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Chrysler Stereo Pages at Allpar

General Chrysler-related radio and stereo articles at Allpar:
	2013+ UConnect systems Chrysler stereo head units (guide) Chrysler speakers and speaker repair Chrysler Electronics: making stereos Adding a new stereo to an old car	Tweaking the CD-Cassette players The 2012 stereos from Chrysler Minivan stereo swap / iPod adapter install Odd behavior or multiple failures Upgrading UConnect firmware
CD and DVD systems (stereos have a three-letter code on the face plate)
	MyGIG stereo/nav (REN/Media Center 430) Chrysler-Alpine REQ CD changers https://www.allpar.com/stereo/RX-696BH/index.htmlHuntsville RAQ CD-changers Dodge Stealth/Mitsubishi 3000GT stereo	Chrysler-Alpine RBU stereos RBS: Early CD changer Chrysler RES CD stereos Also see RAZ, RBB, RBK, more below
Tape and tape/CD systems
	The Chrysler Ultimate Sound System0 Chrysler RAZ CD-Cassette stereos Chrysler 1990s Economy Cassette Deck Original (1995+) CD-cassette combos Eagle Premier/Dodge Monaco tape deck	https://www.allpar.com/stereo/RBB/index.htmlCD Changer Tape Deck RX-696BH Huntsville RBB CD-cassette Chrysler's first tape decks (1980) 8-track tape decks RBK CD-cassette • RBK v2
From here to Infinity
	Chrysler/Infinity sound systems Infinity amplifiers Infinity I cassette-stereo Infinity II cassette deck / head unit	Infinity IIb cassette deck / head unit Infinity III head unit Infinity IV CD players
CD changers
	RGB: The first Chrysler-Huntsville CD player (1990s) Chrysler - Mitsubishi DY-5UC6CWYD CD-Changer 1999-2000s CD changer for 300M, LHS, and others Delphi six-disk CD changer (1990s-2000s): nice swap
Classic systems (before tape decks)
	The first all-transistor car radio (1955) Factory Quartz Lock stereos Dealer Installed Quartz Lock Stereos

Some 2010-2011 stereos used by Chrysler required firmware updates to avoid high power usage on standby, which could drain batteries. There have also been stability and feature-fixing firmware updates for 2011 stereos and navigation systems.

We asked Chrysler about SD card compatibility with their UConnect stereos; we had mixed success with various cards of various sizes. The rep said to get class 2, 4, or 6 cards (not class 10, which is faster), and that 8 gigabytes seemed to be the dividing line between consistent function and problems. This information came in October 2012; firmware updates and newer hardware might change those specs.

Replacing cassette and 8-track drive belts (by Jeremy Schrag)

First, you need to measure the width of the belt. Second, you need to find the internal circumference, and then adjust for belt stretch (these belts always stretch out over time, and you want to make sure your new belt is a little tighter than the one that just came off.)

Lay the belt out as shown, next to a ruler, using two small screwdrivers, toothpicks, or other implements to take out the slack. Do not stretch the belt, just pull it out straight. Measure the length of one side, then multiply by two. Take the result and deduct 5-10% for belt stretch. Convert that internal circumference to inches, if needed, and order a new belt. In this example, I would go looking for a belt with a 15.4" or 15.5" internal circumference with a belt thickness of 0.39".

Chrysler and windshield radio antennas

Burton Bouwkamp wrote:

From 1968 to 1975, I was Director of Product Planning at Chrysler. During that time Styling (Elwood Engle) lobbied top management to put the antenna in the windshield á la GM. I objected because of the loss in radio performance.

I had a very simple test. My cottage in Mecosta was 160 miles from Detroit and my favorite Detroit radio station was WJR (J. P. McCarthy, Bud Guest, etc). I could get WJR with a mast antenna from the cottage but not with a windshield antenna. I was worried that if the customer experienced this loss in performance that he would blame the reduced radio reception in his new car on the quality of the radio.

Finally in a showdown with Elwood I lost. Management made a compromise decision and that was to put the windshield antenna only on the Imperial - not across all car lines as Styling wanted.

The rest of the story is that after one year's field experience, the Chrysler/Imperial National Dealer Council formally recommended that we return to the fender mounted mast antenna. We did - but we built Imperials with windshield antennas for one or two years. (Eventually, GM also discarded the windshield antenna.)

Footnote: We (Engineering) were not happy with the fragile nature of the telescoping antenna so the Radio Lab (Frank Jenkins, Manager) came up with a fixed length stainless steel mast antenna which was rugged and provided good reception. I approved it. I can't remember the year that the stainless steel antenna entered production but it was when I was Director of Body Engineering (1979 - 1983).

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