Just bought a 97 F 150 extended cab, complete with factory Clarion CD Changer and wired remote. Now that I'm moving into the 21st century with CD stuff... I need help understanding Error No. 9. I've been to the Clarion website and it tells me I've got a week RF signal. Although having seen a lot of Gilligan Island episodes of turning coconuts into radios, I still don't understand how all this works. Does error 9 and my wired remote still work with the factory cassette deck stereo or do I need the stereo with the CD button? Do I have to go to Ford and pay a bunch of money to make the stereo gods happy? Or chuck it all and buy a whole new set up? Or is all of this dependant on my unit working?

Where should I start? I'd really appreciate any help and would love to use this 'I'm not worthy' purple smilie creature in my next message. =0)

 

This must be an aftermarket changer, and it sounds like its FM modulated. You can check it out pretty easy. If error code 9 is weak signal, it could be your modulator is not powered, or the antenna connections are poor. I would pull the deck and check the antenna wiring, to the modulator and to the back of the deck. If that's okay, it's most likely a bad modulator.

 

Thanks for the info.. I had it checked out by an authorised Clarion service center and it being 'antique' and having evidence of water and mud in it, the guy sold me a Ford factory MP3 CD player for $150 frogskins. Better than a 6 disc changer any day -- if it's got a wired remote, anyway..