Radio leaking magic smoke

[Park]

Well, it really didn't work very well anyway... partially because like every other Subaru I've seen with the retractable antenna, it is broken off.

 

I'm parking my car, and notice a whiff of "dust" which I brush away, but it comes back. I track the smoke to the radio, and I turn it off. I usually leave it on just in case I get lucky, and I can get a little reception.

 

Turned off, even with the car off and the keys out of the ignition, it is still smoking, however faintly. Since I don't want to find out that "Where there's smoke, there's fire", I pull the fuse. The smoke stops, even though the display still function.

 

I don't really care about that, the radio is dead. I can probably get a replacement mast for the antenna and fix that, but my question is whether the radio connectors are a standard connector, or will I need to get some adapters if I install a new radio myself?

[mailman]

It's a standard harness, idk what stereos come with these days but I was able to buy a $5 connector that plugged right in to the head unit I already had. Maybe pull the radio out and see if there's anything weird going on back there causing the smoke.

[Zues Marine]

if you use a deck out of any other subaru up to 08 i believe, it will be plug and play

 

however, if you choose to use an aftermarket deck you will need a wiring harness adapter..which are like $10 if that

 

but it will mount into the DIN slot without modification

[corlon]

picture of the harness you probably need

 

http://www.bestkits.com/results.php?modelkey=802

[jarmerson]

So what's magic about the smoke anyway?

[johnegg]

So what's magic about the smoke anyway?

 

the magic is that once it is out, you can't get it back in,

and the radio (or other electronics) no longer works.

[jarmerson]

Maybe it's a genie that gives you a wish to have a new HU but then leaves it at your task to fulfill. OR maybe a genie trapped and cannot get out.