The power antenna in my '86 GN recently quit working. I then noticed that the radio was reset (clock and stations). I set them back to the correct time/stations, but when I shut off and restart the car, they go back to 12:00 and no station settings. Also noticed that when I start the car, my digital dash resets to metric with some random number in the trip odometer.
I checked the fuse for radio/antenna and it appears fine. Any ideas on where to start on this problem??
The radio has two 12 volt power feeds. The main one is a 10 amp fuse and the memory circut is feed by the interior light 15 amp fuse. This circut also feeds the antenna relay circut, cigar lighter, glove box light and power lock relay. Do your interior lights work?
Phil, the interior lights are NOT working. Yesterday, I found the 20amp fuse for the cigar lighter/clock blown and will change that today. Not sure if that is the whole problem, but could be a part of it.
I'm pretty sure that radio memory is also on this fuse, but don't know much about the interior lights.
Any other insight is greatly appreciated.
Replacing that fuse will fix the radio and antenna. I not sure about dash, would have to look at wire diagram. Now the question is why did it blow. Most common cause is the cigar lighter. They don't like power adaptors, ie; cell phone chargers. Next are the glove box light, trunk light and hood light. As always a short can be anywhere but look at these first. If you are luckey the new fuse will blow right away. Shorts are easier to fine this way. If not try to note what you were doing the next time it blows. Believe me it will blow again, there is a short somewhere.
Phil,
New fuse lasted about 25 minutes, LOL! I think the culprit is the lighter since I used to use my cell phone charger a lot. Now the trick is fixing the short!
Thanks again for the help
My cell phone charger would short out my cig lighter. Wifes worked fine.
My charger was really "fat" and it would cause the clips to short out.
Use a flashlight and look inside the lighter to see if you can bend them back.
Change the Element first!
Our cars used the Rochester design lighters. Discontiued a long time ago and hard to get. Get a Radio Shack power tap and wire it in for your cell phone. Can be mounted anywhere. You can probably fix the Rochester base by rebending the tabs. Drop the glove box down and just push it out from the back side. Most are held in by a snap retainer. Some have a barrell that unscrews from the back. With glove box droped down it's easy to reach the back. Be careful not to ground the orange wire as it's hot all the time.