NIB, OEM THX head unit,,from ebay,,no joy :(

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roncoinc

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My cd player was bad so Joe sent me one he had for free.
very generous gesture and he was not sure it would work,and it didn't.
was worth a try and i appreciate his effort,stand up guy.

In a post i made about my problem a link to an ebay auction for new OEM was included.
like this.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-OEM-FAC...Xz0%2BA%2FBam6k2AUXXc%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

I bought it in Jan when my car was in winter storage.
now car is out and i installed the head unit today.

first thing i noticed was nothing from the sub woofers.
checked the fuse in the trunk,used fluke meter,good fuse.

tried the CD player,,,door open,,push buttons nothing.
get out the owners manual,read instructions,nothing.

Ok,i missed a connector or didn't seat properly,,,,so out comes the unit and i double check everything,,no joy.

Installed OLD head unit,,got BASS !!!!
when checking i put my hand on the back speakers,with old unit i could hear and feel,,new unit nothing.

Seller stated NO returns and it has been almost three months so i think i'm screwed on this deal.

unless somebody knows something i don't about replacement procedure ???
or setting up a NEW unit so the sub woofers and CD work ??

Guess i will start looking for an AM replacement,,tried searching for info , confusing,,,need adapter harness for speakers and an adapter for steering wheel controls,,..
see they come with NAV,,what about updates ??? pay or free ??
AUX input for MP3 and backup cam's and all that confuses me !!

I'm not an audiophile and have tinnitus and hearing loss so i don't need much but still like listening to Willie while on a road trip.

Any suggestions or help or hand holding would be appreciated :)
 
Sorry to hear about the problems. I wonder if that's how he had several to sell at such a low price? Could they have been rejected for defects? While the seller said no returns, I wonder if he would exchange the one you have for another one? (This would depend on him still having some, of course.) Edit: looks like he has one left.

I don't know of any setting or whatever required for the subs to work. I think there is a shipping screw for the CD changer that you have to remove before installing and (more importantly) connecting power.
From stock THX to aftermarket is more complicated than from non-THX, but it is doable. Here's one example: http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/forum/showthread.php?92255-THX-navigation-to-aftermarket
 
joegr said:
Sorry to hear about the problems. I wonder if that's how he had several to sell at such a low price? Could they have been rejected for defects? While the seller said no returns, I wonder if he would exchange the one you have for another one? (This would depend on him still having some, of course.) Edit: looks like he has one left.

I don't know of any setting or whatever required for the subs to work. I think there is a shipping screw for the CD changer that you have to remove before installing and (more importantly) connecting power.
From stock THX to aftermarket is more complicated than from non-THX, but it is doable. Here's one example: http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/forum/showthread.php?92255-THX-navigation-to-aftermarket
Click to expand...

I did email him,,dont expect much tho :(

Tnx for the link Joe,,,will study and see if an old man can understand..

or go buy a Town Car ? :)
 
Double check the audio menu to make sure the car is not biasing all volume up to the front?

Regarding the no return seller- I bought a "no return" part from ebay not too long ago, and just reported to ebay when the part showed up broken. My argument was that the description and pictures showed a correctly operating unit. Ebay refunded me and paid for the shipping back to the seller - even though the seller listed no returns. Maybe you will have similar luck.

I have been debating buying one of these units to keep on hand for a backup. Its a shame you encountered this issue as its a great deal.
 
DeviLSh said:
Double check the audio menu to make sure the car is not biasing all volume up to the front?

Regarding the no return seller- I bought a "no return" part from ebay not too long ago, and just reported to ebay when the part showed up broken. My argument was that the description and pictures showed a correctly operating unit. Ebay refunded me and paid for the shipping back to the seller - even though the seller listed no returns. Maybe you will have similar luck.

I have been debating buying one of these units to keep on hand for a backup. Its a shame you encountered this issue as its a great deal.
Click to expand...

I did that,and turned bass all the way up,nothing.
still,that don't help the CD player :(
 
joegr said:
Sorry to hear about the problems. I wonder if that's how he had several to sell at such a low price? Could they have been rejected for defects? While the seller said no returns, I wonder if he would exchange the one you have for another one? (This would depend on him still having some, of course.) Edit: looks like he has one left.

I don't know of any setting or whatever required for the subs to work. I think there is a shipping screw for the CD changer that you have to remove before installing and (more importantly) connecting power.
From stock THX to aftermarket is more complicated than from non-THX, but it is doable. Here's one example: http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/forum/showthread.php?92255-THX-navigation-to-aftermarket
Click to expand...

Oh my,,read all that Joe,,and links included.
thinking that may be beyond what i can do now..
 
the first thing I would do is to use the meter and make sure that the OEM radio is outputting the turn on signal for the amplifier. if it is, then it probably has a bad sub output. I did not think there was a level adjustment for subwoofers, maybe on the THX but definitely not on the standard radios.
 
DeviLSh said:
Double check the audio menu to make sure the car is not biasing all volume up to the front?...
Click to expand...

Even with the fader set completely to the front, the subs still get the same signal. Otherwise, you wouldn't get any bass. (The THX door speakers are high and mid only.)
 
roncoinc said:
Oh my,,read all that Joe,,and links included.
thinking that may be beyond what i can do now..
Click to expand...

Part of the complexity is that I re-purposed exiting wiring to avoid having to pull the carpet up and run new wires. It could be a little simpler if you ran new wiring to the back.
 
1LoudLS said:
the first thing I would do is to use the meter and make sure that the OEM radio is outputting the turn on signal for the amplifier. if it is, then it probably has a bad sub output. I did not think there was a level adjustment for subwoofers, maybe on the THX but definitely not on the standard radios.
Click to expand...

Thats confusing,,..
if it IS outputting a signal to turn on the amplifier then it probably has a bad sub output..??

There is a BASS level control,,turned all the way up makes no diff.
major concern is no CD player,,,IF it worked i could put it on the original radio,,but that don't work either :(

was hoping there was a common denominator between the two problems.

i was looking forward to your input,,,tnx.
 
joegr said:
Part of the complexity is that I re-purposed exiting wiring to avoid having to pull the carpet up and run new wires. It could be a little simpler if you ran new wiring to the back.
Click to expand...

Do you have the files or pix of the wiring diags/color codes in a format to email so i could see them better and understand ?
at your convenience of course .if possible without to much trouble :)

i could probly wing it and run new wires to everything if needed,,turn on the amps with a relay,,really hack stuff up :)
 
PM your e-mail address. I thought I had, but I guess I only have your postal address.

(No relay needed for the amps.)
 
roncoinc said:
Thats confusing,,..
if it IS outputting a signal to turn on the amplifier then it probably has a bad sub output..??
Click to expand...

the OEM amp needs two different things from the radio for it to work. first is a turn on signal (5v-6v+) this tells the amp when to turn on and off. once it turns on, it also needs a signal of the sounds to amplify. both of these signals are in the same plug but either could quit working and causing no sound.

a problem with the turn on wire would be easy to fix.




so test the turn on wire, if it doesn't show about 6 volts, then the radio is not telling it to turn on. if this is the case you simply run a new wire (and a resistor to get the right voltage) however if the radio is sending out the turn on wire but not sending out the sound signal, then I dont think you can fix it with out a different radio.
 
The old unit is back in the car.
sub's work fine.
checkin ebay for something cheap,,even though after i'm done total cost wont be cheap :(
 
From: thechariot65
To: roncoinc
Subject: Re: roncoinc has sent a message
Sent Date: Apr-07-16 08:18:57 PDT






Dear roncoinc,

I have an exchange I can send you tomorrow?
 
roncoinc said:
From: thechariot65
To: roncoinc
Subject: Re: roncoinc has sent a message
Sent Date: Apr-07-16 08:18:57 PDT






Dear roncoinc,

I have an exchange I can send you tomorrow?
Click to expand...

That was the sellers response to my email about the broken head unit.
I said yes send one please.
will be nice if he sends one that works.
Outstanding he is willing to do this after the amount of time gone by.
 
I looked, and he does have 100% positive feedback, so there's hope yet...
 
One positive from this so far.
when i pulled the plug on the buttons mounted in the vent i looked for cracking in the screw mounting post.
one was badly cracked and ready to fail.
JB weld on both now.
 
roncoinc said:
One positive from this so far.
when i pulled the plug on the buttons mounted in the vent i looked for cracking in the screw mounting post.
one was badly cracked and ready to fail.
JB weld on both now.
Click to expand...

now do the traction control button before it breaks!!!
 
Got a notice from the PO my new replacement head unit is waiting there for me.
will pick it up later today and see how this one works !
 
Got new radio hooked up,,NO JOY !!

NO sub woofers,same as last one.

CD player works the same as last one,,not at all.
door opens,thats it

so got TWO brand new junk radios !!!

anyway to hook up an MP3 player to the thx unit ?
 
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