Stereo shuts off when rear center console is down! Help!

[Brettspencer9]

Okay so I have no idea what's going on. I recently purchased a 2006 Infiniti m35 and I love it. No problems at all until recently. I got into my car and I was driving listening to the radio while I had people in the back seat. When they put the rear center console down my stereo shut off. The only thing that stops working is the sound and the source isn't able to change. This has never happened before as I was sure to test it out and it worked great before today. So confused, very frustrating, please help me.

[wingFeather]

Does your rear console (arm rest?) have controls for the stereo? Perhaps one of the wires is getting crimped and turning off the system.

[The00Dustin]

There is probably a headphone icon on the screen, use the remote to turn off headphone mode and the car audio will kick in. Alternatively, change the screen to a movie with the remote, then switch to the radio up front, this should turn the radio on while the headphones play the movie's audio.

[Brettspencer9]

There doesn't seem to be any crimped wires. I tried doing what you said Dustin, and the headphone icon was never on. I forgot to mention that when the stereo doesn't work when the arm rest is down the source of the stereo can't be changed either

[The00Dustin]

That sounds odd. Are you trying to change the source from the back? If so, is the rear cont button in the front on cancel? That would prevent the back from changing certain things. Also, were you looking at the front screen for the headphone iccon? That's where it'd be.

[Brettspencer9]

Trying to change the source from the front and the back do nothing. The button is not on cancel and there is no headphone icon on either screen. I'm just as stumped as you are

[wingFeather]

Oh, rear LCD screen. For some reason I thought you meant rear center console (armrest).

[Brettspencer9]

yeah its when i put down the year center console the stereo shuts off

[The00Dustin]

Oh, ok, that's really weird. For some reason, I originally misread your title and post to think the rear screen being down had something to do with it, so all of my advice has been bogus. Does the audio cut in and out or crackle as the armrest is moved up or down? Definitely sounds like an electrical problem, but I can't be of much help. If there is a diagram in the FSM that points to a connector you could potentially disconnect the rear console to see if that solves the problem, then if you look againg and still can't find crimped wires, presumably they are inside of it or a board inside of it is bad or something.

[Brettspencer9]

Yeah, its like when the rear armrest goes down it turns on or something and shuts down the stereo. Extremely frustrating

[Brettspencer9]

Just an update on the situation that I had. Couldnt figure it out so i took her to the stealership, after two hours of "looking" they decided that it was my a/v control unit, which happens to cost $3500! And also there had been a wire not responding in the rear console, which they thought could have a split in it. Decided it would be best for me to look for the wire and after about 20 minutes of searching i found a nice little split on the wire. Spliced it back together and its good as new. Called a Coax Wire, color green and had two harness' on each side.

Just goes to show you how theyll rob you blind in an instant. Saved myself at least $5500 which they wanted to charge me including labour. HA

[jonlex99]

Good for you....

[wingFeather]

Just goes to show you how theyll rob you blind in an instant.

Yep! I think stealerships make more profit off repairs than new car sales.

Glad you resolved the issue - and at an affordable rate

[eduenas88]

Okay so I have no idea what's going on. I recently purchased a 2006 Infiniti m35 and I love it. No problems at all until recently. I got into my car and I was driving listening to the radio while I had people in the back seat. When they put the rear center console down my stereo shut off. The only thing that stops working is the sound and the source isn't able to change. This has never happened before as I was sure to test it out and it worked great before today. So confused, very frustrating, please help me.

I am so glad to have found this post! I have been struggling with the same exact problem for about a year and have looked endlessly for a solution with no luck. Brettspencer9, could you please provide some details about the steps you took to reach that Coax Wire? Your feedback will be greatly appreciated!

[ksfireguy]

eduenas88 Did you get yours fixed? I just ha this problem start and it sounds like the same problem! Please let me know what steps and where you found the split wire. Thank you!