Blown Fuse Killed My Radio and Amp!!!!

I blew the fuse for my dome light in my 1990 xj. Well when the fuse popped my radio and amp went with it. I replaced the fuse and the dome light works but the amp and radio do not. There is still some sort of power going to the radio because there is a light on the power button that still works. just no display or function. The power to the amp is still there too. I check it with a volt meter and I still have about 12.6 volts coming off the power cable so I know that the inline fuse is still good. So My question is, Is there some more fuses that I dont know about. Could the amp not work because the radio crapped out? Is everything toast? Driving with no tunes sucks!!!

IIIRC the dome light is on the same circuit as the 12v constant for the radio, so that blown fuse was why the h.u.and thus amp(which should be running off the amp remote output of the h.u., which won't turn on if the unit doesn't)weren't working. Sometimes certain lights on h.u.s will work with just the 12v switched or even with the illum wire connected.

Do you know what caused the fuse to blow in the first place? The 12v constant for the radio memory circuit draws only a minuscule current but it is fused, at least on mine, with, I believe, a 1 amp inline fuse. With the small current we do not tend to think of this circuit shorting and shutting down the h.u. but it obviously can happen.

You are right about driving with no tunes. A couple of weeks ago I went over a speed bump that shorted something in the dome light circuit causing the lights to stay on full time. I pulled the 10a fuse to turn off the lights which killed the h.u. also. I finally just ran a separate wire from the memory lead to the fuse block so I at least have music until I find the elusive short.

I would start by checking the memory lead fuse and associated wiring.

Which fuse did you replace? In my '99 I had my door switch short, causing my interior door lights to act funny, (they were on when I had the door closed, then would go off when I opened, then go back on when I closed, then just stayed on). It ended up blowing a fuse under the hood in the power distribution box, and my radio, interior lights, and gauges went out. I'd double check in there to make sure everything is alright if you haven't already.

I was messing with the overhead console. I was trying to remove it because I really have no need for it. So I push up on it and pulled it back. It didnt budge but when I push up is when the fuse popped. I had already replaced the fuse for the dome light and what not. I cant remember or not if there was a fuse on the back of the HU?

Your headunit likely has two fuses: one in the red switched power lead around 10amp and one in the yellow constant memory lead around 1amp. Normally the dome light fuse blowing would not in turn cause the inline fuses to blow but it couldn't hurt to check them.

Before doing that I would press the reset and see if that fixes it. Mine has a flashing LED and you press the reset and hold until the LED starts flashing again. Let us know.

It ended up being the 15 amp fuse on the back of the radio. Replaced it and it ble again so I removed the overhead console and found that the connector for the lights was loose. I plugged that back in and put another new fuse and this time it worked out.

Glad you found it.