Town Car stereo cuts in and out

[87mark7lsc]

The factory stereo on my 89 Town Car cuts in and out. It is non JBL and has a tape player. I tried replacing the amp and that wasn't the problem. My Ford service manual for my Mark VII PP tests seem to suggest that a shorted speaker/speaker wire would cause this but I doubt this as my car only has 16k miles on it and was unmodified and owned by an elderly couple. The stereo itself seems to work okay its just that sometimes it is just a light buzz sound. When you turn the volume up all the way you can just barely hear the radio. I was thinking it must be the head unit. I also switched 2 of the rear speakers with known good ones but that didn't help so I switched it back.

This is the only thing wrong with my car and it is driving me nuts since I like to listen to the radio and half the time it doesn't work. Sometimes it will work fine for a while but then it goes back to not working. Any ideas would be appreciated thanks!

[gadget73]

Sounds like the head unit is dying. The capacitors in them dry up and they get all stupid. If you have a spare, try swapping it. Not sure if the one in the 87 LSC is the same, but if it looks the same it will work. I think the 87 used that 4 button radio though.

Also, check to see that the connectors on the back of the stereo are fullly seated. If one has gotten knocked loose somehow, that might explain it.

[mrltd]

a bad speaker would cause it, and my wagon was a one owner elderly car, and the rear speakers were disconnected because they were blown.

Old people are deaf...

But, like gadget said, the head unit could be dead too, I'm pretty sure my TC is the exact same way.

[zoomie]

another cuase is the vol knobs on those go after a while mine works but you have to crank it to get all the speakers to work properly lol id just use an aftermarket deck.

[87mark7lsc]

All the connections in back are tight I checked that already. I was thinking the speakers were good because when the stereo works they all sound good. I was leaning towards the head unit.

[crown vic muscle]

i would replace the head unit with a known good one. are you looking for a stock replacement, stock looking, or aftermarket? all of them are available

[87mark7lsc]

Well I wanted another stock one but after looking at the local u pull its I couldn't find a nice one so I bought an aftermarket. That will have to do I guess. I'll check back once I put it in.

[Lincolnmania]

you are going to have to purchase an amp bypass harness to use an aftermarket radio in the 89.......on my 86, i had to run all new wiring because there is no amp bypass harness