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Like the title says my radio lights would not go out in my stock radio in my 08 TL Type S. At first it really sucked because I kept going out and my car would be dead. I thought my battery may have been bad but it was good. Finally I gave in and did a draw test and found that the radio fuse was the one pulling amps with the key out.
Sure enough even with the key out the radio lights would stay on. So I started pulling the radio fuse everywhere I went. Pain in the neck. No one should know their radio security code by heart. I now do and will never be able to forget it. I did this fuse removal routine for a month or so while I researched what could be causing the problem.
The only thing I could find is that there is a module in the radio that controls the lights and tells them to turn off. Have no idea if this is true or not but here is what else I found and the point of this thread.
I found a place in Jersey called United Radio. Google them. from their website I asked them if they could fix my problem and they responded via e-mail and said yes. They sent me a prepaid package slip through UPS. About a month later I finally took the dash apart and took the radio out. I dropped the radio and the slip at the local UPS Store and the guy there charged me $18 for a box and some bubble wrap and I walked out. A less busy me could have probably saved about $5 and pre-boxed it before I got there. About a week later United Radio called me and said they could fix it and that it would be $250. I paid and a week later my radio came back very well packaged. Another week went by and I finally just installed it back in and everything works perfectly.
Through all of my research I never found anything that really came out and made it clear what might have been wrong and I certainly couldn't find a DIY on it. So I just wanted to let any of you out there that may be having this same problem that you can get it taken care of for under $300. If you are way more awesome than me then you may be able to fix it yourself. There may be way cheaper easier fixes than this but I did not find one.
Like the title says my radio lights would not go out in my stock radio in my 08 TL Type S. At first it really sucked because I kept going out and my car would be dead. I thought my battery may have been bad but it was good. Finally I gave in and did a draw test and found that the radio fuse was the one pulling amps with the key out.
Sure enough even with the key out the radio lights would stay on. So I started pulling the radio fuse everywhere I went. Pain in the neck. No one should know their radio security code by heart. I now do and will never be able to forget it. I did this fuse removal routine for a month or so while I researched what could be causing the problem.
The only thing I could find is that there is a module in the radio that controls the lights and tells them to turn off. Have no idea if this is true or not but here is what else I found and the point of this thread.
I found a place in Jersey called United Radio. Google them. from their website I asked them if they could fix my problem and they responded via e-mail and said yes. They sent me a prepaid package slip through UPS. About a month later I finally took the dash apart and took the radio out. I dropped the radio and the slip at the local UPS Store and the guy there charged me $18 for a box and some bubble wrap and I walked out. A less busy me could have probably saved about $5 and pre-boxed it before I got there. About a week later United Radio called me and said they could fix it and that it would be $250. I paid and a week later my radio came back very well packaged. Another week went by and I finally just installed it back in and everything works perfectly.
Through all of my research I never found anything that really came out and made it clear what might have been wrong and I certainly couldn't find a DIY on it. So I just wanted to let any of you out there that may be having this same problem that you can get it taken care of for under $300. If you are way more awesome than me then you may be able to fix it yourself. There may be way cheaper easier fixes than this but I did not find one.
Hope this helps the community.
anybody got back to you about this subject got my 2007 type s with the same problem.
1. Radio buttons are lit by couple filament bulbs. I expect them all to be around 1w, so if radio has separate unit I would look for mosfet-looking part. It might be shorted, or something around it is broken.
Mosfet for control of blue lights around knobs are in front panel with buttons, so I don't know if this "module" is there too, or somewhere inside the radio.
It's a long shot tho. Just a theory.
2. Radio has three wires to control the light. One is always 12v, other ground (only when light on), third is "variable ground". Basically voltage between third and always 12v changes as you change back light brightness. Weird.
I put LEDs in my dash, replacing those in radio too. Radio control unit was giving me problems (flicker) , so I cut those three wires and wired them directly to the panel. Negative side - blue light around knobs is always at full, always on when radio is on. Radio has additional wire with connector sticking behind it.
1. Radio buttons are lit by couple filament bulbs. I expect them all to be around 1w, so if radio has separate unit I would look for mosfet-looking part. It might be shorted, or something around it is broken.
Mosfet for control of blue lights around knobs are in front panel with buttons, so I don't know if this "module" is there too, or somewhere inside the radio.
It's a long shot tho. Just a theory.
2. Radio has three wires to control the light. One is always 12v, other ground (only when light on), third is "variable ground". Basically voltage between third and always 12v changes as you change back light brightness. Weird.
I put LEDs in my dash, replacing those in radio too. Radio control unit was giving me problems (flicker) , so I cut those three wires and wired them directly to the panel. Negative side - blue light around knobs is always at full, always on when radio is on. Radio has additional wire with connector sticking behind it.
You're actualy giving me somethine to work with. I just notice yesterday doing testing with the fuse that my knobs (volume/tune) were ok. They close and blink when i lock/unlock doors. So there is something wrong just with the other lights. What's your opinion. And before i forget. Thank you for your help.
Now service manual (for 2007-2008, should be the same for all 3rd gen)
You are interested in connector a, wires A19 and A9.
Disconnect it and check if wires are powered all the time. Just to make sure radio is messed up. Not something else.
Then if it's radio, open it up and track where power goes from those wires . You will be able to test simple components. If it's some kind of micro controller, without an number, then you will need to bypass it.
Hopefully radio board doesn't have multiple layers.
Also you you pull radio fuse out, will light stay on?
Dash lights have separate fuse from radio.
Now service manual (for 2007-2008, should be the same for all 3rd gen)
You are interested in connector a, wires A19 and A9.
Disconnect it and check if wires are powered all the time. Just to make sure radio is messed up. Not something else.
Then if it's radio, open it up and track where power goes from those wires . You will be able to test simple components. If it's some kind of micro controller, without an number, then you will need to bypass it.
Hopefully radio board doesn't have multiple layers.
Also you you pull radio fuse out, will light stay on?
Dash lights have separate fuse from radio.
exact fuse #5 took it out and no light on the radio. So everything ok with the fuse
Normally under hood fuse #4 is for all interior lights, taillights, and side markers.
I guess we can be sure that something inside the radio is a problem.
Can somebody check how blue light around knobs on the radio works? Are they lit up all the time when radio is working or only when outside lights are on?
I guess something happened with this circuit, and then it back feeds to rest of the bulbs
01-18-2016, 07:33 PM
