After replacing headunit in son's 97 RS, all of the center console items have stopped working. The AC switch won't light, the fan won't blow, the lighter won't heat up, you get the picture. Have checked all fuses/relays inside and under hood. All fuses look good. Tried swapping relays from a 99 RS and all seem to work. No power at blower, but took it out and jumped it to a battery charger to verify it works (it does). Searched for similar issues here, and found a few, but no solutions. The only relays, I'm not sure about at this point, are two large 4 ways on top of the fusebox in the drivers side footwell (not the ones on the firewall under the hood, I know what those are). Was going to swap some spares from a 99 RS, but they are 5 way and won't fit. Can't tell what these are for in the Haynes manual. Does anyone know? Could one of them be the common fault for the problems listed? Any and all ideas welcome. Thanks.

Stupid question but have you tried reversing the operation...take the radio out and make sure the radio isn't causing a fault somehow.

How did you connect the radio? Did you hot wire it, or use a harness? Some thing in the wires is blocking the accessories from getting juice no doubt, now you need to use a meter and find the culprit.

Good luck...let me know if I can help.

Originally posted by eclipsed08
Stupid question but have you tried reversing the operation...take the radio out and make sure the radio isn't causing a fault somehow. How did you connect the radio? Did you hot wire it, or use a harness? Some thing in the wires is blocking the accessories from getting juice no doubt, now you need to use a meter and find the culprit. Good luck...let me know if I can help.

Definitely not a stupid question. I can't give you a great answer. Son says while trying to hookup multiple speakers, he shorted a wire behind the headunit, but couldn't find a bad fuse so went ahead with the install, by running wires directly to the battery. He did use an aftermarket harness to connect the unit. Here's the fuzzy part, "at some time after the install" he noticed the heater blower wasn't working. The stereo still works. I would prefer heat over music, but apparently younger folks have different priorities. He doesn't want to remove the stereo unless we run out of other ideas. Any idea what those two relays are on top of the inside fuse box?

Sounds like your son needs advice on how to hook up electronics. Why was he hooking anything electrical with the battery hooked up.

He needs to pull that radio. figure out what the wire was he shorted and trace it back. ANd check your fuses again....I've been known to miss a blown fuse myself..now I check and double check.

Originally posted by eclipsed08
Sounds like your son needs advice on how to hook up electronics. Why was he hooking anything electrical with the battery hooked up. He needs to pull that radio. figure out what the wire was he shorted and trace it back. ANd check your fuses again....I've been known to miss a blown fuse myself..now I check and double check.

Son says he may just get Best Buy to re-install the headunit. I agree with all of the above, but would still like to know what those 2 mystery relays are for. As for the fuses, they have been checked twice by actually removing them, examining them closely and reseating them.

Son says he may just get Best Buy to re-install the headunit. I agree with all of the above, but would still like to know what those 2 mystery relays are for. As for the fuses, they have been checked twice by actually removing them, examining them closely and reseating them.


Well I don't have my car here to look....sorry. It's not going to hurt to pull them with the car running.

If it's a relay test it...

Not sure if this will help....

http://www.2gnt.com/index.php?d=Fuse%20Box%20Covers

Originally posted by eclipsed08
Not sure if this will help.... http://www.2gnt.com/index.php?d=Fuse%20Box%20Covers

Son of a b****! YES! There was no cover on the fuse box. When I checked the fuses repeatedly, I knew they were good, but I ASSumed they were in the proper spots. The 10A fuse for the heater relay was in the wrong spot. Moved it and voila, the beautiful (warm) sound of a heater blower motor spinning away. Son must have blown a fuse during the stereo install and replaced it, but somehow managed to plug it into the wrong slot. Thanks for the help, this has been driving me nuts. Now he should actually have heat again (not to mention defroster).

Originally posted by 2G_Dad

Originally posted by eclipsed08 Not sure if this will help.... http://www.2gnt.com/index.php?d=Fuse%20Box%20Covers

Son of a b****! YES! There was no cover on the fuse box. When I checked the fuses repeatedly, I knew they were good, but I ASSumed they were in the proper spots. The 10A fuse for the heater relay was in the wrong spot. Moved it and voila, the beautiful (warm) sound of a heater blower motor spinning away. Son must have blown a fuse during the stereo install and replaced it, but somehow managed to plug it into the wrong slot. Thanks for the help, this has been driving me nuts. Now he should actually have heat again (not to mention defroster).

I"m good right...LOL

Hit me up anytime for help...these cars are easy :-)

Originally posted by eclipsed08

Originally posted by 2G_Dad

Originally posted by eclipsed08 Not sure if this will help.... http://www.2gnt.com/index.php?d=Fuse%20Box%20Covers

Son of a b****! YES! There was no cover on the fuse box. When I checked the fuses repeatedly, I knew they were good, but I ASSumed they were in the proper spots. The 10A fuse for the heater relay was in the wrong spot. Moved it and voila, the beautiful (warm) sound of a heater blower motor spinning away. Son must have blown a fuse during the stereo install and replaced it, but somehow managed to plug it into the wrong slot. Thanks for the help, this has been driving me nuts. Now he should actually have heat again (not to mention defroster).

I"m good right...LOL Hit me up anytime for help...these cars are easy :-)

Positive feedback given. Thanks again.