Radio tuning button jumps channels

[nabril]

Hello all
My 2015 built-in radio's tuning button doesn't advance 1 by 1, but rather 2 or 4 or 3 or any random number. This happened before and I had the entire head unit replaced while under warranty. I don't have that luxury anymore.

What causes that? Wear inside the knob somewhere? Dust or dirt? Can I clean ot or do something to alleviate it? Sometimes I turn the knob 2 or 3 times and the channel won't change or it will change 1 channel only.

It's annoying, sure.

[VStar650CL]

There's a digital "gray code" encoder for those knobs and not a potentiometer like the old days. The encoders get dirty and start producing binary nonsense, which makes the setting jump around. To fix it you'll need some WD40, a drill, and a 2" piece of fuel line hose the right size to fit snugly on the shaft that's underneath the knob. Remove the knob (it just pops off), then spray some WD40 on the shaft and let it sit for a few minutes. Lock the fuel hose into the drill chuck and then use it to spin the encoder shaft at high speed forward and backward a few seconds at a time. Repeat until the junk in the encoder clears out and it works normally.

[nabril]

Thank you V

Fuel hose?

[VStar650CL]

Yep. The shafts are 1/4" so I'm pretty sure 7/32" hose is the right size. You need to be able to spin the shaft at high speed, a lot faster than you can do with fingers. Rubber hose locked in a drill chuck will let you do that.

[nabril]

V
How did you discover or learn of your ingenious solution?
Is it possible to secure/tighten the knob shaft in the drill's chuck? That sounds difficult perhaps, and I ask because I don't know if I have any hose. I'll have to look.

I just re-read your first reply and realized that I skipped over the whole sentence about the hose as I read it quickly. And that's why I asked about a hose. Ha.

[VStar650CL]

It's a bad idea to just lock up the shaft, it will either jump off or you'll strip or snap the shaft (it's aluminum with splines). Trust me on this, it's a huge problem with gen6 Altimas and I must've fixed a hundred of those by now. It happens less frequently on other models, but it can happen to any of them that use an encoder (which is just about everything from '07 up).

[nabril]

V
I removed the knob, and I don't see a shaft. I was expecting to see an old style metal shaft where the knob slides into it.
Or I misunderstood completely.

I attached pictures of what I saw, which is a hole, basically.

[VStar650CL]

That's the type that uses a ring instead of a shaft. Same principle but you need a piece of hose that fits snugly into the ring. With that type you can try just washing it out with contact cleaner since the guts are exposed, but if that doesn't help then it still needs to be lubed and spun.

[nabril]

thanks again V
So I am to spray that hole with contact cleaner, insert a hose snuggly into that hole, and spun quickly?
What does the spinning clean, the circumference of that hole, basically?

[VStar650CL]

No, generally the encoders are optical and it's the slot wheel inside that gets junk on it. if you've ever seen the inside of a computer mouse, you'll find something that works similarly inside that encoder. Spinning the wheel at high speed flings the junk off the wheel after the WD loosens it up.

[nabril]

Ok
Would spining a qtip doused in alcohol along the circumference of that hole applying a bit of outward pressure accomplish something similar?

[VStar650CL]

I doubt it. It isn't the mechanical part of the encoder that malfunctions, it's the opto wheels inside it.

[casperfun]

Ahhh, when life was simpler.

How dare they reinvent the tuning knob!

Actually mine are buttons now.

100% electric cars here they come. If you think the weekend mechanic is easy now, just wait what’s coming around the corner.

Enjoy your gas guzzlers while you can!

[VStar650CL]

Ahhh, when life was simpler.

How dare they reinvent the tuning knob!

Actually mine are buttons now.

100% electric cars here they come. If you think the weekend mechanic is easy now, just wait what’s coming around the corner.

Enjoy your gas guzzlers while you can!

I already have to fool with 400V DC on a pretty routine basis with Leafs (Leaves?? I can fix 'em but I still can't answer that).

I digress. That's equivalent in power to about 570V AC. It will literally turn you into roast meat in under 50 milliseconds, so don't do it in your driveway. If your neighbors don't hear the crackle and call a cleanup crew, the family pets might think you're tasty.