mckellyb

...at the back of the radio, at least.

Someone spilled a soda on the console, at some point, and I found a toothpick under there, too, which is a challenge. There's no place for one to get under there, really.

While removal was not as bad as I thought it'd be, I did manage to drop not one, but both radio bolts into the netherworld. /faceplam

I even had a small stack of hard drive rare earth magnets on the socket wrench extension, and that's worked previously, but not this time.

Time to find a wiring diagram to see if the unit is even getting power.

DerrickM

Try one of these for retrieving dropped nuts and bolts. I think Harbor Freight carries them as well.

mckellyb

Yeah, I have at least three of these, in different sizes, the thing is, when they dropped, I heard them Pachinko machine down past where they might be seen.

edit: DerrickM, I even have a mirror on a bendable stick like that, and it's remarkably handy. I haven't seen it in six months, but it's in the garage, somewhere.

mckellyb

At least one good thing happened so far, today! Fished both radio bolts out. Merely had to use a trim puller to remove the two plastic fasterners which hold the carpet to the trans tunnel. The driver's side was easy, because it was right there. The passenger's side, OTOH...I went fishing with the magnet as it was nowhere to be found. After only about 45 seconds, I felt/heard a "click", and yep, got it.

I think the entire unit is not getting power, though I swear I've checked every fuse related to the radio. Nav works, but even the buttons on the radio do not register when tested in the hidden screen of the nav system. Looks like I backtrack to see if it's a relay, or something other than a fuse...though, I'll be checking all the fuses, again, this time with a multimeter, because y'never know.

While I'm relieved it isn't likely the head unit, tracking down electrical problems is one of my least favorite things to do.

FWIW, hope you never have to change a fuse, roadside. It requires tools, even though all the fuse boxes are touchable without removing anything. You need a mirror, some needlenose pliers, and a flashlight. Surprisingly, I think the trunk fuse box is most difficult to work with because of how it is oriented. Looks like it should be a breeze, but it's off just enough to make things difficult.

One other thing...I looked at the connections on the '07-'09 radio vs. the '10-'12 radio, and yeah, they don't match up, so while one probably could adapt the old stereo for the new, bass-crippled one, it's going to require surgery of some sort.

mckellyb

Found the problem!

First, let me say, the fuse box placement on this car, I swear, is intentionally unpleasant to access. Maybe it's my body being broken in a few places, but I hurt like I haven't in a couple of years from being contorted trying to access the under-dash boxes with multimeter leads.

Passenger's side cabin fuse box, fuse #14, 5A, P-IG1-2. It feeds only the radio, and while the fuse tests good, there is no power at the box with the ignition 'on'. I replaced the fuse, regardless, no change.

I really don't want to trace this backward, but it's better than discovering the head unit is toast. Of course, I'm still tune-free, and that's a severe issue.

DerrickM

So, it's not the fuse? Power on one side of it but not the other?

I've never really worked on the car, but when my rear seat heater didn't work one day I tried checking the fuses and I felt the same way--they were nearly impossible to access!

mckellyb

The fusible link for this fuse box circuit also powers several other fused circuits, and the items on the other circuits work just fine. There's no power at the box for the one, however, so it's between the fuse box over the passenger's feet and the underhood fusible link block.

I hope removing the glove box gives me access to the back/top of the fuse box. It'll be close.

edit: User error on the fuse not having power. It does, but it's in such a difficult place, I wasn't quite touching the contact.

Looks like I may have a toasted head unit. Going to call a local place, tomorrow, to see if they repair these. If not...sigh...salvage part time.