rabino34

I have searched the fora and haven't found this issue discussed. I have a '98 SC400. Sometimes when I start the car the factory stereo is silent at all volume settings. Occasionally it will go silent when driving as well. Whenever it goes silent and doesn't respond to volume **** changes, I press the #3 button on the factory-installed cell phone (the #3 button is the bottom most button on the left paddle of the steering wheel) and that brings back the radio.

That button #3 trick doesn't always work though, and even if it is a time when it works it doesn't always work on the first try, but could take minutes of pressing the #3 button in and out to get the sound to work again.

Is this a common problem? What's causing this? How can I fix it!?!?! It is maddening!! Makes me want to pull hair out of head!!!

Any help would be extremely appreciated.

Shadowen

iTrader: (6)

I don't know much about the factory cellphone, but it sounds to me like there is a short in a wire. Maybe a frayed wire that touches when you hit a bump.

Are you sure the #3 button fixes it. Or, could it just be chance?

rabino34

Yes, only the #3 button fixes it. It rarely happens when the car is in motion. I think that's only happened once. 99% of the time it happens when I first start the car for the day....the radio is silent at every volume setting, although it's clearly turned on.

Any other ideas?

Klaus

iTrader: (1)

My theory on this is there is a wire from the cell phone module that mutes the radio when you're on a call. This wire is likely shorting out

rabino34

My car is 12 years old, and has just 40,000 babied miles. I've never driven hard over bumps or exposed the car to nasty climatic elements. If you're right that there's a short, finding that wire and its short would require disassembling the dashboard and center console, which is a major job. Why couldn't Toyota have used slightly better quality wire that doesn't chafe as easily, or build in a way where wires don't chafe at all, or create higher quality connections that don't short?

This is supposed to be Lexus' flagship car, demonstrating their pre-eminence in top quality in all aspects of its build. And this is the best they can come up with?

It's very disappointing. How much does a good wire cost? 2.5 cents?