2000 Taurus - "antenna amplifier" in trunk?

GibsonGM · 11-01-2009, 01:28 PM

Hi,

I'm trying to diagnose why a 2000 Taurus' radio only goes around the dial over & over, and all you can hear is the oscillator inside when tuned to a station. The tape player works fine, clock, etc etc. Assumed it was the antenna...the antenna itself was ok, as was the cable.

Then....The cable goes to an aluminum box in the trunk located on driver's side wheel well - it's maybe 10"x6" with 2 connectors. I am thinking this is a "booster" for the signal (RF AMP, it has a heat sink on one end). I am getting signs of a short where the antenna cable plugs into it (32 ohms between signal input & ground, not a whole lot...). So, it's probably this unit. I have it out of the vehicle and have the part #....does anyone know what its proper name is so I can see if the junk yard has one?? The label reads: Ford YF1F-18C851-AA.

Thanks for any insight!!!

~MIKE

Cuda_Jim · 11-01-2009, 02:27 PM

I belive that IS the radio. Only the controls are in the dash.

GibsonGM · 11-02-2009, 04:36 AM

A little research shows that the thing is the "audio signal control processor"....you're spot-on, Cuda_Jim....speaker wires come outta there, route forward to the radio at the dash, then back...what a mess! LOL. At ~$35, I'm just going to replace it. Problem could be, though, that if any of those wires traveling forward are shorted, it may just blow the new unit :grrrr: Or we could get lucky and it will just work! Took some time to get it off the backing plate; small torx screws and no bit under T-15, so I had to Dremel.

Whatever happened to the antenna wire simply coming in under the dash with speaker/power wires right there? I'd throw my old Pioneer in if there was an easy way to do so :sigh:

Cuda_Jim · 11-02-2009, 10:17 AM

This becoming more common since they started putting audio controls in the steering wheel + there is just no room behind the dash anymore.
There may be aftermarket harnesses to get your stereo hooked up in the trunk IDK??

savo · 11-08-2009, 09:51 PM

I got this one.

Does it look like the top one or the bottom one?
Board Message

I am sure it;s the lower one. This is the 80Watt MACH unit. These things are really Good. I would recommend getting a replacement antenna from wal-mart and as a test, plugging it in. If it still doesn't tune to a station, ok fine replace it. But if it DOES work, keep it, You won't be disappointed by the sound this thing puts out.

Do you have the tweeter pods in the front doors?