Thread: Electrical Gremlin with D1 Radio

Originally Posted by Thommo

Can some of you knowledgeable people put me in the right direction to narrow down my D1ES factory radio problem.

There is NO power to the radio and no power to the fuse.

Is this another earth gremlin somewhere? Or where should I start looking?

All was working fine, now nothing. Illumination to the volume/off-on switch still works but no illumination to other radio buttons?

Electrickity is a Dark Art for me!

Thommo
D1V8ES(man)

Where are you. I can possibly help. I am a qualified radio and TV engineer however I have been driving a desk for many years. Possibly still know more than you ?

The other thing is I have an original old Disco 1 radio cassette not doing me any good at the moment.

Regards


Martin

Thanks Martin but I dont think it is a "radio" issue, it is one of the LR gremlins that is probably an easy fix if only one knows where to venture.

I just pulled the radio out and trying to trace a few things (what a nightmare behind a D1 dash). At least the vehicle is still driving (for now anyway)
A few other gremlins I need to fix so if I get some time this Sunday I think I will pull the whole consol/dash etc (will I ever get it all back together?).

Still don't appear to have power to the main fuse for the radio and a couple of other bits and pieces so I guess there is a issue in there somewhere?
It has to be something obvious (to someone other than me).

No worries, good luck with it Thommo. If it does turn out to be a duff radio at least you know where to get a replacement.

Originally Posted by Thommo

Illumination to the volume/off-on switch still works but no illumination to other radio buttons?

I'm not familiar with the exact unit that you have, but it's possible that the unit has two separate power sources.

ie. Power is supplied (usually from the vehicle's parking / dash light circuit) to provide illumination to the on/off switch so that this switch is illuminated at all times when the dash lights are on, even if the radio unit is turned off. A separate power source powers the unit itself.

If you have no power to the fuse for the unit, what I'd do is pull the fuse out and then run a "hot" live wire to the outlet side of the fuse holder, say, from the cigarette lighter (may need to have the ignition turned on for this to work). Don't put it to the incoming side of the fuse holder, as, if there is a dead short in the original wiring supplying power to this point, you will put current to a dead short (remove the fuse first for the same reason).

If the radio / stereo works OK with this hot wire in place, then you know that the problem is not in the unit.

If it is then too difficult to trace why there is no power to the inlet side of the fuse, you can either choose to run a new wire to that point from another source (making sure that you disconnect and insulate the end of the original supply line first), or bypass the fuse box completely. In this second case, run a new supply line from a suitable source (preferably from a source that is switched off when the ignition / accessories are turned off so that you cannot inadvertently leave the unit running when you are not using the vehicle). Install an "in-line" fuse holder with a suitably rated fuse in this new supply line, and join into the power lead feeding into the back of the radio unit.

After mine kept losing its code I pulled it out and dropped in a JVC USB/MP3/Bluetooth unit. Haven't since looked back.

I did same as Boxer.
CD changer played up and pulled the lot.
Put in a Pioneer with bluetooth and cd.
I will change the speakers very soon as they are just not up to it.

Lucas is the prince of darkness, always will be the achilles heel of land Rover.

Go to a Radio place and have them put a proper one in that is up to the 20th century.

Best of luck.

Originally Posted by Boxer

After mine kept losing its code I pulled it out and dropped in a JVC USB/MP3/Bluetooth unit. Haven't since looked back.

I have a similar problem as this but its after i changed out the crappy aftermarket unit that was in there when i bought it, with a jvc unit, it will lose all programed stations, time and settings etc.
i have a redark dual batt system with two new delcos, the radio main power supply has a direct link (with inline 10a fuse) to the aux battery that is only running the radio at the moment, (havent got around to swaping other minor things over yet), i was thinking i may have a dud head unit but this has made me wonder.
food for thought.

If anyomne is interested i have a JVC CD player with an ISO adapter loom that i will be selling shortly, with the iso loom its a direct bolt in to a D1 and possibly D2 using an ISO connector. Updated wifes car so took the stereo out before we traded it.