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Same problem with a 99 Forester. The Subaru service center said they can't fix the radio illumination short of replacing it for some exorbitant price. Stupid design in my opinion.
I checked on eBay and found the OEM radio/CD unit for about $500, and Crutchfield carries a nice replacement Sony or JVC for about $400 with modern features like mp3 cd and an aux out. In the end, we traded the car in because of some much bigger problems. 13 years and 175,000 miles, not too bad I guess.
So a place that specializes installing radios would also be very knowledgeable about an circuit board illumination problem like this then? If it was a bulb or fuse issue it would be easier to fix and would have been completed at the dealer.
Nope...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Me007gold
No, I would think you would need a place like this
Even back in the day, the Stereo Light on the 70's Ford radio's had to be sent back to the manufacturer to be replaced. The radio's were built by either Philco or occasionally Motorola and that's who you had to sent it to. You could however change the dial illumination bulb by yourself.
If you bought the car used and the lights have never worked, it could be that some "do-it-yourselfer" had a non-stock radio in there, then reinstalled the factory radio before selling the vehicle. And did not properly reconnect all the wiring.
So it could be something as simple as a wire not connected.
If the problem is in fact with the radio/CD, you may be able to get a cheap replacement at a wrecking yard.
People who repair electronics are able to take these apart and replace bulbs or track down the problem if they have a vehicle factory wiring diagram and a voltmeter.
If you bought the car used and the lights have never worked, it could be that some "do-it-yourselfer" had a non-stock radio in there, then reinstalled the factory radio before selling the vehicle. And did not properly reconnect all the wiring.
So it could be something as simple as a wire not connected.
If the problem is in fact with the radio/CD, you may be able to get a cheap replacement at a wrecking yard.
People who repair electronics are able to take these apart and replace bulbs or track down the problem if they have a vehicle factory wiring diagram and a voltmeter.
They were working when I bought the vehicle a couple years ago, but went out a number of months ago. I have just been busy and haven't looked into if further. Appears to be a bad design if you can't replace a simple bulb easily without completely taking things apart or having someone else do it.
Probably the cheapest fix would be replacing the stock radio with an aftermarket stereo. If you get one with a usb input (to play from a flash drive) you will not miss the 6 disc cd player either.
They were working when I bought the vehicle a couple years ago, but went out a number of months ago. I have just been busy and haven't looked into if further. Appears to be a bad design if you can't replace a simple bulb easily without completely taking things apart or having someone else do it.
Bulbs like that often never go out. It would be economically impossible to design eveything for simple bulb replacement, or for any other part. There are dozens of examples in auto design that I've run across where service access was obviously not a concern.
Bulbs like that often never go out. It would be economically impossible to design eveything for simple bulb replacement, or for any other part. There are dozens of examples in auto design that I've run across where service access was obviously not a concern.
The thing is... they charge a premium price for OEM stereo systems. As I recall, when I chose the premium sound system for my Subaru Forester back in '99, it was like $1200 or something. For that kind of money you'd expect the darned light bulb to not go out.
I can understand that with all the vibration and extreme temperatures, electronics are going to age more rapidly than my stereo receiver which still lights up and works just fine after 20 years, but still.
The thing is... they charge a premium price for OEM stereo systems. As I recall, when I chose the premium sound system for my Subaru Forester back in '99, it was like $1200 or something. For that kind of money you'd expect the darned light bulb to not go out.
I can understand that with all the vibration and extreme temperatures, electronics are going to age more rapidly than my stereo receiver which still lights up and works just fine after 20 years, but still.
Ever see a Bentley repair shop? Full of very expensive broken Bentleys.
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