'95 Tahoe Radio/cd display

Sounds like cold solder joints internal in the radio. Sometimes the dash light dimmer control can effect the radio display brightness, but I think thats only if you have the parking or headlights on. R

Hi!

If I am not mistaken, these radios use a vacuum flourescent display tube for the station, volume and mode display.

Being as these are a glorified flourescent lamp, they can go bad. So can the circuitry that drives them. If you operate the vehicle in dark place, do you see even the faintest indication of the display having power? (Dim characters or faint glowing red lines would be an indication of this.) It is rather unusual to just have one go dark.

Bad solder joints can happen. I haven't seen that problem with any car radio's VFD element however.

Since the CD player is also not working, you might try disconnecting the battery for several minutes. (Yes, you could probably pull the two radio fuses, but why take chances that some little thing may still be powered?) Reconnect the battery and the radio might come out of it. Sometimes they do get confused.

If that fails to fix the problem, you might look inside the radio for plug or ribbon connectors that have come undone. I have seen that happen, however, I'm not sure if the 1995 radios used such connectors. Also check the power plugs at the back of the radio. Maybe a connector pulled loose?

William

I have seen some stock radios with a digital display that actually have very small light bulbs soldered inside to one of the boards. They can be bought at electronic supply shops. I have no idea if your Tahoe is like this but its worth a look.

Hi!

I don't know of any GM/Delco/Delphi radios that have used this method of illumination for the actual display. (More than a few have for the buttons.) If there was a 1995 GM radio that worked this way, I have never seen it.

As far as I can remember Ford was the only automaker that used a lightbulb to illuminate their radio's display panel. It worked, but if the bulb burned out, that was a pain...at least they had the good sense to socket the bulb so it could be replaced.

VFDs last a lot longer (20 years is not a problem, and I have some which are older than that) and run cooler. They also have to get a lot colder than the "LCD and lightbulb" approach before display performance becomes sluggish.

William

Have had lots of this problems at the chev dealer. there is a internal problem with the stero costs about $300 to send it out and get it repaired