Drat! I assume it's a fuse

[Zero]

Almost a day after I purchased my wife a new to her daily driver the LED clock/radio station display on the Delco stereo went out. The radio still functions perfectly and if the sun is coming through the side glass in the right direction, you can see the clock. So I assume it's a fuse.

How time consuming/pain in the tail is it to pull the radio from a 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix GT to replace the fuse?

 

[dishdude]

I think those Pontiacs had a bulb to backlight the LCD display. I also don't think it's user replaceable but I am sure you can find something online about how to take the radio apart and replace it.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: dishdude
I think those Pontiacs had a bulb to backlight the LCD display. I also don't think it's user replaceable but I am sure you can find something online about how to take the radio apart and replace it.


thats how I remember it also.

 

[Donald]

I doubt if they would put a fuse next to the unit.

Go to Crutchfield and get a new and better one.

 

[The_Jeff]

I think the bulb is so small a model train bulb would be the best replacement. They wouldn't fuse stuff like that inside the stereo; it has its own fuse and that's good enough to keep the car from burning down.

 

[exranger06]

Keep dreaming. You WISH it was a fuse. I can tell you right now it's not. There's one fuse for the whole stereo. A blown fuse means the stereo wouldn't even turn on, and it especially wouldn't "partially" work when the sun hits it just right. And fuses don't typically just blow for no reason. You find out WHY the fuse blew, fix the real problem, THEN put a new fuse in.

 

[cchase]

A light bulb is a fuse, in a way

.

As a test, try flicking the screen with your finger. On our 2006 GMC most of the lights for the HVAC and radio appeared burned out, but if you tapped just right they would come back on.

 

[camelCase]

Seeing as it "partially works" when the sunlight hits it is a golden omen that the backlight on that display went out. Unfortunately, many backlights are not replaceable since they are formed into the actual screen during manufacturing.

Fixes include becoming an electrical engineer and either fixing the current backlight or jimmyrigging a new one that runs off the same power.

The real solution is to just deal with it until you get a new head unit.

 

[Jimmy9190]

It may be an easy and cheap fix. Check the post from Jumpinjackflash in this thread:

http://www.pontiacforum.com/pontiac/showthread.php?t=2958

Also check the rest of the dash lights. If the cluster and climate control lights work normally and you can still dim/brighten them by turning the dimmer dial, then the bulb in the radio is probably blown. If the other dash lights do not respond to the dimmer dial, check to see if you have a blown fuse, it may be labeled "PNL LPS" or "INST LPS" or something like that. It may also be listed in the owner's manual.

 

[TFB1]

I dunno about that GM unit but the older Fords actually had a bulb in socket to light the display, I've replaced several... I'll bet it uses something like a "grain of wheat" bulb that has wire leads and solders in(yeah I replaced those as well)...

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index....ontent=CT203223

Don't ya just love the common answer "go get a new one"? Sure as [censored] is easy to spend someone elses money eh??? Some of us actually like the factory units...

 

[Zero]

Originally Posted By: Jimmy9190
It may be an easy and cheap fix. Check the post from Jumpinjackflash in this thread:

http://www.pontiacforum.com/pontiac/showthread.php?t=2958

Also check the rest of the dash lights. If the cluster and climate control lights work normally and you can still dim/brighten them by turning the dimmer dial, then the bulb in the radio is probably blown. If the other dash lights do not respond to the dimmer dial, check to see if you have a blown fuse, it may be labeled "PNL LPS" or "INST LPS" or something like that. It may also be listed in the owner's manual.


That's what I'm talkin about. Thanks dude.

 

[Zero]

Originally Posted By: TFB1


Don't ya just love the common answer "go get a new one"? Sure as [censored] is easy to spend someone elses money eh??? Some of us actually like the factory units...


Yep.