Non-Working Radio & Equalizer / Jeep Grand Cherokee

that's lasted a long time for a factory radio. the EQ in my truck has been dead for a decade I would guess...

I have a guy that fixes stuff like that, but unless you are really attached to the factory unit, for about the same money you can have something much nicer that is new...

Hmm, okay. Maybe there is still some reason for hope this time.

I almost wonder whether the equalizer is really still fine in this case, because I thought I noticed that the radio display was acting "funny" (it's only really noticeable when it's dark). The radio LED display appears to be alternately displaying either the time, an FM station, or the FM station and the tape status display. So, something strange is going on here, and I'm almost wondering whether if the radio/tape interlock is somehow hung up, and is preventing the tape audio output from disengaging and allowing the radio audio output to kick-in (in the past, I've noticed that there's "delay" in the switchover to the radio when you eject a tape). This is all mostly conjecture (and maybe with a hint of wishful thinking . . .). Am I barking up a dead tree?

I thought I would add to this posting, since we got something of a little bit of weather that wasn't too hot and not too cold - which motivated me to go back and take another look at the non-working radio, especially since I thought through and eliminated a few more possibilities that has narrowed down the problem.

Through some "fiddling around", I've ascertained that the cassette tape deck is working fine - except for the lack any sound being produced. The fact that the lights on the equalizer are not lit, lead me to take a look at the equalizer unit (which is located underneath the lift-up rear seat). After disconnecting the two modular plugs and removing the unit, I check the continuity on the unit - which looked good. I also tested what appeared to be the two power leads (with the ignition in the Accessory position) - but no voltage registered. So, there appears to only be an upstream power issue, that is preventing the equalizer from functioning - although I couldn't locate anything in the user's manual that seemed to link a specific fuse to the equalizer. Other than running a pair of positive and negative power wires back to equalizer, and splicing them into the dead power inputs - what other options do I have?

Adding another further thread to this, so that others may benefit. I may be at the end of my realistic options on home repair on this car stereo system. I managed to "hot wire" current to the equalizer circuit board underneath the backseat - but it was a no-go. Apparently there's a deeper problem upstream, probably in the actual stereo unit itself. And while the unit is getting power overall, there's clearly some other problem (power-related or otherwise), which is affecting the equalizer unit - and preventing the power and audio output from being routed to the equalizer circuit board (processor?), which ultimately sends sound to the speakers. Unless I can rectify the "behind the scenes problems" we may be at the end of the road on this now 18 year old stereo system - which really did produce some really nice sound. As someone upstream noted, I got my money's worth.