J30 damsel in distress

[carlos_knology]

A J30 owner has been exchanging emails with me (through my J30 web site) regarding some issues with her car. The car is either a 93 or 95 but I don't remember the exact year.

Most of her issues are the usual things with the exception of what I'm about to ask you guys about.

She claims that the stereo in her car will just go dead. The power button won't turn it back on. However, her mechanic fixed it by disconnecting and reconnecting the battery.

I know that on the Q45, some people fix some weird gremlins (cd changer comes to mind) by disconnecting the battery but this girl's issue sounds very strange b/c the stereo does not even come on.

Anyway, have any of you heard of something like this? I can't imagine that disconnecting the battery should be the permanent solution to any car issue. There has to be some other problem. The Bose head unit may need to be repaired but I'm not sure. I wanted to run it by you guys to see if this exact problem has happened to any other J30 owners.

I will send her a link to this thread so hopefully she'll come visit us.

Carlos

[Q451990]

From CarStereoHelp.com:

"AM/FM/CASS/CD COMBO, many related problems found with these stereos. Dead, on with no sound, intermittently has sound, will not turn on, then it will turn on and work fine (for a short while, sometimes longer), no tape or ejects on it's own, CD display reads "Err" or "HHH", no or intermittent display or a combination of these listed problems. Repair estimate includes parts and maintenance of all known problems,

Sounds normal! Disconnecting and reconnecting the battery is probably a temporary fix or may even be unrelated to the problem.

Heath

[VimyJ]

I have heard of this type of problem in earlier Js being due to a shortish power connection wire. Not enough slack to handle vibration and the soldering starts to disconnect. The later Js don't seem to have this problem as this issue was addressed. Relatively easy fix from what I remember. Something to check if nothing else.

[j30t]

i had some problems like these before i replaced mine and the only way to get it to work was to turn the headlights on and then the stereo would power up and play the cds. Later it quit working like that also so i replaced it.

[J-Owner]

Tell her to take it out and send it to Bob at Factory Car stereo in Longwood Florida. She can get on their website and read up on them.

I sent mine in because the LED readout quit and mine would go dead as well. Bob was extremely professional and completey fixed the problem as well as did preventative maintenace for just under $200 plus shipping. Took only a week and a half to fix.

I would recommend Bob's expertise to anyone needing their head unit fixed. I was very impressed with his service. He can fix her up.

Hope that helps.

[vivian]

Hi, all, I'am vivian. Thank you for all your replies regarding my audio system. After I did not drive my car for two or three days, the whole audio system got no power, like dead.........

I followed the instructions on http://carstereohelp.com/infiniti.htm and removed the audio system. Then I found that the problem was the audio system power supply connector, a small black round connector.

After I took it out and plugged it in again, the whole system works fine again. I don't know why. It was not disconnected. What's wrong possibly be with the power supply, loose or low voltage? And I am not sure how long it is gonna last....

The dealer asked over $300 to fix it. But I don' t think it's worth that much.......

What do you guys think?:help

Thanks a lot.

[J-Owner]

I would not pay the dealer. Bob at Factory Car Stereo will do all preventative maintenance for alittle over $200. I don't know if it is a wiring problem or not. If it is wiring maybe a stereo shop could tell you.

If you have to actually fix the bose head unit I would send it to Bob. He is great. Replacing the whole stereo system is too costly and I think that is what you would have to do if you change head units becuase the bose speakers are only compatible with the Bose (Clarion) head unit that is stock.

[j30t]

you can get a wiring harness and just change the head unit and keep the bose speakers....but if you really want better sound get rid of the bose all together...for about 700 bucks you can replace the whole system with a much much better one.