Snap! Crackle! and Pop goes my stereo

[chandler]

My stereo is trying to be advert for rice crispies; it makes all sorts of crackling noises with the occasional unbelievably loud pop. It doesn't make any difference what source I'm using (cd, radio, tape), or what volume is set.

I've seen this mentioned in passing in other threads, and it seems to be relatively common, but I can't find a solution.

Has anyone managed to fix the problem?

[highlander]

If it's the Clarion stereo, I recall reading that this kind of symptom is its death knell

Might be time for a new head unit

[Welly]

Ha ha!! mine used to do this and my God it scares the living sh*t out of you when it goes

It's the circuit board of the head unit and specifically the multi-pin plug bit where it plugs in.

I think there's a fix on the Coupe forum although I never got round to it.

Me and others on here found that supporting the wiring/plug with tie wraps or something would help keep everything a bit tighter and seemed to help. Someone even hot-glued something at the back to keep it all solid.

I take it you've got the JBL amplified system in an exec? this seemed to be the most common.

[Captain Jack]

I had that on mine. I took out the head unit and ran a soldering iron over every connection I could find on the underside of the board. Fixed.. A 30 mins job at most..

[sirwiggum]

Mine on FM just goes high pitched then starts crackling and struggling for reception in a perfect reception area.

[Captain Jack]

Mine on FM just goes high pitched then starts crackling and struggling for reception in a perfect reception area.

Corroded aerial connections? They are prone to water damage...

[chandler]

Yup its the Clarion unit.

Thanks for the replies,I had a feeling I was going rummage around under there. Will let you know...

[FarmerPug]

Is the clarion radio Specifically made to get the best out of the JBL system, would an aftermarket radio be as good