Radio Light

[ekm92]

Just purchased an 09 LE so I'm not sure if this is normal activity or not. When the headlights and dashboard lights come on the radio backlight goes off. It's a stock radio. This makes it impossible to see the radio display at night.

Thanks for any help.

 

[echarleswhyte]

normal in the sense that the radio will dim when lights turned on but not be completely out. lights might be burned out and can be replaced but might be easier and cheaper to pull one from a wrecking yard.

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

I'm assuming you already checked the dimmer?

I'd check for a lose wire on the radio first. Odds are quite low that all lights burned out simultaneously.

 

[ekm92]

The dimmer has no impact on the radio at all. I've found where an aftermarket Bluetooth phone was installed by the dealership so maybe the wiring is not 100% as it should be.

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

Yeah, sounds like they botched something back there.

 

[echarleswhyte]

when was it installed? when you bought it or was it there already? if they installed it when you bought it then take it back to the dlr to have them fix it.

 

[ekm92]

The phone was installed shortly after the first owner purchased the car in 09. The carfax shows it was installed at the dealer. No hope there.

I now realize the backlight on the radio comes on when the key is in accessory position but goes off when the key is turned further to start the car. Anyone know what that means?

 

[echarleswhyte]

I'm no expert but it sounds to me when the bluetooth was installed maybe the used the wrong wire for power or switch two wires when putting back together. might have to get a car electrician to trace the installation and check the wires.

 

[Donabed Kopoian]

When the ignition is in START, the radio will always be off.

This is what I'm thinking based on your statements that:

1. Lights work in ON until the headlights come on.
2. Lights work in ACC, regardless of headlight switch position.

Correct?

I second going to an electrician. Without being able to physically look at the car, I have no idea what they did to the wiring, but something is off. We won't be able to help you here because we have no idea how the Bluetooth was installed.

If you want to try it yourself, I'd start by pulling the radio and looking at wires to see what is tapped where. I want to say that it has to do with the headlight signal wire that goes into the radio (it acts as a signal to tell the radio when the headlight is on or not, and on some stereos handles dimming as well), so they might be lugging off it, for whatever reason they did (probably confused it with the power wire).

 

[ekm92]

As an update, the Parrot bluetooth phone was the issue. It was plug-n-play and went inline with the radio wiring. Removed the bluetooth phone and problem was resolved. Phone went straight in the trash.

Thanks for your help.