After my trusty 405 estate died from terminal rear suspension failure last month, I've just bought a 1999 406 estate with 105k on the clock. It's a great car. I can't believe how low the engine revs -- I've got the HDi turbo diesel and it's so different from the old 405 1.9 turbo diesel. Anyway, I just need to fix a leak in the roof -- the aerial fixing isn't watertight. Not too hard (although ny first attempt to fix it has failed). The most annoying problem though is with the radio display. It's permanently dim -- so dim I can't see it without getting my eyes about 2 inches from the display. Does anyone know whether it's likely to be an electrical problem with one of the feeds into the radio, or is the fault in the radio itself? Any advice gratefully received. Graham
I had this problem with the clock and all that was necessary was to replace a bulb. I don't know whether this also applies to the radio. The Haynes manual is useful for problems such as this.
If its the same radio as in my 1998 406 estate, then the radio leds are soldered in. I had this problem, and the local radio shop replaced the leds for about 20 quid.
Your problem is the 2 bulbs that illuminate the display. They cost me about £1.25 each from the local dealer. The display is levered out on my 1998 406 and the bulbs are then just held by a half turn. Mike
John, I've taken a look and my radio looks like it's the same as yours. I can't prise the display off, but I can prise the controls off and behind them on a PCB are a series of LEDs. I guess to reach the LEDs behind the display it will have to go to someone who knows what they're doing. I think I'll live with having to get very close to the display to see it for now! Graham (posting from work, using a web-based client)
It could be like the radio used in the Range Rovers. I wrote this page to help those owners: http://www.rangerovers.net/repairdetails/radiolcd.html Ron
Er, he's talking about the display IN the stereo, not the dashboard display ! There are no bulbs in the stereo !
Remove the headunit, and you can dissasemble the casing easily. Any competent electrician will be able to solder you in some new LEDs.
Er, he's talking about the display IN the stereo, not the dashboard display ! There are no bulbs in the stereo ! << im glad someone said it , it was starting to piss me off!!
Stop ! You're talking about the bulb that lights the seperate dashboard display ! This is NOT what the original poster is referring to ! His display is IN his radio - not seperate ! It's an LED display, NOT a pigtail bulb ! You're talking about something completely different
Ron, Looks very similar. Thanks. You might have just persuaded me to have a go at removing the unit and repairing it. Graham
OK. It's the LEDs IN the radio unit itself that must have gone. It's the radio display ONLY that I can't see. The radio display is in the radio itself in my 406, not in the dashboard as I've seen it on some others. My dashboard display shows only the external temperature and is working fine. Now, I'm happy tackling most jobs on my car and am certainly happy soldering new LEDs on a PCB if I can only get to it. Anyone got any advice on how to get the radio unit itself out. Do I need a special tool, or will two coat hangers do it? Anyone successfully removed the radio and willing to offer some advice? Thanks, Graham
Coathangers/Needles/Screwdrivers/Anything will work just fine - jam them in the holes, and jiggle around whilst jiggling the headunit out (pull with the tape slot). If you fail miserably, your local car audio store (or Halfords IIRC ?) will sell you a set of removal keys for a couple of quid.
