2010 Xterra. My daughter's car. I did try the "search" feature, but couldn't find anything. She had to get the fusible link replaced along with a new battery. Since then, the radio/stereo does not work. It lights up, but won't make any sound and the buttons don't do anything.
She said someone checked a radio fuse and it was fine. I think there is possibly another fuse for the radio? I'm not sure which one was checked.
Also, could there be some kind of security that shuts down the radio when the battery is replaced? If so, what can I do? I do have experience doing basic repairs on cars, but I'd like some guidance on how to get this radio working again.
Not certain but maybe it needs a code imputted. My 2001 civic has to have a number put in after the battery goes flat over the winter or it does nothing. If that's the case there should be a card with the number,or a dealership might be able to get it. I'm assuming factory radio.
Have the owners manual? It should have the procedure, if any, for any anti theft radio that might be installed. I've never owned one but I'd think you'd have some indication on the screen that it was locked. Everything else working ok? (12vdc power outlet, interior lights, etc.) The radio likely utilizes two separate fusible circuits, one for constant 12vdc and one for switched. My bet is one of those is your issue, followed by dead radio as a distant second. Is it displaying the time on the radio, like it might do when it's powered off? If so, is it keeping time or going to default each time it's powered back on? That would help isolate things, as the constant 12v lead handles retaining the clock and stereo settings, among other things.
You can likely find a manual online. I've run into them by accident for various model years. I'd just wait until you get the vehicle. I wouldn't even assume the fuse checked by someone else is actually good until I tested it with my own voltmeter or swapped it with a known good one.
OK, I have the car. It's a Kenwood stereo and the screen DOES light up, but that's all it does. There's a funky picture/design on the screen, but it doesn't change or show anything else. No volume, no sound, nothing.
That doesn't sound good. It probably has both power leads connected if it lights up at all but it's still worth checking. Some of those aftermarket stereos also have a fuse on the back . Got a volt meter? Pull the stereo out and check the red lead from the stereo for 12v constant and the yellow lead for switched 12v with the key on. Make sure it's grounded properly too. Black lead from the stereo should be fastened to metal near the radio, if possible. Before I did anything though, I'd check for the stereo manual online and see if the troubleshooting chart lists your specific issue. Good luck.
Thanks smason54321, I found the manual online. It said to try to reset it by pushing a particular button. Didn't do anything. I found a youtube video saying that you have to push that button and hold for 5 seconds. The manual doesn't say that. And I did a more thorough reset by holding two other buttons while then clicking on the reset button. Anyway, I heard static noise. OK......at least we got some kind of sound, so we are making progress. The display still doesn't show anything except for what I thought was artwork. It looks like one of those psychological Rorshach inkblot test pictures. I tried to touch the screen and after a couple of spots, boom! I got the Christian rock station. OK, I've got music now and I'm really making progress. Problem is that I have no idea what I'm touching on the screen. I don't want to touch the screen any more, since who knows if I'll ever get music again, since the screen only displays this artwork. Or so I thought....... Here's a photo of the screen with what I thought was album cover artwork:
I'm beginning to think this is not artwork or a psychological inkblot test. I think the screen possibly got "fried" when my daughter's fusible link and battery got replaced. I charged her old battery and had it tested, and guess what? It's not a bad battery. I don't know what happened, but at some point she had to jump start the car several times until she got the new battery. I think this may have done something to the radio.
Any other ideas, or do you think the display is fried?
I responded on Saturday, but my message wasn't posted. I suspect because it included a photograph in the body of the post. Perhaps this forum doesn't allow that? I'm a member of a forum for another make of car and on that one photos can be posted. Anyway....
Thanks, smason54321 , I did find the Kenwood manual online for that model stereo. It showed to press a reset button. That didn't do anything. I saw a youtube video in which it shows to press the button for 5 seconds. The manual didn't explain that part. The video also showed how to do a hard reset. This worked (somewhat). I heard some static noise, but still the only thing showing on the display screen was what looked like some abstract album art or perhaps a logo of somekind. I touched the screen in a couple of places and suddenly got a Christian rock station playing. OK.....I've got music going on now, but the display is still the same as before.
Here's the info you can copy and paste into a browser to see a photo I took of the display (hopefully this will post):
An any event.....it dawned on me that this wasn't abstract album art or a logo. The screen is fried from her doing a jumpstart, perhaps when the radio was on or perhaps she initially mis-oriented the jumper cables (although she doesn't think so). My daughter is now able to control the stereo through her I-phone and a Bluetooth connection, so she had tunes on the way home. I replaced her crankshaft angle sensor, since it was malfunctioning, did an oil/filter change, and cleared the airbag light.
Anyway, thanks for leading me on to the manual, which got me to the video, which got her tunes going and which finally got me to realize the screen display is fried. Time for a new stereo.
That display looks cracked to me. I can't see how jump starting the vehicle could have caused that. Looks like the impact was between the screen and the cd slot, like someone wedged something in there to pry at it.
I could be wrong but here's my guess.....jump starting the vehicle caused a condition in the stereo requiring the reset procedure. Daughters friend tries to help and makes situation worse. Dad buys daughter a new stereo.
Ha, very plausible, except I won't be springing for a new stereo!:laugh:
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