A couple of questions here:

1. My Alpine radio/CD goes through phases of not powering up. It will go months will no trouble and suddenly (like now) it won't power up at all. I had it "flashed" for my ACM about a year ago.

I've thought about replacing the entire radio head, but I might have to have it re-flashed and the nearest dealer is 250 miles away.

2. What does the "flashing" for the ACM? It it something I could find somewhere locally?

Not having the radio/CD/ipod at all, is horrible.

I need help deciding what to do.

Thanks in advance!

 

Jamey, based on what you are describing, the radio also controls the air conditioning/heat. If so, replacing the radio will result in needing to switch over to manual heat-A/C, meaning loosing the auto feature for that. Might be a deal breaker, might not be. But, at a minimum it will require some rework of a new panel in the dash.

As for "flashing" of the ACM, think of a flash as a new series of computer coding. Something was changed in the software that controls when the heat-A/C does stuff. Maybe for better temperature control, varying the way the dampers are moved for various settings, any number of things.

As for the radio, what you seem to be describing sounds to me like a loose/broken solder joint. Unfortunately, about the only fix for this is to remove the radio from the car, open up the radio and do a solder joint by solder joint inspection. Then if you see any joints with missing solder or a black hair line crack in them, resoldering those joints. I am not familiar with any "common joints" that would lead to this. It is also possible that your radio fuse is starting to fail and has opened partially. THen as you hit bumps or the temperature of the car changes, the fuse will make and break electrical contact. The fuse will even look good. So, swapping out the fuse may be a quick try.

 

Thanks Thermo.

Everything seems to be working perfectly...except for the radio/cd/ipod. When it does power back up, I have to reset the clock..and the tone settings. To me, that says electrical...some where. The radio fuse is the regular fuse in the box correct? Not something inside the radio itself?

My thinking...at this point...if the fuse fix doesn't work, is to remove the radio and take it to a stereo shop and let them fix it. Am I right in thinking, it won't have to be re-flashed and everything will work as before. Maybe?

 

Jamey, honestly, for what a stereo shop is going to charge you for the fix to the radio, you might as well look at a wrecking yard and get them to find you a radio from a crashed car. You can probably get a radio through a wrecking yard for about $100. The stereo shops are more than likely going to attempt to charge $50+ an hour and say something to the effect of "we don't know how long it may take to fix". The only caution I will give you is if you go the new radio route, make sure that when you get the radio, it comes with the radio code as it won't be the same as the one that you currently have to use.

As for the fuse, yes, it is the one in the fuse box.

 

If you dont have a Jag specialist closer you could always use a LandRover specialist/dealer as they use the same IDS as Jaguar for programming,diagnostics,updates etc (some LandRovers made on same production line as the X-Type when I was at the factory at Halewood, near Liverpool, UK).

 

Update: I switched out the fuse this morning. Fuse was seared a bit. I put in a new fuse ...and nothing.

So, I starting taking the radio assembly apart. I have the gear shifter and ashtray out and I can see the fiber optic cable. I reach in and give it a shake and ......the radio comes back on. I turn the ignition on..off...on...off. Radio comes back on EVERY time.

I carefully bit the assembly back together. Turn the ignition on/off...on/off...works EVERY time. WOW!

I can live with having to jiggle a wire every now and then. The next time it goes off, I'll go back in and strap the wires and ACM down where they can't move around so much.

I think we're golden here. For now.

Thanks all!