I took my '02 EX to work today and the radio worked OK as I started off. I then stopped to fill the tank and then starting off on my way the radio did not turn on as it usually does. The clock on it was showing time normally. I tried pressing the on/off button a few times and nothing happened. At that point I was just pressing any button to see if it would work. I pressed the CD buttons for loading and ejecting and it gave a "CD ERROR" and "EJECT ERROR" even though there are no CD's in it. It was showing as if the player was loaded with CD's even though I know it didn't have any. Anyway I gave up and after a few minutes, the radio came on and I was able to listen to the last station I was on. I was able to change it to others normally. Very strange. Is this thing on it's last legs or something? The radio slot is huge so finding something to fit normally might be a challenge to find a good stereo for a reasonable price.

 

Certainly not a common issue, but it sounds like your radio is about to give up the ghost.

You got all kinds of options for replacement, if you have a smartphone I would highly recommend one that supports Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Check out www.crutchfield.com, that's where I ordered all my aftermarket radios, and they do a great job showing available options and packaging the install gear with the purchase.

 

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I started my way home this evening and again the radio didn't work nor did it display the time for a few minutes. This time I also tried to open my windows and they didn't open until the radio came on. So it appears it may be some relay that was mentioned somewhere. The only thing now I don't know what relay was discussed. The thread wasn't very clear as to what it was but possibly under the hood somewhere., Has anyone heard about this?

 

I recall this being caused by the instrument panel. I have a friend with a 2002 F350 having these exact symptoms, plus the speedometer sits on 25mph even thought the TAC works perfectly.

https://circuitboardmedics.com/2002-...luster-repair/

 

I didn't have any issues with the speedometer nor any of the gauges. Electrical gremlins scare me enough to not want to keep a vehicle like this. It sits outside and I have no way to keep it out of any moisture. I haven't noticed any water leaks but I noticed the all the windows were fogged up a little later last evening.

 

I just had the same problem. Radio quit and the windows didn't work. Check all of the fuses across the bottom of the fuse block. I can't remember which one it is, but it's not the ones I kept on checking based on the owner's manual.

 

I checked all the fuses, every single one, in the fuse block under the steering wheel a few weeks ago to make sure they're all the ones they were supposed to be. My dad had a horn fuse that was probably blowing frequently since it marked in the owners manual. I found the horns didn't work and one was shorted out. I'm sure he must have gotten very frustrated since the Ford emblem on the steering wheel air bag is bent inward.

 

I had an issue like this on my friends 05 ex, had the cluster rebuilt and problem went away

 

It looks like it's the dreaded battery saver relay is the cause of the issue then. Apparently it's something that would need to be sent out. I've also read that all it it needs is a reflowing of the solder at the joints. I've done that on Mercedes cruse controls an climate control boards before. I've even reflowed the solder on a MAcbook mother board so I feel I could fix this problem myself. I've tried to find photos of the board showing the relay but no luck. I've only found wiring diagrams for it. Does anyone have a link to a photo of it? I don't want to spend a ridiculous amount of money for something I can do myself.

 

I think I found a decent write up of what needs to be done. The hardest part looks like the tear down process.
https://sparkys-answers.com/2016/08/...p-working.html

 

Great find, let us know how it works out!

 

It isn't high on my priority list due to the amount of work needed to remove the cluster. If my gauges were affected as well then I would move it up a notch. Since it's very intermittent I'll put it off for when I'm bored and have need something to occupy myself.

 

I got around to pulling the dash apart to get to the cluster today. I lost power to the radio and windows again and I just got frustrated with it. No amount of banging on the dash as suggested elsewhere made any difference.
The hardest part was pulling the radio out. I've pulled Ford radios with the U-shaped tools many times before but this thing would not budge. I ended up trying to pull it with the dash bezel. That didn't go too well. I don't know what happened but the face of the CD changer broke off of it. It was a nightmare to get it out. I'll have glue parts of the radio face where it mounts to it with screws.
The rest came apart fairly easy. The trick part was pulling off the shifter indicator but it came off without breaking. The cluster was easy to pull apart and board came out with no problems. The eight pins were easy to resolder and took five minutes at the most thanks to a hot solder iron. It went back together easy except there are two screws that no one mentioned. These screws are at the top of the inside of the radio opening and needed to be loosened for the bezel to pop back on and then tightened again. I haven't put the radio back in since I haven't glued the broken pieces to the face yet.
The windows worked when I tried them so I think the repair might be a success.

 

Update. The resoldering process appears to have worked. I resoldered the 8 pins shown for the relay from the photos from https://sparkys-answers.com/2016/08/...p-working.html
My radio and windows now work reliably at least last Sunday when I drove it for a few hours.
It's worth trying instead of shipping out the cluster somewhere and then be without a vehicle until you get it back.