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1996 Radio volume switch has no control


010175
08-22-2005, 01:51 AM
1996 Radio volume switch has no control

I have a Black 1996 2 door with a stock Delco AM FM Cassette. The other day the radio volume switch would not control the volume. With the volume switch turned all the way up you could hardly hear the tunes. About a minute later it went real loud without touching the any knobs. Its ok sometimes and other times it is a real low sound with the volume switch all the way up, and then all of a sudden it blows you out. The rear speakers sometimes don’t work when I am having the volume problem. Sometimes with the A/C on the volume knob works ok and sometimes when it cold it ok. I have not done any work on the car in the last 6 months. Has anyone had this problem and fixed yet??? Could it be the radio itself or maybe the amp under the dash? Is the interior amp inside the radio itself? Any ideas or help is needed. Thanks Dave

Elk1
08-22-2005, 08:34 PM
1996 Radio volume switch has no control

I have a Black 1996 2 door with a stock Delco AM FM Cassette. The other day the radio volume switch would not control the volume. With the volume switch turned all the way up you could hardly hear the tunes. About a minute later it went real loud without touching the any knobs. Its ok sometimes and other times it is a real low sound with the volume switch all the way up, and then all of a sudden it blows you out. The rear speakers sometimes don’t work when I am having the volume problem. Sometimes with the A/C on the volume knob works ok and sometimes when it cold it ok. I have not done any work on the car in the last 6 months. Has anyone had this problem and fixed yet??? Could it be the radio itself or maybe the amp under the dash? Is the interior amp inside the radio itself? Any ideas or help is needed. Thanks Dave

Try spraying some electric contact cleaner into volume switch (can get it at Radio Shack) if you can get it around the shaft after you remove the knob. Sometimes dirt gets into contact area and can cause the type of problem you are discribing.

010175
08-23-2005, 12:11 AM
Just an update on the radio. I own a 1999 suburban and I switched the radio out of the 1999 to the 1996 Tahoe to see what would happen. The new radio that I knew worked in the suburban acted bad in the Taho,e so now I know it is not the radio, but could it be the amplifier? Dave

PaulVette
08-24-2005, 09:23 PM
Just an update on the radio. I own a 1999 suburban and I switched the radio out of the 1999 to the 1996 Tahoe to see what would happen. The new radio that I knew worked in the suburban acted bad in the Taho,e so now I know it is not the radio, but could it be the amplifier? Dave


I've got EXACTLY the same problem with my 96 Suburban. I bought another factory stereo off E-Bay, and had exactly the same problem. There HAS to be some kind of amp or crossover in the harness somewhere. My brother-in-law is going to get the wiring diagram tomorrow to see where those wires go once they leave the back of the stereo.

You know, I thought it was something like an Amp, but I just didn't think the truck had one.

I just searched the web and found a bunch of people with the same problem.

I'll let you know.

custmguru
08-26-2005, 03:45 PM
i read yesterday theres a 'tin box' under the dash that is the amp for the rear speakers. i have a similar problem.

It started with the rear speakers sounding like poo. cracking and popping like they were bad, but they sounded fine the day before, a couple weeks went by and then i would start intermittently losing the sound all together (it was right after i got the video working after buying it so it threw me for a loop). it would go out for a few minutes and slamming the door helped. since then over the last couple weeks it's been getting worse and worse. i'll lose it for days at a time. playing with the volume/power/scv button helped last week but not anymore. it'll go off at one volume though and come back so loud it hurts the ears...

check that amp though, i read thats whats causing my problems...

PaulVette
08-26-2005, 03:51 PM
i read yesterday theres a 'tin box' under the dash that is the amp for the rear speakers. i have a similar problem.

It started with the rear speakers sounding like poo. cracking and popping like they were bad, but they sounded fine the day before, a couple weeks went by and then i would start intermittently losing the sound all together (it was right after i got the video working after buying it so it threw me for a loop). it would go out for a few minutes and slamming the door helped. since then over the last couple weeks it's been getting worse and worse. i'll lose it for days at a time. playing with the volume/power/scv button helped last week but not anymore. it'll go off at one volume though and come back so loud it hurts the ears...

check that amp though, i read thats whats causing my problems...

My Bro-in-law printed out the diagrams. There is an amp, it's only in the suburban apparently, and it's under the drivers seat. It controls the middle and rear speakers. There's also an amp relay in the dash that powers up the thing.

So this weekend, I'll be pulling the driver's seat and see what's what with the amp.

010175
08-28-2005, 01:22 AM
Update report! I disconnected first the passenger rear speaker and I had the same volume problem. Without moving or starting the Tahoe, the first 5 minutes was radio normal then the volume went real, real low again and was not controllable with the volume knob. I then disconnected the driver side rear speaker and the radio has been doing fine for 3 days now. My questions are now.

1. Do I have a speaker that is shorting out and over heating the amp?

2. Do I have a rear speaker wire that is shorting out?

3. Is my amp weak and is overheating with 4 speakers working?

Any ideas would be great. Thanks Dave

ibew112
08-28-2005, 02:19 AM
since it is 2005 and you are dealing with a 1996 stock stereo and amp $150 dollars +/- 30 for install and you will have a whole new ear for sound in a suburban. sound technology changes roughly every 3 years the cheapest stereos of today are twice as good as the one in your rig take it to the stereos boys dont let them over sell you and get a mid grade stereo put in, quit fighting it that thing wasnt made to last 10 years just my .03 cents good luck

010175
08-28-2005, 03:13 PM
Update- I found the driver side rear speaker has a frayed copper wire that runs from the speaker connection to the speaker’s paper cone. The frayed ends were touching the speaker frame and shorting out. I trimmed off the wires and it seems to be ok so far. Thanks to all. Let me know where to send the cold beer. Dave

PaulVette
08-28-2005, 11:28 PM
Update- I found the driver side rear speaker has a frayed copper wire that runs from the speaker connection to the speaker’s paper cone. The frayed ends were touching the speaker frame and shorting out. I trimmed off the wires and it seems to be ok so far. Thanks to all. Let me know where to send the cold beer. Dave

Very Cool!

I'd planned to do more work on my truck today, but the Wife had different plans... Hopefully I'll find my own frayed speaker wire soon.

custmguru
10-21-2005, 03:24 PM
I just want to go through and replace all the stock stuff.... have to wait for the income taxes for that though

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