redfbird99

iTrader: (20)

Hey, recently the display on my monsoon cd deck has been going weird on me, the radio and cd work fine, but when i press the buttons it doesnt show me anything on the digital display, it used to show just several parts lit up in jibberish numbers, but now it doesnt show anything. Any ideas on what i should do?

jpr884

yeah i have the same problem with my 2001. It goes away after a while most of the time but gets really anoying.

VIP1

Im on my 3rd headunit because of this.

My first headunit started displaying gibberish and the dealer replaced it under warranty.
My second headunit was also replaced under warranty for the same reason.
My third headunit seems to be doing fine so far.

The first two started exhibiting this about a year after they were installed.
They gave each one a one year warranty after replacement, but since its been over a year since my current one has been installed and my warranty is done, I',m outta luck when this one goes funny.

joe_kool315

maybe I can help out here!

I've fixed mine twice in the past 4 years, when I first got it and just last week. It's a problem with "cold solder joints" mostly it shows up as the weather starts to get cooler as the solder "retracts" more (metal expands and contracts with hot and cold eventually it causes the solder joints to crack, commonly called a cold solder joint)

this should only take about half a hour ... an hour tops if you're not that familiar with the stereo and if your not familair with electronics and soldering at all ... stop here untill you find a buddy you trust or a local electronics repair shop (try and find a small shop not a chain repair place and take them this printed and they'll have you going in 20 min flat if they're not swamped )

with that out of the way ... remove the head unit, take it inside to a table or smooth clear working surface, plug in the soldering iron so it's hot when you get it apart. now start removing the faceplate you'll have to remove the volume **** and equalizer tabs the rest can stay I believe. there are 2 plastic tabs on top and bottom AND both sides carefully pry them up so as not to break them. now pull the whole face off and disconnect the ribbion cable from the small circuit card attached to the display thats' messing up. (not completely necessiary but makes getting the screws off the back of the face plate easier) now set the radio aside and flipe the face plate face down ... there are about 6 (I don't have mine apart right now so I can't get the exact number but theyr'e easy to see as they are small nut shaped headed screws. the nut is .. well tiny to say the least .. I don't know the exact size but it's like 3 or 5/32nds maybe even smaller. once you have them all out carefully pull the circuit card away from the face plate as your send your control knows all over the place if it snaps off and you jerk it. again not completely necessary as you'll see but makes working with and inspecting the solder connections much easier.

now for the fun part ... look at the solder joints along the circuit thats' attached to the display I found about 10 that were cracked or cracking along the "chip" (chip is viewable on the other side of the board) and 2 or 3 on the back of the connector for the ribbon cable. I resoldered all of the connections for the chip (DO NOT leave the soldering iron on 1 leg of the chip for very long as it could heat up and dammage the chip it's self, use a heat sink if you have one) and the ribbon cable as well as a few others. (if you have deslodering wick or a solder sucker I reccomend removing the old solder completely then soldering from scratch as I think that's why I had to go back in and redo it last week. If you don't know what those are you probably shouldn't be doing this )

This last time I removed the bottom of the head unit as well and resoldered the connection under the ribbion cable attachment to the main board as well.

if this is confusing or someone would like a step by step more detailed write up I can do that later for now I gotta get back to work

If someone (just need 1 person) in the wichita falls area is having this problem let me know and I can help out and get a write up done properly as we go through it

joe_kool315

So did this help? Did you get it fixed??

redfbird99

iTrader: (20)

I am gonna try this one of these days, ill let you know how it turns out.

redfbird99

iTrader: (20)

think im gonna do it in a little while, how do i get the volume tab and equalizers off without breakin em? also howd you get the faceplate tabs off? one of my seems broken already but im wondering how to get em off without breakin it more.

joe_kool315

they just pull off (volume, eq) pull straight out from the faceplate and they'll come off.

I used some jewlers type screwdrivers, I've got this 20 or so craftsman set

any thin blade flat-head should work though, make sure you work from one side at a time and keep some pressure pulling againts the face plate to keep the one's you've got loose from snapping back in place ... don't go herculean on it or anything but a little pressure

redfbird99

iTrader: (20)

well got equalizers off so now to the volume, im takin pics as i go just in case anyone else needs em, my cd player looks like someone fixed it before one screw is missing inside..

redfbird99

iTrader: (20)

yea im not seeing any cracks, im thinkin im lookin at the wrong part

redfbird99

iTrader: (20)

do i need to remove the two screws on the front side below the screen part or no?

joe_kool315

their pretty small, microscopic even ... unless you have some X5 or bigger magnifying glasses you probably wont notice themespicially with the protective coating they put all over the PCB. (that's why it's a hazy green color maybe some bubble looking thhings here and there instead of a nice green silicon board like your memory chips or mothorboard)

I've got pretty good eyes 20/10 20/15 and I can see them sometimes withthe naked eye buy always use the glasses to make sure I get all them nastly little buggers! Or you could use the shotgun method and just resolder them all... the legs on the "chip" and the ribbion cable connector and look VERY close and anyother of the solder connections on the back

redfbird99

iTrader: (20)

you got AIM itd be nice to talk on there, im still having trouble, i have to look at the joints right above the display right?

joe_kool315

no the one's above the chip ... pm phone # and I'll give you a call

joe_kool315

... again trying to go off memory here but I'm thinking you should be able to see everything without having to take them out I just said to get them off if you wanted to have just the little board in your hands to work with.

it should be a white thing that looks kinda like the reflector of a flashlight when you take it apart that's the light that lights up the display .. the chip is on the bottom and 30+ pins coming up through the PCB to the top ... that's the main culprit with the ones at the very end of the PCB being the connections for the ribbon cable ... hit them too.

Make sure you dont have ANY sloder bridges ... (pins accidently soldered together ... that'll spell disaster for sure)

redfbird99

iTrader: (20)

aight here we go, A or B? lol

joe_kool315

A and to the left of A is the connections for the ribbon cable


** at the very end to the left **

redfbird99

iTrader: (20)

aight thanks a ton , i think i got it under control now lol

joe_kool315

ok ... I'm workin late for you! ... headed to the house and I'll check back in a bit and see how you're doin. don't forget under the main board if you feel enterprising (where the ribbon cable connects to the main board)

If you run into a problem PM phone # and I'll call as soon as I get it, I don't have AIM and I'm barely on yahoo ... joe_kool315 there too

wraith051373

so how did it turn out? Thinking of trying mine this weekend, or possibly tomorrow night....