I have a 1995 RAM 1500 SLT normal cab. It has the factory stereo in it with tape deck. I think it might be a bit of an upgrade from the basic radio, but it's just a default factory radio.

It stopped working the other day. I checked the fuse on the fuse panel and it is fine. When I turn on my headlights the stereo's backlight illuminates. But the time is not displayed on the radio in OFF mode and the radio does not turn ON or function at all.

This happened from one day to the next so I thought for sure it would be a fuse issue. My question is, does anyone know if the 12 volt wire leading to the radio has an in-line fuse on it? I'd like to know before ripping into the dash. Hoping someone knows for sure.

 

No inline fuse that I know of. Does everything else work on the truck?

 

Yup everything else is fine. I had a blown fuse for the auto-door locks, but replaced that.

Crud, if no in-line fuse I guess the radio just up and died.

 

After you pull it out, trace /check the power and ground wires with a meter to make sure you don't have a bad one.

 

Indeed. I hope it's just simply the radio itself crapped out and not a skinned, burnt or otherwise shorted wire. Then again if I can find it and repair that simply enough I would be happy too.

Thanks for the info.

 

If you do a search around here, you'll find a 95 or 96 manual for download. Or a Haynes might have the wire diagram in it for that.


Found them, https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...-download.html

 

your radio is fried/dead and you can take it out and throw it out. get a basic aftermarket radio and pop it in and it will work. I had the same thing going on with mine, it was "on" but the only thing it displayed was a dash so i took it out put my jvc from my camry and it works perfectly!

 

If you change it out for a new radio get the wiring harness and mounting plate from crutchfield.They give you excellent diagrams for removing your dash and wiring the radio up.

 

Yep, Crutchfield is a great place to shop. They aren't always the cheapest, but they more than make up for it by including the dash kit and wiring harness imo. You can wire them in without the wiring harness, but imo it's much better to use the harness incase you ever want to remove it.

That being said, I'd bet your radio died, but a simple way to check it is to pull it out and check both the constant power wire and the power wire tied to the ignition to make sure they both are getting power. If they are, you radio is dead. If it was the wires shorted out, it should have blown a fuse. Since it didn't it's my guess that it's the radio.

That being said, if it is the wire it would probably be easier to cut it so no power goes through it and then just run a new wire. I've had to run new wires for a stereo in a few cases, and it's much easier than finding one with a problem in a harness of 50 wires.

 

My 94 with a tape deck did the same thing, when i bought the truck it didnt work, but before i got to getting a new one it started working again, and it would then just cut out sometimes and act like it had no power at all because the time wouldnt even display, idk what was wrong with it other than maybe it got really hot at one point.

so i got one at a junkyard and it works great now