is what I said about it. Thanks.
Last edited by pmihaltian; Jun 14, 2008 at 01:47 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,050
Likes: 147
From: Phoenix AZ
2021 C4 of the Year - Modified Finalist
from the driver's seat, hit the left bottom of the passenger's knee panel (the part with the carpet) with the radio on and the volume turned up a little. If the radio comes on, it's the relay. Don't break it, just a firm smack will do.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,322
Likes: 248
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
It's located just inside the opening at the bottom left corner.
It's mounted on the left side of dash support brace and held in with two 7mm screws. Unless you have a pad delete panel, you will be better off to remove the lower panel, reach up and unplug the connector to relay, then plug a new one onto to it and tuck it up into the wiring.
These pics show the wire colours, which will help when trying to find that thing through all the wires down there.
It's mounted on the left side of dash support brace and held in with two 7mm screws. Unless you have a pad delete panel, you will be better off to remove the lower panel, reach up and unplug the connector to relay, then plug a new one onto to it and tuck it up into the wiring.
These pics show the wire colours, which will help when trying to find that thing through all the wires down there.
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
pulled out radio, and pink power wire was giving out power, just ordered relay from ecklers $20 with shipping. Hope that works. thanks everyone for all their help. As far as the radio i know its a delco/bose GM 1.5DIN with cd player, this car was my fathers and he was second owner. As my father has passed away I am unable to get a history on the radio. Does anyone know if the older CD player HU's would use teh same speaker relay? I did notice some of the wiring behind the HU did not look stock, however was unable to access the relay through the radio hole. (hands were just too big) Now with those pictures I will pull the pass dash cover and check from there. Thanks again to all who have posted!
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
easiest way to install relay (since i just did it) is to take the pass side under dash off. the plastic plate that contains your courtesty light, i believe there are 3 screws with (i think 7mm socket heads) in the front, and maybe one in the back middle (i say this because looks like a spot for one but mine didnt have it) once you take the black plate off unhook courtesy light as you need this to be completely out of the way. climb on your back as best you can and shine a flashlight towards the 2 taped up sets of wires, and behind those you will see your 4 wire harness. this is the relay. just stick a screw driver and pry the relay off the wire harness one side at a time, it should come out fairly easily. then hook up your new relay and tuck it back in. this is quicker and easier than taking out your radio and ac controls, and actually fairly easy to reach once you get where it is. if you know what your doing takes 5 minutes, took me 20...lol hope this helps! o btw, my radio is fixed! (conicidentally so is my pass courtesy light by fiddling with the wires...haha).
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