"Audio Off" error: Continued.

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Joined
Nov 26, 2020
Threads
8
Messages
32
Location
Marin County, CA
So I have seen a number of threads that address similar issues to mine, but not finding anything clear or actionable. The issue is the radio, bluetooth, and cd player stopped working. The touch screen display seems to work fine in all other modes (map, settings, climate, etc) but when I press the audio button I get this error message and nothing on the screen is clickable. I have checked all three fuses (in all three fuse boxes) and they test as intact on my multimeter. Notably, there has been a lot of rain here in my area this past week. And when I removed the place in the passenger seat footwell which covers that area containing the passenger side fusebox, the foam lining was a little damp, but *I have cleaned the roof drain lines and they were not blocked* so I don't think that should be an issue. Anyone have ideas?See images for diagnostic screens.

I have checked the pin bundles under by the drivers left ankle, no corrosion.

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I don't have anything to offer, I just wanted to mention that it's uncanny that you and I have the same Yaesu 2M radio, mounted in exactly the same place.
 
NIce1. I mounted it there with double-sided gorilla gel tape. The radio is underneath the driver seat in a void next to ( hardware) that fits it perfectly. Great radio.
 
Dampness on passenger side could be windshield cowl instead of sunroof drains. But you’d probably still see corrosion in the harness connectors if it had been going on long enough.
 
And when I removed the place in the passenger seat footwell which covers that area containing the passenger side fusebox, the foam lining was a little damp, but *I have cleaned the roof drain lines and they were not blocked* so I don't think that should be an issue. Anyone have ideas?See images for diagnostic screens.

I have checked the pin bundles under by the drivers left ankle, no corrosion.
I just chased out a related gremlin. If you’re finding moisture at all, you need to find out where it’s coming in, stop it, and take all those connectors apart and clean them, especially the ones that show even the slightest amount of corrosion.

I have a new cowl on order because when I took mine off, the seals and foam strips were not in great shape. My sunroof drains were not bad at all, even though the drivers side drained more slowly until I cleaned it out. I could find no dampness or evidence of moisture aside from very slight discoloration and corrosion in those connectors. That and my over-four-year-old battery with corrosion on top were the only issues I found.

Long story short, I believe my issue was at least partially corrosion-related in those connectors. I cleaned them out with Deoxit, let them dry, reconnected them, cleaned my battery terminals, and replaced the battery. I can’t make it recreate the problem now.

Here’s a pic. Check my thread for more info if you’d like.
IMG_5915.jpeg
 
I just chased out a related gremlin. If you’re finding moisture at all, you need to find out where it’s coming in, stop it, and take all those connectors apart and clean them, especially the ones that show even the slightest amount of corrosion.

I have a new cowl on order because when I took mine off, the seals and foam strips were not in great shape. My sunroof drains were not bad at all, even though the drivers side drained more slowly until I cleaned it out. I could find no dampness or evidence of moisture aside from very slight discoloration and corrosion in those connectors. That and my over-four-year-old battery with corrosion on top were the only issues I found.

Long story short, I believe my issue was at least partially corrosion-related in those connectors. I cleaned them out with Deoxit, let them dry, reconnected them, cleaned my battery terminals, and replaced the battery. I can’t make it recreate the problem now.

Here’s a pic. Check my thread for more info if you’d like.
View attachment 3788606
THank you. Are those on the driver (left) side? I opened all three and saw zero corrosion.
 
THank you. Are those on the driver (left) side? I opened all three and saw zero corrosion.
This pic is of the bottom connector on the driver’s side. There are 3 on the passenger side as well. The top one is tucked farther up under the dash. There are loads of other connectors in those kick panels as well. It’s worth examining all of them, especially if you know that water is getting in.

If you found moisture on the passenger side floor, it could be from the cabin air intake under the cowl panel. Those can leak into the cab from behind the cabin air filter.
 
This pic is of the bottom connector on the driver’s side. There are 3 on the passenger side as well. The top one is tucked farther up under the dash. There are loads of other connectors in those kick panels as well. It’s worth examining all of them, especially if you know that water is getting in.

If you found moisture on the passenger side floor, it could be from the cabin air intake under the cowl panel. Those can leak into the cab from behind the cabin air filter.
Thank you very much. I bought some electrical contact spray cleaner and cleaned out all six of those major connectors. A couple of the smaller ones. I also went through. Still no joy though. Gonna have to keep chasing this.
 
Update. It's raining and now It;s clear that water is getting into the footwell on the passenger side. Removing the cabin air filter, it's damp and there is water inside the filter housing. Not sure where it leaks out from there, or how it's getting in there But it is, and I suspect it's causing corrosion somewhere.
 
Update. It's raining and now It;s clear that water is getting into the footwell on the passenger side. Removing the cabin air filter, it's damp and there is water inside the filter housing. Not sure where it leaks out from there, or how it's getting in there But it is, and I suspect it's causing corrosion somewhere.
Hey, finding it is good news! It’s probably your cowl panel. Unless your windshield was recently replaced, and they botched the install. I just replaced my cowl myself. I’m not sure if water was getting in there, but the weather stripping was super messed up when I inspected it. Part number below.

Here’s a quick removal/install guide in my thread. I consider it a 1-banana job (very easy).

Found a good price for this part from parts.ourismantoyotaofrichmond.com.
55708-60101​
Cowl Grille​
$517.48​
 
*UPDATE* I removed the Cowl and saw that there was a sub assembly, which covered the cabin air fan intake. It had broken off and was lying down below its mounting point. This probably let water go directly into the fan. I'm repairing this. But still have no idea why the audio isn't working.
 
Just wanted to add, since you have a picture showing the RSE is failed. There are multiple threads of the Audio system not working after the RSE (rear seat entertainment) fails. The usual fixes have been to either replace the RSE, have it repaired, or to bypass it. When it fails it breaks the MOST bus causing the "Audio Off" failure. To bypass you have to jumper the MOST bus around the RSE. The failure has been more common in the LX570 and probably the wiring isn't exactly the same. There are at least 3-4 threads on the topic. Might even check fuses and power for the RSE to verify your corrosion isn't keeping it from turning on.



This thread is a little different, but probably good to read through



Long thread...i didn't read through it all, but a user did mention he bypassed his RSE and it was working well afterwards.

 
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Hey man, I have been having the same issue. Have you figured it out by chance? My cruiser came with some terrible alibaba tesla radio (which I took out inmediatly lol) and after scowering the net, found the original jbl amp and the navigation screen with the multi disc cd player. Strangely my courtesy lights stopped working and when I go to check my diagnostics menu because I have no sound, I don't have either AMP or REAR. I only have "EMV-M" I will post some pictures to make it more clear.

Here are some pics of the before and after:

lc200 pantalla mierda.jpg


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diagnostico pantalla sin amp sin rear.jpg


pantalla MOST diagnostic sin amp sin rear.jpg


USB BOX DIAGNOSTIC.jpg
 
Not solved. But please let me know what to search for and where!
Did you figure out the issue? I have the same exact thing except all my connectors are clean. I had dampness on the carpet and audio off message. The diagnostic says RSE not connected. I’ve pulled the head unit out and checked all connections as well.
 
Did you figure out the issue? I have the same exact thing except all my connectors are clean. I had dampness on the carpet and audio off message. The diagnostic says RSE not connected. I’ve pulled the head unit out and checked all connections as well.
I have not. I just bought a replacement amp on ebay and plugged it in. Did not resolve the issue
 
I have not. I just bought a replacement amp on ebay and plugged it in. Did not resolve the issue
I sent my cd/ radio and amp to a car audio repair place. Hopefully they find something wrong with either one of them if not I’m really at a loss. I also have an Amazon green cruiser. I’ll keep you posted.
 
I sent my cd/ radio and amp to a car audio repair place. Hopefully they find something wrong with either one of them if not I’m really at a loss. I also have an Amazon green cruiser. I’ll keep you posted.
I have an amazon green cruiser too.
But I found this thread and it lines up with what chatgpt told me.



Screen 1: MOST Line Check

0: EMVN – OK: EMVN usually refers to the navigation ECU (Electronic Control Unit). “OK” means it’s communicating correctly.
  • 1: AUDIO – OK: Audio system ECU is responding normally.
  • 2: AMP – OK: The amplifier is communicating properly.
  • 3: RSE – NCON: RSE stands for Rear Seat Entertainment. “NCON” = Not Connected, meaning the system is not detecting a connected RSE unit. This may be normal if your vehicle doesn’t have a rear seat entertainment system or it could indicate a fault if it does.

Screen 2: System Check Mode


  • 0: EMVN – MOST (Red): Shows a fault or communication issue with the navigation ECU over the MOST bus.
  • 1: AUDIO – (Blank): No current status shown; this may just mean no issue reported at this moment.
  • 2: AMP – (Blank): Same as above.
  • 3: RSE – OK: Now showing “OK”, indicating the RSE responded on this check.
  • USB BOX – OK: USB input module is functioning and connected.
  • MIC / VTR (checkboxes): Options to test Microphone and Video Terminal Receiver input manually, unchecked here.
  • Memory CLR / Recheck: Buttons to clear stored fault codes or re-run the diagnostics.

Summary


There may be intermittent communication issues with the Navigation ECU (EMVN) or the RSE unit, depending on system presence and current state. If you’re troubleshooting audio or video issues, a consistent “NCON” or “MOST” error would warrant checking physical connectors, fiber optic cables, or possibly replacing modules.

Do you have a rear seat entertainment system installed?

yes I do


If you have no audio output at all and your 2011 Land Cruiser has the JBL Synthesis system with rear seat entertainment (RSE), and your diagnostic screens showed:




  • AMP: OK in MOST Line Check
  • RSE: NCON in one screen but OK in another
  • EMVN: MOST error in System Check Mode






Then here’s the likely cause and steps to address it:







Likely Problem







The MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transport) bus is a fiber optic loop. If any one device in that loop fails or disconnects, audio system-wide failure is common—including front audio.





The intermittent status of your RSE unit suggests it may be disrupting the MOST ring, even if other components show as OK. The EMVN (navigation) showing a MOST fault could also be contributing.







Steps to Troubleshoot






  1. Power cycle the system: Fully shut off the vehicle, open the driver’s door, wait several minutes, then restart. Occasionally, this resets fiber loop issues.
  2. Inspect RSE connections:
    • Pull the RSE unit (usually mounted in the headliner or center console) and check connectors, especially the fiber optic line.
    • Ensure no kink or break in the fiber.
  3. Bypass RSE unit: If you suspect it’s the fault point, a dealer or tech can use a MOST bypass loop connector (optical loopback) to isolate and confirm. You can also purchase one if you’re comfortable with interior disassembly.
  4. Inspect amplifier (under driver’s seat):
    • Even if it shows “OK,” a failed amp can cause total loss of audio.
    • Check for water intrusion or connector issues.
  5. Check for blown fuses:
    • Look for fuses labeled “AUDIO,” “AMP,” or “RSE” in both the cabin and engine bay fuse boxes.

If you’re not getting anywhere:


You can try removing power to the RSE unit entirely (disconnect it) and rechecking the system diagnostics to see if the MOST ring reports as intact. If audio returns after doing this, the RSE unit is likely the failure point.


To diagnose the audio issue in your 2011 Toyota Land Cruiser, you can use a MOST fiber optic loopback connector to bypass the suspected faulty module under the passenger seat. This device helps in identifying faults within the MOST (Media Oriented Systems Transport) network by allowing you to isolate and test individual components.

  1. Juerly MOST Fiber Optic Optical Loop Bypass Female & Male Adapter: This adapter includes both male and female connectors, making it versatile for various testing scenarios. It’s compatible with standard MOST systems and is available on Amazon for $8.99.


Using one of these loopback connectors, you can bypass the suspected faulty module under the passenger seat and determine if it’s the source of the audio issue.
 
Thanks for sharing. I’m still waiting to hear back about the radio and amp I sent out. If they can’t find anything wrong with it I will go this route. The audio repair guy asked me to unplug the rear dvd player to see if the audio comes back but that didn’t resolve it. I saw a similar thread related to what you sent but people just used wire to complete the loop but our plugs were different in the LC and I didn’t want to cut off the plugs just to test out if it worked or not. I’m going to keep this thread updated along with the thread I started.
 

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