No sound coming from aftermarket radio?

Tiny
AALANE1989
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 CHRYSLER SEBRING
  • 200,000 MILES
I installed aftermarket stereo in the car listed above convertible, now there's no sound coming out. Could it be that I need to run power to the factory amp?
Monday, April 10th, 2023 AT 7:38 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,744 POSTS
You won't like the sound from the amp. Chrysler radios can be used with or without the amplifiers, but when they are used, those radios put out very little bass. It is made up in the amp to match the shape of the vehicle's body. With a "downgrade" to an aftermarket radio, you're better off bypassing the amplifier, or you may need to turn the bass way down for it to sound okay.

Be aware, if you removed a Chrysler original CD / cassette combo radio, in my opinion, there is no higher quality radio I've ever worked on. They do develop a few common problems, but once repaired, they don't occur again. Those radios were built by Mitsubishi and have "Supplier# 28046" on the model sticker.

If you had a CD-only radio, those were built by Alpine, Supplier # 26777. Alpine will not allow us to buy service manuals or parts for their radios built for Chrysler or Toyota, although I did find a source for them that no one knows about. I don't mind replacing those radios, but given my choice, I would want the CD / cassette combo, even if I no longer had cassettes to listen to.

You're in luck that I'm in the middle of building a new radio workbench, and it's going to include an amplifier from a '97 Sebring. Here's the pinout diagrams. This first drawing shows the original radio plugs. The wire you're asking about is in the black connector, terminal # 1. Don't pay attention to the wire colors I listed, just their locations.

The next two are the diagram for the '97 model. It's the same for '98.

The last one is just an expanded view of the larger amplifier plug. Pin # 14 is the turn-on line coming from the radio. You don't need to even look at the amp if you're keeping it. Just use the wire in the original radio's black plug and connect that to the "Power antenna" wire on the new radio. That's commonly a blue or a yellow wire.

If you want to bypass the amplifier, I think I can come up with a chart that is easier to follow when it comes to cutting and splicing wires.
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Monday, April 10th, 2023 AT 9:02 PM

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