My '96 XJ6 has the standard radio with the 6-disc CD changer. Well it did until the CD changer started cycling all the time, which ran the battery down. So I retired it to a shelf in the garage.

On the radio head itself, from time-to-time the buttons (including the volume) are unresponsive. When that happens, I push the "tape eject" button and everything will work fine. That's been going on the whole five years I've owned the car.

Now it is doing something new. The radio will occasionally emit a loud "pop" and go silent for a while. Then it comes back.

Coming home from work today, the buttons stopped working so I put in the tape adapter I use for playing my iPod. The radio kept ejecting the cassette. I finally gave up, managed to turn the radio off, and used my earbuds to listen to the iPod.

Any ideas about what could be going on with the old radio?

 

You just answered your own question, "...... old radio".

OLD AGE my man, just like me, things go fuzzy as age creeps in.

My X300 had no signal to CD changer, whoopee, then popping, etc, too bloody hard, out with the old in with the new, Pioneer CD/Radio with front USB port, sweet, even for an old fart like me, and simple to operate also, even came with a remote, and $140, not unhappy, and simple enough to install, about 2 hours tops.

 

And it may come to that for me. However, back in my youth I was Porsche tech at a Mercedes/Porsche dealership. It was almost routine to come to work and find that a car or three had been broken into and the radio stolen. It was always the cars with aftermarket radios. The factory radios (and their codes) were left untouched. A break-in is something I'd rather not invite, as there are occasionally other items in my car that I don't want falling into the wrong hands.

 

There's an outfit that will (hopefully) still repair these Alpines....in New York, as I recall. I'm search that the company name and address has been posted so an archive search with be in order.

Or take your chances on a used one. As these radios are notoriously unreliable there's a good chance you won't get a good one.

Cheers
DD

 

I got your back, Doug! Here is the repair form and contact info for an Alpine radio repair facility. We've used them several times and the units come back looking and working like new.......scratch that, better than new! Usually costs between $125 and $140. As yet, we haven't seen a repeat failure.

For the first go 'round I'd suggest calling them first for the proper send in procedure.

Cheers,

 

I do agree with what you say.

I constantly forget that where I habitate, break ins are rare on any day/night.

I regularly leave any of my Jags unlocked at the local shopping centre (mall in some countries), or pub, and NEVER had unwanted attention.

I will take that as being extremely fortunate, as some of you do have real issues with theft etc, and that I may have to get used to this as time goes by, sad world.

 

Just to update the record, so to speak......

The charge is now $225.00 :-)

Great service, though....helpful, fast. It took two tries to get it right but they were very professional about handling the comeback. Everybody goofs from time to time so I won't hold a grudge.

Cheers
DD

 

I've used Radioman in San Diego with two of my Alpine radios with good success.

bliving7