54 replies to this topic

[mymini007]

My stereo is cutting out intermittently, and I dont know why, its when I turn it up really loud, or hit a large bump. have checked all the connections and all seem ok, what else could it be?

[Rich.]

Amp overload protection kicking in?

[dprisoner]

When I had problems with my ignition coil, the stereo would cut out in relation to my accelleration...

[amarcd]

Do you have the old british fuses (round glass type) if you do are they a good tight fit as they tent to roll around and could cause a bad connected when bumped or when trying to draw more power.

[Twincam]

Does it cut out completly or fade out?

[Brams96]

Cut out when turned up loud = Thermal overload cutting in
Cut out over a bump = CD skipping?

Check your plugs and connctions as something may have worked loose.

[mymini007]

Cut out when turned up loud = Thermal overload cutting in
Cut out over a bump = CD skipping?

Check your plugs and connctions as something may have worked loose.

Thermal overload?

No CDs as they all skip, so I have everything on micro sd.

[mymini007]

Does it cut out completly or fade out?

Cuts out totally, stereo turn off totally and then back on again, its a sony HU with and alpine amp, have unplugged the amp and then tried it and its still doing the same, got 4 speakers running off the HU.

[mymini007]

Do you have the old british fuses (round glass type) if you do are they a good tight fit as they tent to roll around and could cause a bad connected when bumped or when trying to draw more power.

Got a round fuse off the amp, but the rest are the spade ones

[mini_mad69]

Sounds like a voltage drop with it just turning off.

Although going over a bump sounds like a bad connnection somewhere, where is it earthed?

[Brams96]

Definitely sounds like your head unit has a bad connection. Check the plug isn't loose or jammed against something causing it to momentarily cutout when you go over a bump. Check the voltage at the H/U to see what it is getting supplied with when the engine is running.

Let us know how you get on.

[mymini007]

Definitely sounds like your head unit has a bad connection. Check the plug isn't loose or jammed against something causing it to momentarily cutout when you go over a bump. Check the voltage at the H/U to see what it is getting supplied with when the engine is running.

Let us know how you get on.

Stereo is not wired to the ignition, so would it make a difference if the engine is running.

[yorkshirechris]

It could be a few things. It's not necessarily the HU having a bad connection.

I had the same problem a while back... I replaced all the connections, I completely rewired the stereo three times and double earthed it, and I even took it back to Halfords three times, insisting it's a bad connection in the HU itself.

It turned out to be the alternator.

Everything else was working fine, lights, hazards, never had a problem starting the car, etc. But the alternator was dropping voltage slightly, mainly when I let off the accelerator. The operating voltage of the HU and of all modern HU's AFAIK is 11 - 16v, and the voltage was intermittently dropping to just below 11v which caused the HU to turn off - sometimes it would come straight back on, other times it would stay off for minutes.

I'd double check all the connections first, try running a new earth to it - double earth it and then you know for definate - and change all the fuses in case one of them has a bad connection. A bad connection might still allow other things such as lights etc to work but a HU is much more sensitive. Of course it may well be a loose component in the HU itself, if it's still under warranty then it might be worth taking it back and asking them to check it over on a test bed.

Edited by yorkshirechris, 06 June 2010 - 05:59 PM.

[mymini007]

Well.....yesterday I drove all the way to Bristol and back, on some of the county's nost potholed roads and not a problem at all, no cutting out, (I didnot have it on too loud as daughter was in the car) So it may be volume related rather than vibration related. As when it was sat on the drive with the volume UP thats when I had the cutting out again. The dash needs to come out soon to have some gauges fitted so I will go over every thing then, Thanks for all the tips and advice.

[Rich.]

It sounds like its just the amps thermal protection kicking in, if you want it louder you need to buy a standalone amplifier.

Rich