I installed a cheap Pioneer stereo about six months ago and it recently started burning fuses. I turn it on and about 15 minutes later it starts cracking and then goes out. I open up the hood, replace the fuse and same thing happens within a few minutes. Could it be the radios internal amp?
how should I check this since it only seems to happen after things warm up.

 

Sounds like a positive ground somewhere try tracing your power wire and look for a bare spot where the coating could have worn through allowing the wire to ground out on some metal some where.

 

Well that's what I was thinking but then why does it wait for 15 minutes, shouldn't a bare spot just immediately ground out? Of course I guess it could be bouncing around or something but it seems weird the way it's acting, so I was thinking it was something overheating like the amp?

 

bump -so any update? You say you replace the fuse under the hood each time this happens so this has to be getting old fast. just curious if you found the problemo

 

Well, not exactly sure what happened. I tried to get it to burn another fuse by jiggling all the wires behind the stereo and somehow I fixed it, at least long enough for me to get through Death Valley and back. SO sorry, no idea, must have been some wire shorting out that I inadvertantly fixed.
Cheers,
T-