Help: Stock radio problem

[johnm]

I need some help. The stock radio in my 2002 silverado keeps resetting itself. It doesn't matter if I'm in the truck; the truck is on, or off; the radio is on, or off; or any other common link that I've found. When it happens the radio shuts off (if I had it on) and the clock goes to 1:00, the volumn goes to a "low" setting and the presets go to one of the FM1 stations (even if I was on FM2. All of my presets are still there. If the radio wasn't on, then the clock just goes to 1:00. Either way, when it happens, I can hear a "buzzing" sound from under the dash. It seems like it's coming from somewhere between the radio and steering column. I never loose my gauges, or anything else that I can see. I haven't done anything to the truck in at least a few years. It's completely stock and the problem is completly random.

Help ... please!

johnm
2002 Silverado, D/A, 4x4, CC

 

[johnm]

I still haven't found anything that's causing the problem. Maybe the buzzing is from a relay? Are there any relays under the dash (that would cause a radio reset) in between the radio and the steering wheel?

Thanks,

 

[PhilsLB7]

It sounds like you have a short somewhere or a grounding issue, maybe in the radio wire harness. I would take the instrument panel bezel off so you can get access to the radio. Take the radio out but keep the radio wire harness plugged in. Turn the radio on and wiggle the wires up and down the length of the harness to see if you can re-create the problem.

I'm not sure about the "buzzing" from a relay. Typically you will hear a clicking sound coming from a relay. Try the wire harness first and let us know what you come up with.

 

[johnm]

Yeah - I say it's a buzzing sound, but it could be a fast clicking. If you cycle a relay fast enough it sounds like a buzzing. I've had the radio pulled out for a couple of days already (still plugged in) and it's realy hard to tell what's doing what when the problem happens. I've tried the harness wiggle, light jerking, light pulling, etc with no results.

 

[PhilsLB7]

Check the GM Specs area to see if there is a wiring diagram for the radio wire harness and see if there is some relay. If you don't find a wiring diagram, see if Henry (ripmf666) can get it for you.

The only relay I know of in that area would be a relay for the turn signals. I am not sure if the relay is built in to the cluster or if it is external (for some vehicles, the turn signal relay is external to the cluster). Do your turn signals on the cluster work O.K.? Do they have any affect to the radio? Just a few other suggestions. See what you can come up with.

P.S. Where you located?

 

[MadMaxx61]

If you have steering wheel controls it could be a short in them too.

 

[johnm]

No, on the steering wheel controls. And as far as I've been able to tell, NOTHING else is affected. Which points me to the radio - but I don't want to replace the radio without knowing I've exausted all other options.

 

[johnm]

I can say without a doubt that the buzzing sound is coming from the radio. I had it in my hands with my ear to it when it happened (several times in a row) and it is absolutly coming from the radio. Now the question is ... is the radio bad or is the wiring going to the radio bad? Does anyone know how to remove the radio on a 2002 without locking it up?

BTW: I updated my personal info.

 

[johnm]

Update - the buzzing sound is the radio going throught the CD eject cycle (even though there isn't a CD to eject). I've tested each wire to the radio and I can't find one that's causing problems. But I'm still not convinced that the radio is the problem and not the wiring. Any thoughts?

 

[BombDocDiesel]

It's the radio. It's shorted internally causing the resetting issue. The eject button or mechanism can cause your ejecting issue which is why it keeps trying to eject a CD that isn't there. The resetting combined with that leads me to believe the radio is shot. You can get a factory replacement pretty cheap on-line.