Lexus SC430 :: Radio Cuts Off Randomly When Cranked Up High
Jun 6, 2014
If i have the radio volume up fairly high, it will keep cutting off for a few seconds then come back on. then cut off again etc....
I presume the amp is getting hot and causing this, am I right? And would I need another amp, or maybe there is a fan in the amp not working? Or am I not even close? Its pretty annoying when that good song comes on and it cuts out.
Its not the actual radio that cuts off, its the sound from the speakers.
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03 GX470 w/ ML/Nav, weird radio problem - the radio cuts out at high volume, and only at high volume. It cuts out for 1 sec, then comes back, then cuts out, then comes back. Screen is on all the time while this happens, and occurs with all inputs - AM, FM, dvd. These are what I've done to diagnose so far:
1) disconnected battery for 10 minutes, no joy
2) replaced 2 fuses pertaining to radio, no joy
3) took out cd in dvd player, no joy
Here's what's weird: When I move the balance to have all/most of the sound coming from the rears, it doesn't cut out! See attached pic. I am able to get it to the 3rd line below the lowest; if I go above this line, it starts cutting out.
I did replace both front speakers a month ago, and was working fine all this time.
Bad amp? Bad front speakers?
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Got in the car today, 2002 SC430, turned the key, car cranked and cranked but no start. I'm guessing I'm not getting fuel. How do I troubleshoot?
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2003 SC430 with ~140k miles. Friday night, stopped at a gas station and left the car running for about 15 minutes. Then stopped the engine and left the radio on for about 20 minutes. Then the car wouldn't start- cranked weakly, then began clicking. Jumped the car- took about five minutes before it would turn over again.
Then, after disconnecting the cables and running for only about a minute, it cranked strongly twice in the span of a minute. I found that strange, not believing that it had properly charged up that quickly. Drove to an auto parts store, asked them to check the battery and such. Battery said good, alternator said voltage regulator failure.
After about 10 minutes, went to drive off, not planning to stop until I got to my destination. The car wouldn't start again, same weak turning and then clicking (note- this after about a fifteen minute drive, as opposed to the first one minute of charging after which it started twice just fine!). So I was surprised that it wouldn't crank.
Then I drove it all weekend without a problem (5-6 stops and starts). Then Monday night after I parked it, I went back to check it and it didn't start (same weak turn, and then clicking). Tuesday morning, I tried twice and got weak turn & clicking, then it turned a little more strongly and started.
My guesses:
-don't think my battery is bad
-don't think my battery really was fully discharged and then suddenly recharged even though it has seemed that way, in such short time frames
-my alternator claims to be bad (voltage regulation)
-maybe I have some sort of loose connection on the backside of the battery? (the terminals look solid)
But I didn't shake or bump the car, or do anything for the cabling to be loose/bad Monday night, and then start Tuesday morning. But perhaps the very effort of trying to start the car is enough to shake a connection back together?
(I don't think this is at all related to my blower post- my fan seems to be kicking on quite frequently while I drive, still trying to sort that out).
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Issue on my wife's 2002 SC430. Recently ran into the well-documented disappearing acceleration caused by one of the trifecta of sensors on the throttle (TPS, APPS, and Throttle motor). Replaced the throttle position sensor and seemed to resolve issue. As of about a week ago, however, the car has developed a hiccup that I can't diagnose. Here's what I've recorded and done so far:
Symptoms:
-Hesitation at 1800 or 2300(?) RPM under light throttle and increasing load (often on uphills).
-Throttle down-blip of 100-200 rpm momentarily, only lasts ~1 sec
-Noticable lurch to vehicle, slows down slightly, results in 0.08G accelerometer reading when kicks back in.
-Change in engine exhaust sound as if in C-gate gears on a downhill (sounds like engine braking).
-Sometimes happens repeatedly in quick succession - up to 8 times in 10 seconds.
-Not speed dependent
-Overall performance is fine, not sluggish or hesitating when you stomp on it.
-Intermittant issue, not replicable, happens at random.
-No error codes thrown, no CEL, no DSP lights.
-Consistent -14.7psi vacuum registering on OBDII
Actions taken:
-Recently replaced and tuned throttle position sensor
-Seafoam on a nearly empty tank for 3 mi, half-full tank for 40mi
-Italian tune-up
-Disassembled and cleaned MAF
-Cleaned air filter (K&N)
-Reset computer (battery grounded for 10 min)
So... the question is, what the heck is this? Here are a few thoughts of what to do next in order of easiest/most likely/least expensive:
-Remove ABS relay and check performance (maybe TCS is hitting brakes a little?)
-Check all vacuum lines
-Seafoam cleaning through vacuum lines
-Remove, disassemble and clean TB assembly
-Test continuity on throttle body motor
-Test continuity on VVT solenoids
-Test continuity on full range of APP Sensor
-Replace VVT filters
-Replace VVT solenoids
-Check spark plug torque?
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i keep hearing a noise under the dash by the radio. it is almost a gurgling noise if that makes sense. i don't know if it is the cd player doing something, or something else.
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Noticed the antenna did not go all the way down. It will also not go up. When I turn the radio off the motor grinds for few seconds but the antenna does not go all the way down. Mast problems? Any links how to fix it?
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Will be driving and the radio will just come on. This happens every now and then.
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Where is the fuse located for our OEM radio head unit? I have no power coming in for the head unit and hopefully it's just a blown fuse!
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I just purchase a 2002 SC430 with only two (minor) issues. First: the radio display does not work. Everything else is fine. The CD changer works, the radio works, the steering column controls work. The display is blank. Lexus solution is 650$ for a new radio. Seems like there should be a simpler fix.
Second, the panel covering the display does not come down. I can pull it down, and it will go back up with the push of the button. But it will not go back down. Again Lexus fix is 700$. I guess I can keep pulling it down for that price, but how was it resolved.
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I just bought a 2002 SC430, 62,000 miles, silver/saddle near perfect condition on owner, all records for $17,000. The radio door is stuck open and won't close. How to fix it? [/COLOR] Also the radio antenna will not go all the way down - about five inches stays up. Are the two problems related. Like others mentioned, I could eat off of the engine and the trunk still smells like a new car.
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Today as I was driving on the freeway my radio randomly shut down and turned back on. it was a complete power down as if I was turning the car on. I believe I seen the dash also do a system check. I also think I felt the power steering turn on and off for a split second. very odd. I almost feel the entire car shut down for a split second.
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I have had this slight rattle sound in roof driver side rear which comes randomly if road is bad or bumpy.. It doesnt bother me but would be nice if it wasnt there. I don't know what it is but seems like some wire or something inside in corner which shakes...
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My navigation door will not open, and when I turn the radio on, it looks like it is playing - but no sound comes from speakers.
From digging around here, it looks like this could be a fuse problem - but both of these at the same time? Are they the same fuse? Are the fuses I would need to replace in the passenger side or under the hood?
BTW... it was pretty comical getting to the fuse thing in the passenger foot well - I am just over 5 feet tall, so it was easier to do it head down, feet near the headrest of the seat!
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I have an 02 SC430 and I recently noticed that my temperature gauge rose to 3/4 high after driving pretty hard on the interstate and then coming to a complete stop on side street traffic (mind you, it was like 95F outside) After traffic cleared and i started to move, the temp gauge went down to 1/2 and never rose again.
I tried to replicate the problem by having the car on idle and revving for a few minutes, but she stayed at half. I told my brother to watch the temp gauge if he drives it. He said the coolant was low and added coolant. Driving today, storming like hell, on the exit, i pull up to the red light and notice my temp gauge is to the cold position, but i have a check engine light on, VSC light on and VSC off light. I also noticed I'm smoking like hell, so i pull over to the nearest covering and pop the hood. My rad cap has popped off and coolant has spewed all over the engine. let it cool down and put the car on accessory.
At this point, my temp gauge is still at the cold position. started it up with no problems and the temp gauge shoots to the overheating position. I shut it down, let it cool. After a few minutes, i fire it up and drive it to the nearest gas station maybe 1000 ft away. Filled up almost 2 gallons of water and let it run with the rad cap off to get the air bubbles out. I notice a lot of air purging itself out of the coolant system. after running for 5 minutes with no variation in my temp gauge, i drive it for 5 minutes with no problems, no funny sounds, no funny misfire, no smoke (front or rear). The lights still have not come off... I can only attribute the overheating to air being in the cooling system.
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Lexus has diagnosed a ground fault with an intermittent connection.... I am not sure how to proceed ... Could it be a light bulb connection... or does it even have these? Can the part be serviced in place... or must I replace the whole assembly?
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I test drove the sc 430 the other day, I found it very smooth and very soft ride. I noticed that when I accelerate the car feels heavy as if it lacks the torque. Is this normal?
Also, the steering felt loose at high speeds above 60mph. Is this normal?
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I have a 2006 2.4l petrol (and an LPG gas system) model that is becoming impossible to drive due to the engine cutting out. I had all the plugs changed an injector thingy and some leads last week when it first started to cut.
At first we thought it was the gas system because it was running on gas the first few times it died. I've just taken it out to road test the petrol (with the gas turned off) and it did it again. It happens mostly when at idle (traffic lights) but has also cutout twice at speed on the main road. You can't restart it, it turns over for ever and doesn't fire up...but I did bump start it once. The next day it will start as if nothing was wrong. I haven't been able to access whether any lamps come on (mainly due to being in panic mode at some junction).
So my questions to the experts are based on the 3 main culprits mentioned elsewhere:
Alarm or immobiliser.- is there any way to disable the alarm/immobiliser so I can check if it is that?
Fuel and fuel pressure systems. - can I assume that because it does it on both fuel types that it isn't fuel filter/pressure pump like?
Cam sensor. - I have a mechanic friend who repairs everyone's car at work (600+ people and I think he's mended a good half of those)..is the fitting of a cam sensor only doable with some strange specialist tuning/timing equipment or is it a simple case of unscrew, replace and good is?
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I own a 2005 Saturn Ion, automatic trans, that we have never had any serious issues with in the past.
Saturday April 7th, I was on the highway heading out of town. My engine, oil and battery lights came on and the car stopped responding to the gas pedal, I could no longer accelerate, the car was coasting. The radio was still on, I was able to use my turn signals to get off the highway and turn on my flashers on the side of the road.
Once safely off the highway, I turned the car off and attempted to turn it back on, nothing. It didn't even sound like it turned over, pretty much dead silent. Approximately 30 minutes after pulling off the tow truck showed up and took me to a Sears automotive, the "closest" mechanic to where I had gotten stuck.
At Sears, approximately an hour now after the incident, they were able to start my car to get it into the garage. I told them the same thing that I had posted above, adding that I may or not have had cruise control on at the time, and that my car clock had been slowly losing time over the past couple of years, I was now 22 minutes slow after resetting the clock about 5 months earlier.
They then checked my battery and the computer codes? They took the battery out to charge and told me that the computer had a code "P601" stored in it, something to do with the ICM. This was a computer issue and not something they could fix at Sears Automotive. They charged my battery and then told me it was still bad, and tried to sell me a battery so that they could test my alternator, because they would be "cheaper than a dealership." I asked them to just put the car back together and called another tow truck.
When taking the car out of the garage, I don't know if they had to jump it to move or not, but as they were parking it, the power steering went out in my car. They spent 10 minutes looking for a reservoir that doesn't exist because I learned later that my power steering is electric since I have an electric engine. After that fiasco I was towed to a Buick GMC dealership to deal with the computer issue.
They didn't look at the car until the following Monday, April 9th. The dealership could find nothing wrong with the car. Sears removing the battery had taken the codes out of the system, although I did give them the information sears had given me, P601- ICM. The power steering fuse was blown, but they suspected that Sears had done that by improperly jumping the car to get it out of the garage, I can't prove or disprove that.
Other than that the car started fine for them, ran fine, gave no codes, and did not cut off. I picked it up after work and have been driving it to and from work since.
This morning, Monday April 16th, the car did the same thing to me again on my way to work. I was driving on a smaller road this time, doing 45 as opposed to 65. My engine light came on first, and the car shuddered, like if you were riding with someone who's not good at driving a stick shift. Then my battery light came on. All my electronics, radio, windows, flashers, etc were still working as they were the first time this happened.
I was able to pull off the side of the road and make the necessary phone calls. After 15 minutes the car started normally when I cranked it, this being the first time I cranked it after pulling over and turning it off. I drove straight to the dealership, and they had it all day.
Again, they can find nothing wrong with the car. They got a code that says Cam Shaft, which they said is too vague to narrow down without charging a great deal of labor. The car started up, ran well, and hasn't acted up for them at all. They said they checked my connections, and added something to reduce resistance in case that was hindering it. They are at a loss what to do next unless the car gives them more specific symptoms.
I'm at a loss what to do. I don't really want to keep driving this vehicle when it suddenly cuts off on me twice in two weeks.
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My husband's 2004 Silverado truck randomly cuts out and stalls. He has replaced sensors and now the computer and it still randomly "dies". Three different mechanics have looked it over and checked the computer codes and can not figure out what is causing it.
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I have a 2003 Pontiac Vibe that was new to me in 2011. Pushing 180k+ miles. It was subject to the airbag recall last summer and has been repaired by the GM guys. But last fall I was driving at around 70mph with the cruise on and came up to a speed change so I tapped the brakes to end the cruise and EVERYTHING went dark in the car- radio, dashboard, a/c, the electrical charging plug- EVERYTHING for about 5-7 seconds. Then everything came back on and I continued as normal. My mechanic was dumbfounded. Figured one time freak thing so no worries.
No issues since until this morning. On the drive to work I had the high beams on as it was 5:15 in the morning on a state highway in the country. Came up on a red light so flipped high beams off. EVERYTHING goes dark for 5-7 seconds, comes back on, and I continue as normal. Obviously I'm getting a little concerned at the randomness, not to mention that losing power at 70mph is a little disconcerting. Mechanic is dumbfounded but willing to tear up the dash and steering column and see if he can't recreate the issue.
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