No Audio/Navigation - Display Works Fine Otherwise - Found Wiring Corrosion (1 Viewer)

[encrypttie]

Hey everyone,

While I driving the display unit started acting strange and started showing stripes (see picture below), and then the map and audio stopped working. I now get a "Audio Off" message when I try to turn on Audio, and a "the external system is not connected" message when I go to map. The display works fine otherwise.

Symptoms summary:
- Screen turns on, other than Map/Destination and Audio other functionality works fine
- Switching to map/dest/menu shows "the external system is not connected" message (see picture below)
- Switching to Audio shows "Audio off" (see picture below)
- The lights on the buttons in the radio/stereo assembly do not turn on when I turn on even when other interior lights are on. (see picture below).
- I went to display diagnostic mode, NAVI, AUDIO and XM show "NCON", the rest of the options say OK (see picture below).
- I swapped my radio/stereo unit to a working one, but it still does not work.
- Fuses seem to be okay, the fuse terminals looked a bit brown, so I changed them, to no avail.

I checked the following fuses:
Engine bay:

• Fuse 51 (AMP): 30A - Looked completely fine
• Fuse 52 (RAD NO.1): 10A - Fuse was not blown, but the terminals looked a bit brown.

Driver side:

• Fuse 3 (ACC): 7.5A - Fuse was not blown, but the terminals looked a bit brown.
• Fuse 4 (PANEL): 10A - Fuse was not blown, but the terminals looked a bit brown.

Pictures:
While I was driving, this appeared, then Navigation and Audio stopped working.

"the external system is not connected" message when I go to map/dest/menu.

"Audio Off" when I go to Audio

Diagnostic Menu

I appreciate your help in advance!

 

[Sandroad]

Others have the same problem. Here’s one thread with one successful fix.

Audio goes into “Audio Off” mode after 2-3 hours of use

Hey all- I’m having an issue with the Audio on my 2008. This happened once last summer, and has happened the last two days of our road trip. If I drive for 2-3 hours, the radio (or aux or whatever we’re listening to) cuts out and the head unit shows “Audio Off” on the screen. Climate works...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[encrypttie]

Others have the same problem. Here’s one thread with one successful fix.

Audio goes into “Audio Off” mode after 2-3 hours of use

Hey all- I’m having an issue with the Audio on my 2008. This happened once last summer, and has happened the last two days of our road trip. If I drive for 2-3 hours, the radio (or aux or whatever we’re listening to) cuts out and the head unit shows “Audio Off” on the screen. Climate works...

forum.ih8mud.com

Thanks for the link, @Sandroad - I found that thread, but it wasn't of much help to my situation.

 

[Sandroad]

Thanks for the link, @Sandroad - I found that thread, but it wasn't of much help to my situation.

So did you clean out the amp for better cooling, clean all its connectors and replace all the fuses like @TimCFJ40 did for his fix? Those brownish fuses you mentioned may be an important clue, based on the info in the link.

 

[encrypttie]

So did you clean out the amp for better cooling, clean all its connectors and replace all the fuses like @TimCFJ40 did for his fix? Those brownish fuses you mentioned may be an important clue, based on the info in the link.

I have not cleaned the amp fan, but changed the fuses and cleaned the connectors. Based on the diagnosis screen the AMP is connected and working properly. It's only the NAVI, AUDIO, and XM that are not connected. :/

 

[encrypttie]

Ok I figured out what's going on.

I measured the voltage at Pin 1 of F1 connector for the radio unit and Pin 1 of F32 connector for the navigation ECU and noticed that the voltage was 0.2v. It's supposed to be between 11v-14v. I measured the voltage and resistance of other pins according to TIS and everything looked fine. That made me believe the problem was in the wiring, specifically the wire from Fuse 52 to the radio unit and the navigation ECU.

According to the wire diagrams, that wire goes thru 2 other connectors: EA2 and FE5 before going to F20 junction connector and then finally to the connectors for the respective units. See pictures below: Left side radio unit, right side is navigation ECU.

I opened connector EA2 and noticed that it's corroded to the point that the Pin 35 (which is the the 12v line to radio and navigation) has broken!

I opened the other two connectors below EA2 and realized that both of them have some corrosions. But the corrosions are not as bad as EA2.

Now I wonder why the corrosion has happened. The fact at it's pins at the bottom of the connectors makes me believe it's water damage, i.e. water accumulating at the bottom of the connectors, but I could be wrong. I checked other connectors in that area and none of them had signs of corrosion.

Questions that I have:
- How can I fix this? Is this something I should go to the dealership for? Or can I fix it myself (given that Pin 35 is broken)? or something in between?
- Does anyone have or know how I can find the part number for the male and female parts of connector EA2? Any ideas how I can remove it so I can inspect it? I looked at TIS but couldn't find anything.

I appreciate your help in advance.

 

[Sandroad]

My next guess was going to be water damage. In other cases, dealers have wanted to replace the entire harnesses at obscene costs. Most harnesses are very difficult to remove and require significant disassembly. You best bet may be pin repair and there are threads on here with that info.

However, you have to find and fix the leak first. Windshield? Cowl?

 

[encrypttie]

My next guess was going to be water damage. In other cases, dealers have wanted to replace the entire harnesses at obscene costs. Most harnesses are very difficult to remove and require significant disassembly. You best bet may be pin repair and there are threads on here with that info.

However, you have to find and fix the leak first. Windshield? Cowl?

Thanks, I'll search the forum for pin repair. The leak is from the rooftop drains being clogged.

Do you happen to know the part number for that connector?

 

[Sandroad]

I’m not sure the connectors are available as a separate part. @bloc has a part number request thread on here. He’ll need all details of the LC.

The official part number request thread

(Edit: PLEASE include model year, whether it’s a LC or LX, and if possible the build date listed on the VIN tag in the driver’s door jamb.) Hello all, I’m fortunate enough to have access to a system to look up part numbers, and figure having a single place to put all the obscure requests would...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[TimCFJ40]

Interesting finding @encrypttie
Last summer, after replacing the audio fuses (sorry don't remember which one) I have yet to see the symptoms return. I'll take a look here if I have the issue this summer for sure!