97 Q45 Bose Stereo Volume Control Problems

[srwood1]

The volume control on my factory Bose Stereo unit has slowly over time quit doing it's job. Most of the time it does not change the volume at all, unless I push or pull on it while turning - and even then it is hard to get the desired results. Sometimes when decreasing the volume, it will go up instead - and visa-versa. I'm afraid I'm going to inadvertantly blow out my speakers one of these days.

I thought I might be able to pop off the volume knob and spray some rheostat cleaner, but the knob doesn't want to budge.

Any ideas? Does it have a conventional rheostat?

Thanks

[Q451990]

Does it have a conventional rheostat?

I'm not sure when they made the change-over to the "counter" style knob, but the newer radios use a knob that never stops in either direction. So you can turn it clockwise or counter clockwise and never reach a stop. If that's the case on your radio, then it's not a conventional rheostat - it's two switches that count the knob as it passes a point somehow... so the only signal it gets is either "up" or "down" signal just like pressing a button up or down.

So maybe you could clean those switches? Or look for a low-mileage ebay replacement...

Heath