Okay, my stock HU has gone out twice now. I can't afford a new one, so I am SOL for a while, but I would like to know if any of y'all have an idea as to why it keeps going out. First one went out at 57,000 miles and the second went out at 57,000 miles later. I smell something like an electrical burn, and I took apart the first one and it looks like there is some corrosion and burn marks on the bottom side of the circuit board(?) on the bottom of the radio. The lights on the buttons still work, but now I have no clock an no radio at all. I have the 'Premium' sound system, with am/fm/cass/cd changer. Any ideas? I tried taking it out and shaking it, then putting it back in, but no dice. What to do?

 

sounds like an electrical short somewhere, you may want to let FORD check over the points where the stock harness grounds, and gets power, something could be lose, or have a small cut and its contacting metal. I would address this concern directly to FORD so they can hopefully do something to take care of this issue.

 

Does anyone have any idea how much this would cost to have Ford check it out? I know that the radio was almost 300 dollars when they priced it for me the last time, and I will do good to be able to buy a pack of smokes tomorrow. Thanks y'all!

 

you can pick up a new or near new ford HU on eBay for like $100. That would probably be cheaper than having yours repaired. Just an idea.

 

I seem to have the same problem. My question is does your head unit ever start working again? Mine will go out intermitantly and come back on 10-15 min later.

 

Overheating is a problem with in-dash CD players. My advice would be to get a nice aftermarket player when compared to the cost of a stocker. Like a Visteon that will use the factory changer.

 

I would be willing to sell my head unit. It's from an 01'. I only had it in for about six days. I also have the stock six disk cd changer. If anyone wants e-mail me. Dageon

 

After replacing it once I say, screw it.

Buy a harmonica and learn to steer with your knees.

 

I have a harmonica, and I have always known how to steer with my knees, but it just isn't the same. One time, I got bored and held the harmonica out the window, you know, just to see what kind of noise it would make, and I dropped it and it came back in and hit me in the eye! Now I leave it in the glove box, because I don't want to take my good eye off the road to look for it. I am screwed, I don't even have like 5 dollars.

 

this probably wont help but have you looked over all your connections its along shot but i had a ranger that kept grounding out it had cheap eletrical tape that got old and slipped off

 

I was talking to the Ford radio dealer here in KC because my head unit went out. I replaced with a used one yesterday and it wouldnt operate my changer. Numbers were identical so I returned it I will go aftermarket now. But the dealer said the antenna's on the 97's will allow water to get into the radio plug and I need to replace the antenna. He said that is the problem with alot of 97's and why it is hard to find replacements. My last to letters are BD and that is what they used to determine replacements.