radio display blank

MBarroner · 01-26-2008, 04:45 AM

98 explored radio is blank. Looking how to repair it or replace the face plate

FordLimitedguy · 10-21-2008, 11:32 PM

happened to my 98 explorer shortly after I bought it used around y2k
had to carefully remove the face plate and resolder the two large pins
where they had gotten hot and melted the solder away from the pins,
but did it again after a couple of months later.so I gave up and the local
ford dealer parts dept. admitted it was a common proplem/design flaw.
somewhere in this forum someone has taken a great photo of the display
circuit board and detailed instructions on resoldering a couple of extra components
ie surface mounted resistors? I am looking for it ,I saw it a little over a month ago
and saved the photo and instructions,but lost it . I had a more serious problem
but am ready to try it again.Please let me know if you find it or i'll let you know if I find it .
good luck

xplorer · 11-05-2008, 01:17 PM

If you have the money just go after market from here. Your explorer is telling you that it wants to be more high-tech. Ha ha.

LastTudor · 11-05-2008, 03:16 PM

Those radios are notorious for that problem. You can find people on EBay who'll repair it for a price. When my 98 went dark, I tried to fix it myself using online directions, but I boogered it up. I found a replacement on EBay for $75 bucks.

I'm weird but I like having the factory radio in all my cars. But I'm considering swapping out the one in my Crown Vic with an HD radio.

xplorer · 11-05-2008, 11:06 PM

I guess I enjoy the bells and whistles of having an aftermarket system. As long as the system looks nice with the interior styling of the car then I think it is worth it. Along with the fact that you can do a lot of things with the pre-outs on the reverse side.

LastTudor · 11-06-2008, 11:18 AM

Yeah, there are definite good and bad points either way. Replacement radios usually have features that the original doesn't, like the ability to play mp3's, outputs you can use to send audio to a subwoofer, and even inputs to let you use satellite radio or an Ipod.

On the other hand, aftermarket radios don't usually let you use the steering wheel or back seat audio controls that are factory installed in most Explorers. They usually aren't DIN and a half like the original radio, unless you pay a lot of money for one, so they look funny. There are almost no aftermarket radios anymore that play both cassette and CD as many of the Explorers had. Also, I hate that so many of them have 10,000 buttons. I know that they have a ton of features, but they're SO distracting when trying to use those features or find those buttons.

But the biggest criticism I have is that most of them just don't look right. I can use any of them, the buttons don't scare me, so to speak. But they either don't match the interior whatsoever, or the guy who installed it junked up the cheapo Scosche adapter.

Having said all that, I'm going to put an HD radio in my 87 Crown Vic soon, LOL