Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with carstereo

Aux Plug Broken

snoelle — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 10:22:56 -0800

My son broke off the plug in my Aux input on my 2008 Nissan Altima. There is no piece sticking out far enough to get with needle nose pliers. Any idea on how I can clear the plug to be able to use it again? Not sure what he did or how it broke off, but it is a clean break. Very frustrating that I can't get it out with small pliers. I've also tried to heat up a safety pin and connect it to the plug, but that has not helped at all. Any ideas are appreciated. I really don't want to have to take the dash apart, unless the stereo unit will come out by itself.

Are there any mom-friendly mp3 players &/or car adapter kits?

lesli212 — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:52:58 -0800

My mom has a long commute, so I'm thinking it would be great to get her an mp3 player for the car. I will be setting it up, but it should be easy for her to use. She is more used to VCR buttons than click wheels and cord-squeezing, so iPod-style interfaces are out. Does anyone know of a reliable mp3 player or car adapter kit that will fit the bill? I'd like to go old school here. The easy part: No lower size limit (4 gigs is more than enough). Also, she won't be loading or removing songs from it - trust me - so it doesn't matter if that process is simple or byzantine.

Are there any mp3 players with:
- large controls that are regular pressable buttons
- just a few, clearly labelled buttons: play, pause, volume, skip, back
- a large display that allows for easy song selection (but no video)
- nice loud speakers, and not tinny - she's getting slightly hard of hearing

Something like this or this from Creative, but with more clearly labelled buttons, would be nice.

I haven't seen any car adapter kits that have play/forward/back buttons for controlling an mp3 player - does anything like that exist, as an alternative?

Thanks MeFites!

No soap... Radio!

JuiceBoxHero — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:34:50 -0800

Why does the radio in our 95 Camry stop making sound? Our 1995 Camry with factory radio cut out in the middle of a drive yesterday. The unit appears to be on and functioning, but suddenly no noise comes from the speakers. No static or anything. When the car is completely powered off and then back on, the stereo will sometimes come back for a minute or two then disappear again. It has never done this before.

What's causing this?

In case it's relevant- over a year ago, we had a Sirius receiver professionally installed and connected via the FM antenna hook-up. My first thought was that this was related, but even if I power the Sirius receiver off completely, I get the same results using just the regular FM stations.

iPhone 3gs car stereo recommendation?

katocolon — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:00:29 -0800

Anyone know of an aftermaket car stereo head unit that will play nicely with the iPhone 3gs? I looked at the previous question related to this, but didn't see any specific model recs...various google searches and Crutchfield have led me to believe that the 3rd gen iPhones are having charging issues with some (or all?) models of aftermarket stereos. I'd love to hear if anyone has any first hand experience lately with buying a new stereo for use with a newer iPhone. I probably would spend up to $400 for something cool. Thanks in advance.

Save Me From CDs

PunkSoTawny — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:33:49 -0800

iPhoneFilter: Can anyone recommend an inexpensive, iPhone-compatible FM transmitter I can use to listen to MP3s in the car? The el cheapo iRiver unit--traded for a beer from a friend who got a Woot.com twofer--I have been using has died. The quality of it was always fairly low, so I would like something a bit better, but preferably still under $50. I know there were some iPod-related posts on this topic in the past, but prices fluctuate all the time, and I figure things may have changed in the iPhone era.

Should I report my stolen car stereo to the insurance company?

agentmunroe — Sun, 10 May 2009 10:35:32 -0800

My car stereo just got stolen - while my car was in my driveway. Should I report it to my insurance company? So I came outside not 10 minutes ago to find the passenger-side window of my '02 Chevy Prizm smashed in, and my 3-year-old mediocre Alpine head unit stolen. It was the cheapest one at the time that had an auxiliary in (I think $199 new, not that I have the receipt handy to prove it), and I was starting to look at replacing it anyway with one that had better iPod integration and HD radio, so I'm not particularly worried about the stereo cost itself - although it would be nice to have it replaced.

What I'm not sure about is - should I handle this out-of-pocket, or report it to State Farm to see what they'll do? While it would be great to have the repairs paid for, we have three other cars under our policy; I don't know if it works this way, but I'd be worried we'd be classified as a higher risk and have our rates raised. If any rates get raised, I'd rather just pay for it myself.

As a bit of background, we live in a mediocre to bad part of town - we haven't had any home theft lately, but did have a car stolen a few years ago that we reported and was eventually returned.

I don't yet have the insurance paperwork in front of me (going to dig those up next), but our plan with State Farm is fairly comprehensive... it's covered a windshield replacement due to a crack, and all of the rental/repair costs from when I was in a not-at-fault accident about six months ago and had some collision damage taken care of.

Side question - if I don't report it, is it even worth filing a police report? And am I allowed to drive it without the window for now (NYS)?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Why is my homemade boombox not getting power?

smelvis — Sat, 02 May 2009 14:17:26 -0800

Hooking up old Sony car stereo as a standalone boombox - what am I doing wrong? Followed Metafilter advice, but my wiring is wonky. Posted this question about converting a car stereo into a homemade boombox awhile back. Got good advice, so here's my setup.

Bought a 12V 500mA AC adapter from Radio Shack and snipped off the end. Connected the wire with writing on it (it says: 22AWG 300V CHICK YUET AWM -LF-) to the YELLOW wire from the wiring harness. Sony manual says the Yellow is Power (constant). Connected other adapter wire to RED. Manual says red is Power (ignition). Black (ground) wire from harness is connected to a screw w.rubber washer. Entire assembly is in a wooden box.

No power. Changed 10A fuse. Even swapped the Red/Yellow. No luck.

The manual states the stereo power (when in a car) as 12V DC car battery (negative earth).

So... appealing again to your smarts. Is there something obvious I'm doing wrong, or is this radio shot?

Geez, is the example title really "How to get an iPod to work in my car?"

Overzealous — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:43:45 -0800

Looking for some audio whiz that can confirm that this particular iPod adapter and car stereo will work. Dazzle me with your knowledge and experience! I'm looking to figure out a way to hook my first gen iPod Touch directly into my factory installed car stereo. It is a 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser with an RBQ radio (six disc changer, no cassette deck, and looks like this:) The end result doesn't need to look flashy, charge my iPod, or use the head unit to control the tracks. A simple aux jack tucked away somewhere would suit me fine. I am not interested in hearing about FM transmitters or modulators -- I've tried them with no real success, but thank you.

The PIE CHRY02-AUX Auxiliary input adapter for select 2002-06 Chrysler radios which seemed most promising boldly says "NOT COMPATIBLE with Chrysler's 6-disc in dash radio (i.e “RBQ”)." The one that is a Mopar product really only talks about model years 2006 and newer.

Is there a solution that will work for me? Does the Mopar OEM iPod Interface Kit work with a 2003 Chrysler RBQ 6-disc changer radio?

Can I put an aftermarket stereo in a new Nissan Frontier?

jeffderek — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 08:14:39 -0800

Can I put an aftermarket stereo in a new Nissan Frontier? I'd like to purchase a 2009 Nissan Frontier. Like many cars nowadays, the stereo seems to take up the entire center of the dashboard, not a single replaceable unit. The edition I'd like to buy (SE-I4) does not have an Auxilliary input available as an option from the factory, so I'd need to put an aftermarket stereo in to get the Aux input.

Can I actually do this? Looking at the dash I don't understand how I'd replace the stereo, but I'm having trouble imagining that this is impossible. I replaced the stereo in my 2002 Saturn SL2 with no problem, but it was a more conventional stereo.

Thanks!

How can I reuse my old car stereo - out of the car?

smelvis — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 08:12:15 -0800

Can I reuse my old car stereo - out of the car - with limited a)electrical knowledge and b)money? I have a Sony AM/FM/CD car stereo from my old car that is just sitting in a box. I would like to do something with it, but not sure where to start.

Can I make it work as a simple under-the-cabinet player in my garage with some cheapy speakers? Or a standalone player? Or anything?

The model is CDX-L350.
The specs say that the power supply is: 12V DC Car Battery (negative earth).

A picture of the wiring can be seen here.

Don't want to spend a lot of money on this, so I'll just sell/donate it if I can't make it work.

Thanks!

What's the most hackable car from a bus perspective?

arimathea — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:15:11 -0800

What's the most hackable car out there? I'm considering purchasing a new automobile. I'm looking at last and current model year only. I am not concerned with things like performance or reliability but those would be pluses. Price is not necessarily an object. When I talk about "hackability", I am thinking about doing things like building an in-car system that not only does the standard "CarPC" stuff e.g. play music, movies, GPS, weather, etc., but also interacting with the car's bus in new and interesting ways (e.g. pulling more statistics that can normally be gotten from the OBD port). I looked briefly into purchasing a BMW, but it seems as if the MOST bus is less than desirable for hackability. What i'm essentially looking for is a great platform that I can do totally crazy shit to.

Any bright ideas?

USB Charger Static

mccarty.tim — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 15:49:08 -0800

My car's USB adapter makes staticy noises over the radio. Should I replace it, and if so, with what? When I got my car, I bought several car adapters, including a cellphone charger and a USB adapter, both cheapie generics from eBay megasellers. The problem is that my USB charger is what I use to run my GPS (which I bought used with a bad battery and defective car charger, so I use the USB adapter to run it instead), and whenever I plug it in to the USB adapter, it creates static, or maybe somehow grounds the signal so that less of the signal comes in. Can you tell I'm not an electronic engineer? Also, if I am really close to a reasonably high power station, I get little to no effect.

It seems to be largely based on where the cable is, and I've tried it with several cables with similar results. I did try it once with a USB cable that had a barrel type thing on the end, probably meant to control RF interference, but it only helped marginally. However, it came with a camera, and it was a small barrel type thing (I know it's a bead of some material inside, but I'm not that smart...). If the cable is closer to the head unit, the static is worse, but it's not as bad with the external antenna. However, that's probably because there's a metal bar in between the cable and the antenna on my PT Cruiser, so that's probably the station there.

My cellphone charger causes some trouble when I hold it close, but I keep my charging phone in the arm rest instead of near the radio, so it has little to no effect on radio signal.

I'd like to get a new USB charger, preferably with more ports so I can charge my GPS and iPod at the same time, or perhaps a firewire port as well for faster iPod charging, if the newer ones still support it (my Nano does, but not for data). Is there a model with less of an RF sent over the cables problem? Or is this an issue with my cables or radio? I have no trouble getting smaller radio stations from farther away when the USB charger is not plugged in, so I think the antenna is probably properly installed. For what it's worth, the radio is a Chrysler 2007 PT Cruiser stock REF radio, and I'm not entirely happy with it since it has a loose AUX port on the face, but I put up with it and I'm in no rush to replace it.

I've been looking at this, this, and this. I want it to be under $15, preferably under $10, and I might ask for it as a christmas gift, so if it has a distinctive brand name or shape, that makes it easier to ask for without having to get the wrong thing or feeling bad for asking for something really specific. I'm not too big on inverters, as I'm worried they'd be expensive and I'd start abusing them for bigger things and then pop a fuse in my car. I don't really need to daisychain another car adapter, since I have two ports and only really want to charge 3 gadgets in my car (GPS, phone, iPod), and rarely all at once.

The interference does not coordinate wtih any band of the radio, and I'm only trying it with FM, as I don't like any of the AM stations.

How to retrieve CDs from a broken car stereo?

junipero — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:29:50 -0800

How can I retrieve my CDs from my broken car stereo? Better yet, how can I make it work? I have a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. About a year ago I was driving and listening to a CD in the 6-disc changer and out of nowhere the music stopped. I looked at the display screen and it said "MECH ERROR". In the car's manual, the description for "MECH ERROR" reads something like "There is a mechanical error. See dealer".

Obviously, I would rather not "see dealer". I don't know if this is under my warranty or not, and frankly I don't really care. I just don't want to drive out to the dealership, leave my car there for two days, and have to hitch rides.

Is there ANY possible way to get my CDs out of my CD player? I have tried pressing eject and it just tells me there is an error and cannot eject the discs...

Of course, my six favorite CDs are in the player, including a Kinks album that I cannot find anywhere else, so I would really like to have them back.

Bonus points if you can tell me how to fix this problem without having to "see dealer".

GPS Connection + Car Stereo

mccarty.tim — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:11:20 -0800

My PT Cruiser has a satellite radio receiver installed. I don't care for it. Can I make the antenna more useful? I bought a 2007 PT Cruiser Limited (Non-Turbo) used. It has a satellite radio receiver installed, which came with a year of free service when it was new. Of course, I bought the car after the year. So, my car has a radio receiver on the roof I can't afford service for.

I have a GPS, but I tend to park in a parking garage on a college campus. When my GPS (A Tom-Tom) loses signal, it takes a while to get it back. It usually comes back while driving, but it's a bit unnerving when I'm running late for something. Could I possibly take out the radio, get the cable for the satellite receiver, plug that into the external antenna port on my TomTom and put the radio back in without too much fuss? If the cable could be rerouted so it doesn't look too awkward, say through a vent for the windshield blower, that'd be a plus.

Also, while I have the stock radio out, could I install a new radio built for the odd shape in the PT Cruiser with a better iPod interface? I'm only asking because I'm curious. The AUX port is perfectly fine (Save for having a lose grip of the jack), I'd just like something to make it easier to change songs while driving with the bigger screen with an integrated charging option (I currently use a cigarette-lighter to USB adapter). If it's relevant, I use a 20 GB iPod 4G Clickwheel in the car, but I could also use a second generation 4GB Nano, and I'm planning on getting an iPod touch as soon as one of those two iPods dies. Failing that, is it possible to install an aftermarket radio in the car without it looking too funny? The two knobs that stick out from the side worry me.

Other specs I would like in the radio, aside from iPod docking, include AM/FM with at least 4 presets per band, MP3/WMA playback from a burned CD, and the ability to remember what station you were playing last when changing sources (A minor annoyance on mine, because when I switch from AUX to radio, it automatically gives me satellite, and I have to fiddle to get the FM stations again). Being able to see the song playing or selected on the iPod would be nice, too. If it's affordable, HD radio would be great but not essential. I have no need for satellite radio, because I like my local stations and my iPod tracks. If I could buy that for under or around $100, I'd be interested.

As for technical aptitude, I'm a pre-engineering education major. I'm comfortable with some minor electronics, and wouldn't mind crimping a cable or two if I don't need to buy too many tools to get the job done. I'd prefer to install these tweaks myself, but I could look into an honest person to install them. If it's not obvious yet, I know very little about cars.

Sorry if Travel/Transportation isn't appropriate. If you think I should re-categorize this, let me know. Thanks!

Aftermarket stereo in a 2006 Outback?

squishy — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:48:15 -0800

Can I install an aftermarket stereo into a 2006 Subaru Outback? The stereo/HVAC panel is a bit odd - integrating hvac and emergency light button - it looks like this. Crutchfield seems to sell a new face to fit aftermarket stereo receivers, but people are saying on blogs that it "could" disable the HVAC because the wiring is connected.

Does anyone know if that's true? Has anyone done it?

Will an FM transmitter from the US work in the UK?

steeb2er — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:55:20 -0800

Will an FM transmitter (to listen to an MP3 player in the car) bought in the US work in the UK? What about the cigarette lighter adapter? A friend in the UK drives a delivery truck all day. As a gift, I'd like to send him a means to listen to his iPod while driving around. I don't know if he has a cassette deck in the truck, and since he doesn't own the truck he can't hard-wire anything into the stereo.

The only option I can think of is an FM transmitter. I'm just not sure if UK radios use the same frequencies or "rules" as they do in the US.

I'm looking for a cable that will both charge and play audio in my car for my iPhone 3G.

DrDreidel — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:23:38 -0800

I want to plug my iPhone 3G into my car stereo using the data port, not the headphone jack. I would also like it to charge the device. I have a cable installed right now that works for my standard iPod. This cable will play the music through my car stereo but will not charge the device. I have a Pioneer head unit (don't have the model number available right now).

Recommendations for high-end car stereo upgrade <$1800 (no boom/sizzle)

bmilner — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:04:07 -0800

Seeking recommendations for high-end component car stereo upgrade for 2003 Passat for <$1800 (w/ iPod & keep steering wheel controls?) I'm seeking recommendations for how to best upgrade my factory Passat stereo system. I'm a "high-end" sorta guy seeking smooth detailed sound over sizzle/boom

15 yrs ago I was up on the latest in high quality audio gear. It was simple, you bought A/d/S speakers, maybe a kicker solobaric sub and you ended up with a really decent high end system. Now... I'm out of touch.

I have a 2003 Passat b5.5 wagon w/ Monsoon Cassette/CD system & headsup controls on the steering wheel. I'm looking to redo my system with the following requirements. I warmly welcome your input.

My desired system:
MUST HAVES:
* Utilize the kicker 10" solobaric sub in an enclosure - I already own this.
* BUDGET: Under $1800
* Direct connection of an iPod classic. FM modulator quality is probably fine. No need to display iD3 tag info. I can control the iPod myself manually.
* Highest sound quality possible! I want warm smooth highs, accurate mids. I loathe boom and sizzle and harsh systems. On my ADS system I padded the tweeters down 3dB and liked it better.
* I want rear fill. It's not ok, to just have fronts.
NICE TO HAVES:
* Control the stereo volume from the Heads up steering wheel controls. I love those. (I can control iPod myself)
* Minimal installation hassle (i.e. can I use the stock headunit w/ a better amp and speakers down the path?)
* I'd consider built in GPS... if it didn't compromise the other "must have's"!
* ability to manually tweak the bass crossover point. I always seem to want to touch that depending on the music.

So, what do you think?

Brand recommendations? Specific speaker models?
Speak up. Most of the local (Seattle) places here want to sell me the latest sizzle system that burns my eardrums off. I need real advice.

New car stereo solution?

ObscureReferenceMan — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:37:40 -0800

Car stereo solution for someone non-technical. I have a 1990 Acura Legend with original stereo & speakers, but the 10-disc changer my brother installed is having issues (discs aren't always recognized, and the remote is broken). And the rear speakers are buzzing. So I'm in the market for something new. I don't want to spend more than $500 (for stereo and speakers). My requirements:
- Input for iPod (will be purchasing that soon also)
- Should play at least one CD (in case on a road trip, someone brings tunes)
- Some kind of equalizer (not just treble/bass control)

My question is not so much "which unit" (but I welcome input/feedback), but "where to go?". My gut tells me BestBuy. I've browsed, and they seem to have a decent selection, and installation is minimal. Or do I go to a car stereo place? There are plenty on Long Island (suggestions for/against would also be appreciated). Would $500 get me something good?

One qualification: I do NOT want to buy individual components and install them myself (I know it's cheaper). I am NOT handy. I CANNOT do electrical installation. This is non-negotiable. Sorry.

Any other suggestions (units to be aware of +/-, forums, review sites, etc.) are welcome. Thanks!!

Honest car audio shops in or around Philadelphia?

hcastro — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:51:58 -0800

Anyone know of honest car audio shops in or around Philadelphia?

Where's the simplicity?

dance — Sun, 11 May 2008 14:18:51 -0800

Swapping a car's stereo head unit: I would really like to replace my car's ailing Blaupunkt CD player with a more modern head unit, ideally one with a front aux-in for my iPhone. Before I embarked on this I thought it would (should!) be as simple as popping out the old HU, slotting the new one in and simply reconnecting the connector block. But it seems the process is rarely that simple. My car, a 96 Mazda 626, does not seem to have the pretty wiring harnesses to be seen in many online tutorials. It looks exactly like this.

A friend said that all aftermarket stereos connect to the car's wiring harness via an ISO connector so I presumed that as my stereo is almost certainly aftermarket the hard work was already done for me. But having bought the removal keys and had a look behind the stereo it doesn't look like it.

What are my options? I would dearly love to avoid soldering, splicing and dicing and have a nice clean solution involving adaptors or the straightforward swap I hoped for.

I guess if I buy another Blaupunkt then I can just swap head units? There are two connectors even though only the brown topmost can be seen in the picture. Do Blaupunkts continue to use this setup?

I've tried asking at the12volt and installdr, but without much success!

Any help appreciated!

Is my car killing my stereo displays?

Uther Bentrazor — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:43:00 -0800

My car stereo display went blank, and it's not the first time. Is my car striking my car stereos blind? I drive a 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis. When I got it last January, the display on the stock radio was blank, but otherwise functioned normally. Shortly afterward, I bought and installed a new stereo, a Kenwood KDC MP632U to be exact. It came with a wiring harness and instructions etc. (I don't know a whole hell of a lot about a car's electrical system, but I have installed car stereo equipment before, and can match wires to other wires).

I suspected there might be electrical problems, or something amiss, as the cigarette lighter outlet didn't seem to work, but I never used it for anything so I didn't pay much attention. Everything else worked fine so I didn't really bother.

However, a few months ago during a particularly cold day, the stereo display took a bit longer than usual to come up. I assumed it had something to do with the temperature's effect on the LCD, but the blankout became intermittent before finally giving up altogether.

I checked the car's fuse box, and tested all of the fuses, even replacing one that appeared to be dead, and the stereo display came back to life, but went blank again shortly thereafter. I checked all the fuses again, even the one on the back of the head unit itself, but they all read normal. I went in and double checked the wiring, and I couldn't see anything obviously wrong (exposed copper, loose wire, etc) so I'm concerned it might be something deeper within the vehicle somewhere.

It should be noted that the Kenwood stereo functions completely normal, and even the blue and red lights on the face work, just not the actual readout, so I have to operate it blindly.

I wouldn't be terribly opposed to buying a new stereo altogether, but I fear that the same issue would arise again, and I don't wish to spend $100+ to test it out.

I feel like I'm missing something, or there's something basic that my ignorance of automotives is preventing me from seeing. Help me, fellow MeFites!

(note, this question, while similar sounding, is different from my last question on the topic, which was resolved)

How to set a 70s car radio

yetanother — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 10:47:03 -0800

How do I set the memory on a 70's mechanical tuner car radio? Just got a 70's radio to match a recently acquired 70's vehicle, and it works great in glorious 70s AM/FM. It has one of the old mechanical tuners with 5 preset buttons that make the tuner jump. Someone as old as me should remember how to set the presets, but I cant work it out. I thought it had something to do with turning the tuner with a preset pushed in, but that doesnt seem to work.

It's a Blaupunkt Bavaria S if it makes a difference.

How to get Circuit City to fix the broken car stereo they installed?

Dec One — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 21:59:36 -0800

I got a new car stereo installed by Circuit City, and it doesn't work. How can I get them to fix it? Yesterday I took my 1998 Acura 3.0CL to Circuit City for a new Sony car stereo. It was $100 for the stereo, about $60 for equipment, taxes and fees. I purchased it and they installed it. When I picked up the car and started it, the radio was on and working. So far, so good. Then I put in a CD. The stereo pulled in the CD, the display turned to CD mode, it showed the CD playing (0:00, 0:01, 0:02, etc.)... and there was no sound. I turned up the volume, I let the CD play for a few minutes, and there was no sound.

I confronted the installer guy. He poked at it for a minute, and said that to get it to work, they would have to "bypass the amp". I think this means changing the way the thing is wired in the back. Since it was the end of the day, I would have to bring the car back another day, leave it for another two-plus hours, and pay another $60. He said that there was no way he could have known that the amp would have to be bypassed until the stereo was installed (baloney, of course, but that much is moot now). It works fine in radio mode, which makes me think the CD-playing mechanism in the stereo is faulty, and no amount of "bypassing the amp" is going to fix that. But what do I know?

Can I get Circuit City to fix this without giving them another $60? I thought the deal was that I would pay $160, and drive away with a working, installed car stereo. How can I hold them to that?

Have I fried my car stereo?

robotot — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 17:50:13 -0800

Have I fried my car stereo? Exposed wires crossed, and then no more music... I had successfully installed my car stereo, by recycling the old wiring harness from my old head unit, chopping the wires and reattaching them to the new unit. I reattached the battery cables to check it. Everything worked fine.

Then when I was taping up the exposed wires with electrical tape two of them must have touched causing some sort of short circuit, and just like that, it died. Obviously, I should have removed the battery cable again while taping the wires.

Is it repairable? I’ve unplugged everything and reattached it all, checked the fuse on the stereo and it seems fine, but I get no response from the stereo now, except I can hear the cd player spinning up. My guess is either exposed part of the ground wire or the battery wire has come in contact with one of the other exposed wires and shorted the whole thing.

Is there any way I can fix this or should I cut my losses (the stereo only cost me $80) and buy another unit? I would appreciate the hive mind’ thoughts on which wires may have crossed and if there is any way of fixing this.