[2cts2go]

Wife jump-started 1993 LX convertible but crossed the jumper cables (red positive on donor to negative on Mustang, black negative on donor car to positive on Mustang.)
Radio no longer works. 20 amp fuses 16 and 17 keep blowing upon installation.
All the lights on the radio work just fine, including the clock, on / off switch, volume control (but no sound), tuner; even the casssette spins the tape, but no sound from the speakers.
I sure would like to have my radio working again. I've perused the forum on 2.3 cars and Audio & Alarms to no avail.
um, Help!
thanks

[EagleAutosports]

The crossed cables probably killed the fusable links underneath the coil. Have those checked out.

[2cts2go]

ok, I'll check fusible links.
But (please pardon my ignorance), if fusible links had failed, wouldn't there be more symptoms of it? Y'see, EVERYTHING else on the car works*. Starts fine, drives great (I really did get a deal, but that's another subject). All lights work -- dash and outside. Heater & fan good.
I'm just wondering if maybe I toasted something in the head unit or the amp. But then I wonder how that could happen because the fuses (16 and 17?) should have protected them.
Neither my Haynes nor Chiltons manuals are of any use here, and the car didn't come with an Owners manual, so I'm not even sure that 16 and 17 are for the radio. Having a fuse box layout might be helpful if there's one available online.

(*Well, the convertible top hydraulic cylinder needs replacing, and the passenger's door handle is busted, but those were already problems.)

[2cts2go]

Checked out the fusible links below the solonoid. All are fine.
Is there a fuse somewhere after the radio -- before the speakers? That would make sense, but I don't see one on the wiring diagrams.
I also got a radio from a 1988 at the junkyard & plugged it in. It does the same: all lights & indicators on the radio work, but still no sound from the speakers.

[jim293]

Originally Posted by 2cts2go

Checked out the fusible links below the solonoid. All are fine.
Is there a fuse somewhere after the radio -- before the speakers? That would make sense, but I don't see one on the wiring diagrams.
I also got a radio from a 1988 at the junkyard & plugged it in. It does the same: all lights & indicators on the radio work, but still no sound from the speakers.

And the plot thickens. If all that is good then why would it not work?

[2cts2go]

It was the Amp. Under the passenger seat.
Apparantly, whatever power got through the battery, fusible links, solonoid, fuse box, then the radio head unit finally got stopped by the Amp.
So I took out the old radio, dumped it with the amp, then got an HD/CD radio, which I probably would have done sooner or later.
Now, however, the radio beeps sporadically. New problem for an old car.