Head unit going crazy

[Serg911]

My 2000 Disco II's 88K radio is acting up. It started about a week ago, the radio stations would change by themselves, I could not turn the volume up or down or even shut the radio down. Even the mode (Tape/radio/fm-am/weather band) without me doing anything.

What could be the problem be? I replaced the battery about 4 months ago and it's holding good charge -tested- so I know it's not that.

any ideas are greatly appreciated.

thanx

 

[akronk1]

Perhaps a problem with the steering wheel controls....but not sure what it could be. In my 00 DII our first radio would spit the cassette all the way back to the rear seat.

 

[Frank84]

Any chance you got a little water in it from the sunroof? Or perhaps spilled some coffee in it - sounds weird but the cup holders are positioned just right!

Ours was acting up and doing strange things and then quit completely. I removed it, completely dismantled it, cleaned it with electronic parts cleaner, scraped the small amounts of corrosion off the components, and re-installed it. Been working good as new ever since. Dismantling will require some patience, small tools, and a soldering iron.

There is a special tool to remove the radio but I used the metal part from a hanging file folder which works pretty good.

 

[Serg911]

I very rarely use the cup holders for liquid containers; I use them mainly to keep my mp3 player and mobile phone. Water from the sunroof is probably not likely, I drive the DII almost daily and never noticed any water leaking from the sun roof. I'll try cleaning it with pressured air (the kind used for computers) and see if it makes a difference.
This is a condition that happens every once in a while, but this past few days it has happened more frequently.


Any more ideas?

thanx

 

[roverMc]

Perhaps a problem with the steering wheel controls....but not sure what it could be. In my 00 DII our first radio would spit the cassette all the way back to the rear seat.

x2 Try disconecting the steering wheel controls and running it. If not, your head unit has some serious problems. You don't have a CB amp in your rover do you?

 

[Serg911]

Truck is completely stock, nothing added or modified. I use the head unit buttons most of the time. If I may, how could the controls on the steering wheel affect the head unit functionality to the point where the buttons become useless?

good insight though, I'll clean the buttons on the steering wheel as well.

 

[roverMc]

The buttons could be shorting out somewhere. The CB amp thing was mentioned because I had one in a truck that would drive a KW head unit nuts!

 

[craig]

Low voltage also causes this. Could be a bad alternator and a subsequently low battery. The fact that it's been this way for a week makes me think otherwise though.

 

[Ed Cheung]

I doubt it is the same case but last time I had an alternator that can charge from 11V to over 17volts, it fried my head unit.

 

[Serg911]

gave it a good cleaning (head unit buttons, and steering wheel buttons) but it didn't fix it. Didn't remove the unit from the dash, but blew compressed -a lot of it- all over. I have no problems starting the engine, lights are bright even with A/C and fogs on. Driven it for about 300 miles since the problem started.
I'll have the charging system tested, but I'd assume that by now, the alternator would have died and I'd get no crancking power...right?
thanx

 

[craig]

Pull it from the dash, disconnect each connector and clean it with a pencil eraser. Then reconnect and test.

 

[Serg911]

alright, thanx for all your suggestions. I pulled the headunit out of the dash and cleaned it as thoroughly as possible; replaced it and hoped for the best. Unfortunately, it continued to act up with no noticeable improvement. However, I have noticed a pattern! it would appear -oddly as it may seem- that the head unit seems to go crazy only when the outside temperature is high.
So far, I noticed that during the evenings and early morning (before the day's heat) I can operate the radio without any problems; as soon as the day heats up, I lose control of radio operation.

Does it seem normal or familiar to anyone? does it sound logical....?

should I just replaced the headunit with an aftermarket, and while I'm at it, replace the HK speakers all around (surely any other speaker would produce better sound than these disappointing speakers and sub)? if so, any recommendations?

thanx

 

[pdxrovermech]

Stock units are great while they work, but generally not worth the time diagnosing and fixing when they break. Dont be afraid to step through the aftermarket stereo portal.