Well, after several vists and hours at the Dealership, the tech's, service manager, can not figure out why my radio is cutting in and out. On Jan. 27th, I got a new radio to remedy the problem as the scan showed I indeed had a radio problem. The tech also witnessed it when he and I were in my 2011 F-250 6.7. Good for a while, then in April the problem returned so back to the dealer once again. OH, I had visits before the Jan. 27th as they had to figure out first what the problem might be. So they put in the second radio under warranty.

When it happened again they said it can't be the radio as highly unlikely two radios in less than 90 days? So I went back to the dealership yesterday, spent 3 hours there again (had an oil change and tire rotation too and the 72,000 kms check up) They changed the amplifier and also some kind of amplifier box, no charge for that part. They told me that should do it. Well, it seems worse now as it started acting up on the 1 and 1/2 hour drive down to visit my Dads and at times was cutting out every 5-10 seconds for 2-3 seconds, but not consistently. Must have done it 40 times in 90 minutes.

So I phoned them back when I arrived and talked with the guy and told him nope, it is still doing it and seems worse. He said he couldn't figure out what it might be? I asked him perhaps if they put there top tech guy on it they might be able to figure it out. He said that was his top tech guy working on it. Yikes! He said he would tell the service manager who would call me.

I think I am going to take it to another dealership. I travel and basically service my truck between 4 dealerships. When I had the tranny issues I had flashes and hours in the different shops and it wasn't until I went to the dealership up north to get the thermostats replaced (evidently something was wrong with them as I had a check engine alert on my dash in mid winter) and they did a different flash, (Last October) and my tranny problems are no more. So I will take it back there and see if they can figure this out. Drives me nuts to think here I am in this wonderful, big truck and the radio, phone, etc, keeps cutting of and off. I lose speaker sound and sometimes only hear a bit of bass sound.

So not the radio, not the amplifier? Anyone have any ideas? I would have suspected they would have checked for some kind of short and when I asked the guy said they did check that.

 

Loose speaker connection? Faulty radio/amp fuse?

 

...hummm...def sounds like a bad ground some where in the line...

Hope they fix it for you soon...that is a lot of time to spend at the dealer...


biz

 

Just the radio, or does it cut out on bluetooth phone, CD's, etc?
Just trying to eliminate the simplest possible issue of a bad antenna wire.

If it's all audio regardless of source, I'd say you have a break in a ground wire causing the intermittent connection failure.

 

It affects the entire system of Sirius, AM, FM, CD, and the bluetooth, etc. Most times it just cuts out everything but a muffled bass sound remains but sometimes it also cuts out all sound. Especially frustrating when talking on the bluetooth and can't carry on a conversation very well. I think it has to be a short too as it is too intermittent. I will try the other dealership and give them a shot and if not take it to an audio car place that specializes in sound systems.
Maybe they can figure it out?

So far they have replaced 2 radios, and last time the Amplifier AMP Unit Entertainment Kit (85B849 E Kit), and those parts were obviously not the problem. I just get tired of spending all that time at the dealership and not fixing the problem. You would think here we are, 5 months later and the problem is still not fixed.

 

so, is the failure on a bouncy road, or a pothole, or concrete separation strip? this info might tell you where to look for the harness that moves when those bumps occur.. sounds to me like a defect in some harness.. ground or power..

Sam

 

Is there any pattern to the cut out, like a bump, or a bass beat?

 

No pattern to the cutting out and road bumps or jiggling doesn't have an effect either. It does it fairly regularly at times though.

Haven't heard back from the service manager and I called on Friday. In Canada so today was not a holiday for us. Will give him a call and see where to go from here. If Ford can't figure this out will take it to an audio place where they install radios and give them a chance to fix it.

 

Well, my radio system is getting worse and this sucks.

I phoned the other dealership and they said the old dealership should fix it as they started work on it Jan. 27/12 when it was still on warranty. Evidently, if Ford works on a warranty issue and doesn't fix it but the warranty runs out, too bad for the customer. It is up to the dealership to decide if they will cover it. The old dealership can't figure this out. The new dealership at least gave some advice about a SSM that is out #2224 that they say they had on another F-250 and it took a while but they solved it. Same symptoms. Phoned the old dealership and told them about the SSM and now I am waiting to see if they will try it? They said the last supposed fix, (which didn't work) they had to pay for the amp and box themselves, which didn't know. One would think Ford would warranty a component if it fails during the warranty period but isn't fixed and the warranty runs out. I passed the 60000 km/36000 mile warranty period so the problem continues. Hopefully, Ford steps up and gets it right. What good is a warranty if they can't fix it??

 

I thought the warranty would cover issues even afterwards as long as they are observed by a dealership and documented.

 

One last chance for Ford. Talked to the dealership today (I called them) and they said they thought the did the SMM 2224 but will do it again. Then they wanted me to leave my truck for 2 days and they would rent me a vehicle for half price. I said thanks but since the dealership is 2 hours drive away I said it they still can't fix it after 6 months I would take it to an audio shop and I am sure they can fix a radio since all they do is install and fix radio problems. It will cost me but at least my $76,000.00 listed truck would have a radio that works once again. sigh

 

That sucks.

Once you get it fixed on your cash, maybe ford will negotiate to cover part of it.