Radio problems in my excursion!
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 444
Likes: 2
From: Franktown, CO
My 2003 eats altenators. If my batteries are low on juice, I get the same symtoms you are.
This may not be your head unit problem at all. check your batteries for 13.7 volts while your truck is running.
This may not be your head unit problem at all. check your batteries for 13.7 volts while your truck is running.
Thread Starter
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New User
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Thanks. I will check my alternator also. It is a new rebuilt one. It does display between 13.8 and 14.1 while it's running. 11.9 before I start it. Now the radio is doing it when it's parked and key on not running. I'm trying to swap a friends radio from his excursion on Sunday or Monday. Just to check it out. This is driving me crazy!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,589
Likes: 20
Here is my fix!
I will disconnect that harness from the back of the radio tomorrow. That's a great way to check. Thanks William_04_x! I'm checking out the you tube link as well. I hope that something works. Also something I should share with everybody. I work two jobs right now. So time for me is limited. I will do my best to keep you all updated. Thanks again!
DSMMH
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 60
Likes: 1
From: Boise, ID
At this point, I think I'd like to fix this and retain the oem head unit. Any more experiences/fixes with this issue? I haven't pulled the head unit yet, but when I do, I'm hoping I'll find a harness that contains the wires for the steering wheel controls and the back of the center console controls. Disconnecting these 2 control modules should eliminate them as the problem. Can someone confirm this test procedure?
Assuming the problem is with the head unit itself, has anyone had one repaired? Experience? Cost?
Thanks! I need to resolve this cost effectively before an upcoming road trip in May.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,839
Likes: 108
From: Martinsburg, WV
The rear speakers are routed through the rear control panel. bypassing the rear panel in the console will lose the circuit. Just to test the volume issue, the rear cup holders in the console just pop out. Temporarily disconnect that panel and see if the issue goes away. If it does, you know the panel is most likely bad. If it persists then it is in the HU or the steering wheel. If you then pull the HU and disconnect the smaller of the two connectors, square one I think and it still does it, then you know it's in the HU.
Hope this helps some.
Hope this helps some.
Junior User
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 60
Likes: 1
From: Boise, ID
The rear speakers are routed through the rear control panel. bypassing the rear panel in the console will lose the circuit. Just to test the volume issue, the rear cup holders in the console just pop out. Temporarily disconnect that panel and see if the issue goes away. If it does, you know the panel is most likely bad. If it persists then it is in the HU or the steering wheel. If you then pull the HU and disconnect the smaller of the two connectors, square one I think and it still does it, then you know it's in the HU.
Hope this helps some.
Hope this helps some.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,420
Likes: 16
From: Ouray, CO
Today my steering wheel was toasty from
all the sun. When i pushed to lower the volume
with the steering wheel control radio would
Go higher. I used the dial to adjust.
Later it worked fine.
Seems like the clockspring or switches?
Thankfully this happens only about twice a year,,,
all the sun. When i pushed to lower the volume
with the steering wheel control radio would
Go higher. I used the dial to adjust.
Later it worked fine.
Seems like the clockspring or switches?
Thankfully this happens only about twice a year,,,
Excursion Fleet Manager
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,791
Likes: 5
From: Green Oak, MI
Today my steering wheel was toasty from
all the sun. When i pushed to lower the volume
with the steering wheel control radio would
Go higher. I used the dial to adjust.
Later it worked fine.
Seems like the clockspring or switches?
Thankfully this happens only about twice a year,,,
all the sun. When i pushed to lower the volume
with the steering wheel control radio would
Go higher. I used the dial to adjust.
Later it worked fine.
Seems like the clockspring or switches?
Thankfully this happens only about twice a year,,,
Still though, I remember a couple times in the dead of winter that the buttons didn't work. I guess there was just too much resistance in the non-factory wires that it was just off enough for the radio to not know what to do.
So if your buttons don't work once in a really great while, I wouldn't worry much about it.
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 60
Likes: 1
From: Boise, ID
In March my stereo volume all of a suddend started dropping to zero all by itself. From information in this thread, I was prepared I may have to replace the volume control buttons at the back of the center console or on the steering wheel. The back of the console being the much easier solution, I decided to take a preliminary look....
I popped out the cup holders and saw how easy this would be to replace. While I was there, I unplugged the wire harness from the volume control and plugged it back in.
5 months later, and the problem has not come back. I attribuite it to unplugging and plugging the harness back in. As described earlier, the controls work by the resistance over the wires; perhaps I had some stray ohms, build-up on the spade connectors, don't really know??
If the problem returns, the first thing I will do is remove that plug again and pack it with di-electric grease.
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whalerron
Audio & Video Systems, Navigation, Satellite Radio & Mobile Electronics
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Mar 25, 2007 12:45 PM