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No Audio from my RB1

14K views 20 replies 7 participants last post by  atoman 
#1 ·
Just bought a new to me T&C with every option available, but my RB1 produces no sound. Everything looks OK radio stations change navigation works sound bars go up/down, but nothing via the speakers. What could it be? I have checked a fuse that says central amp and visually it appears OK. Please tell me it's nothing serious :nut:
 
#2 ·
As strange as it sounds, make sure you actually have speakers. Recently bought a PT cruiser for my wife, and it took me longer than I'd like to admit to figure out that the reason the radio wasn't working was someone had removed all the speakers when they traded it in!
 
#3 ·
first thing to check would be the presence and functionality of the 'NBS' relay in the IPM/PDC (under hood)...
then you have a choice of pulling the radio or the dash speakers and checking them.. (if outputs on RB1 are good, check the amps on the speakers..)
 
#4 ·
So I checked under the hood and appears that I don't have NBS relay just an empty slot for it. I had placed fog light relay in it but no sound yet. Tried jumping pins 30 and 87 to no avail. What would be the next step? I can try pulling the RB1 too and look around but not sure what I would be looking for or metering what?
 
#5 ·
just so we're on the same page here what's your (van's) model year and 'trim level' (LX, touring, limited etc) - does it have the 8 speaker infinity system..
since you don't know the history of the van it could be anything from replacement IPM (that was from a lower trim or not programmed correctly) to a retrofit head unit (it could have had something other than RB1 from the factory..)
I'd say a good place to start would be to get a Chrysler spec sheet for the van and see what options it had from the start.. (esp. if it's a Touring or LX)
 
#6 ·
So I haven't pulled the VIN on it in fact not sure where to even do that, but the tailgate says it is Limited and I believe it since it has every option except sunroof. Options like leather and nav, dvd, parking sonar, curtain and knee airbags. In terms of speakers I can see two on the front doors, 2 on top of the dash then 4 in the rear (2 small tweeters) and that's all I could see this morning. Still not sure if it's infinity or what. Previous owner said that everything was working until a few days ago when the sound stopped while his wife was playing with navigation... Not sure if it's true but whatever. Also I could tell that NBS relay hasn't been in there for a while (maybe never) since the socket was a lot dustier/dirtier than any other socket on IPM, however when I put my multi meeter on the socket I could read +12 volts on pin 85 and 86 after the radio turned on. I have tried shorting 30 and 87 without any success. The 30A central amp fuse is good, but when measuring Amps I don't see any draw (with NBS bypassed or not).
What speaker is the easiest to remove in order to tell if it's infinity system or not? Also my VIN is 2C8GP64L85R417301 in case anyone has access to the database.
 
#7 ·
every '05 limited I've ever seen had the RB1 and infinity from the factory...

since the problem supposedly appeared after someone 'played' with the radio, you can try to pull the IOD fuse for a few minutes (10-15) and see if anything changes (aside from resetting the clock and possibly presets..)
[that would be the easiest starting point..]

if you get around to pulling the top dash trim, you will have access to the front speakers (they should have amps on them..if they're infinity)
 
#8 ·
So knowing that it's Limited and most likely infinity, then would you say it is rather strange that NBS relay is missing? Also is puling the top dash cover the easiest way to determine speaker type? And assuming they are infinity and relay is there and working, what is the next component to inspect (besides doing IDO fuse)? I have disconnected the battery few days ago for 30 minutes or so hoping it will bring the sound back, but will do it again just in case. Thanks for the help BTW. :)
 
#9 ·
missing NBS relay could be explained several ways - lowline 6 speaker audio (either a factory oversight or someone ordering the van that way, if it was possible or a repair shop work..) someone just pulled it out OR IPM was replaced at some point.. all are pure speculation
FSM says to check ground and scan it with a DRBIII.. though I'd just pull the head unit from the console (2 screws for the HVAC faceplate and a few bolts for the radio) and check the outputs (you can check the output channels one at a time with an old pair of headphones...just be sure you don't short out the outputs)
you can find the wiring diagrams on the dodge bodybuilder site..

[quote='05 FSM]
AUDIO SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS

CONDITION
POSSIBLE CAUSE
CORRECTION
NO AUDIO.
1. FUSE INOPERATIVE.
1. CHECK RADIO FUSES IN FUSE BLOCK MODULE.
REPLACE FUSES, IF REQUIRED.
2. RADIO CONNECTOR
DAMAGED.
2. CHECK FOR LOOSE OR CORRODED RADIO CONNECTOR.
REPAIR, IF REQUIRED.
3. WIRING DAMAGED.
3. CHECK FOR BATTERY VOLTAGE AT RADIO CONNECTOR.
REPAIR WIRING, IF REQUIRED.
4. GROUND DAMAGED.
4. CHECK FOR CONTINUITY BETWEEN RADIO CHASSIS AND
A KNOWN GOOD GROUND. THERE SHOULD BE
CONTINUITY. REPAIR GROUND, IF REQUIRED.
5. RADIO
INOPERATIVE.
5. USING A SCAN TOOL, CHECK FOR TROUBLE CODES IN
THE AUDIO SYSTEM.
6. SPEAKERS
INOPERATIVE
6. REFER TO SPEAKER DIAGNOSIS.
[/quote]
 
#10 ·
So I pulled the head unit out last night just to look and everything was nice and clean and plugged in. Haven't checked anything yet since my multi-meeter probes were too thick to get in there, plus I didn't really know what wires were going to the speakers (I assume the smaller square connector). One other observation I had made was that the steering wheel push buttons (on the back of the wheel) are not working, or at least they apear to not work since no radio stations change nor volume adjusts. Also when I hit Aux/cd button it is not letting me to play from the changer. All other buttons work but aux/cd does nothing. However if I load DVD into the changer the back TV screen starts playing the movie so I know that the changer works but not allowing the radio to reed from it (or at least it looks that ways since I don't get track # or anything on the radio when Aux/CD button is pressed). Can those things be the cause of no sound or at least indicate something?
 
#12 ·
So as an update I am still not sure what's going on, but I think it's the amplifier (part number 05091006AE).
Here's what I have so far: I have hooked a speaker straight to the rb1 and got sound no problems, then I played my ipod via all the speakers individually and they all work as well. I am getting +12 volts to the amplifier. Turns out my van has an amp installed in a right rear quarter (behind the speaker) and none of the speakers have those built in amps on them (even though they are made by infinity). I was able to find that amp on e-bay for just over a hundred bucks and that's not out of the question, however I still don't know why my "aux in" button doesn't work and neither do the steering wheel mounted ones. So the question of today is what does this amp have to do with those control buttons? I would hate to buy one of these amps over the internet just to realize it's not the culprit. Help!
 
#13 ·
what you're describing in amp location matches what's in the service manual for 05..

the only way the amp can be effecting radio functions is by 'messing up' communication on the PCI bus.. the only way to diagnose that for sure would be a place with a DRBIII or equivalent scan tool..
you could conceivably just unplug the amp and see if the radio functions normally (if at all?)
 
#14 ·
I have unplugged the amp and the buttons aren't working nor there is sound. I have gone to the junkyard and looked at 5 T/C and all of them had different systems some had amps on the speakers and some had neither speaker amps nor central amp. What a variety of configs... I guess I need to swap the amp and see if the sound gets fixed since I don't really care for the steering wheel buttons I was just wondering if they are all related to the no sound.
 
#15 ·
Can anyone tell me how the amplifier in the back works? I am trying to figure out if I would be able to bypass it all together since my RB1 is outputting the sound on 4 channels already. Just a though since I can not seem to find a replacement amp that i could try. Maybe some other suggestion.
 
#16 ·
Infinity amp works similar to simple amp except it also splits the frequency range in two (high for tweeters and low for the larger speakers..) and is controlled via PCI bus

refer to these schematics, you want '8w-47-' #'s 2, 6 and 7

double check that the amp is getting power, ground, and signal from the radio reaches the inputs - if all that is OK, either the amp is fried (likely) OR PCI bus is faulty... (less likely)

If you plan to bypass the amp (and don't want to kill the radio) find out what the output ratings for the radio are - you don't want to overload it..
 
#17 ·
As an update I had piped the radio output straight to the front door speakers only and it appears to be working pretty good as a temporary solution. I am not able to locate the replacement amp anywhere. Tried like 15 junkyards and ebay. Maybe I'll post WTB and see if someone on this board is parting out a 2005 limited. Oh well. I am looking for the amp that has a part number 05091006AE.
 
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