QuestionTaken from another post because it describes exactly the same problem i have....The whole radio goes off momentarily, then comes back on seconds later. (radio & cd and aux). I've been trying to see if anything made it more likely to happen or if it is random. It happens more as I am stopping (This occurance varies but is more frequent) It may do it a zillion times one day & then not at all for several days.
AnswerHi,
Sorry to hear about your frustrations.
Usually the big dilemma here is: Is it my car or my head unit?
-if your head unit is bad you could just replace it with a new one, but if you did and it was really a fault in your car wiring then you would have wasted allot of money a time and still not fixed the problem...
Does that sound about right?
The best recommendation I can make is to "bench-test" the Head-unit:
if you have a spare battery or (much safer) a spare 12V power supply (the ones off an old computer would work great) you might just want to pull the unit out, power it up in a test environment, and see if the problem persists.
If so - you either have a bad systems board or some internal contact has corroded or worn out.
(BE CAREFUL WHEN USING BATTERIES IN THIS WAY - they can be very dangerous - I suggest using a large plastic storage bin with a lid and putting the battery inside of that. That way you'll be safe if it leaks or explodes.)
-Bottom line: If the headunit still conks out in a controlled environment you should get a new one.
If it doesn't: You may have some problem in the electrical system of the car.
Sometimes this can be a faulty contact (bat connection to power, loose fuse, frayed power cable, etc.) but if you experience it allot some days and not others there may be some other factor in play.
When you pull out the head unit, I might also suggest that you put a volt-meter on the power leads. Turn on everything possible in the car (the AC full blast, all lights, wipers, roll the windows up and down, push in the cigarette lighter, etc.) and see if the voltage drops below about 11.5V. You can get a Volt-meter for $20 at any Wal-mart or Radio Shack.
-this isn't fool-proof, because there's no great way to simulate real-world current demands of the head-unit, but if you see a voltage drop it certainly points to trouble.
My other concern would be a faulty or floating ground. If you know how to, you may want to try installing a new ground wire to the head-unit. A grounding-strap on the underside of the car is always a good idea.
If you have allot of other aftermarket stuff (HID lights, "ground effects", amps, etc.) then I would strongly suspect your stock alternator can't handle the current draw.
I wish you luck, let me know if you have any more questions about anything I've described.
You're also welcome to get a second opinion from any of the other experts on this board - I can recommend Kelly Spongberg and Mark Lampi - I am really a scientist and not a mechanic or car audio specialist.
All the best!
