Radio Glitch - Getting Worse- Repair Or Replace?

[90LS400Lexus]

Even though I am selling my LS, I would like to repair/replace the radio for my use until I sell the car, as well as "better" the chance of me selling it. As you all may know, for some reason, my radio will no longer work unless the radio is "warm/hot" internally. The cars interior has to be at least 80 degrees for about 2 hours before it will finally come on. Here lately, in the early afternoons when it is not sunny, I will crank the heater on high from the vents and direct the air toward the radio to heat it up faster. Yes, its stupid- not to mention annoying - I know.... <_< It is warm outside, but no hout enough in the car to start the radio, so I have to put the windows down while the heater blares.

I have no idea what the problem is, but it has went from working perfectly to this. It progressively got worse. Do you think this radio could be repaired, or would I be better off replacing it with another LS400 radio? I have found a radio from a 94 LS400- that looks identical, but will it work on a 90 LS400? Should I go with an aftermarket unit and if so- what would be the best radio for this car, without having to tamper with the original wiring connection? Driving without a radio is driving me crazy. That radio is what I used to drown out the suspension clunks and interior rattles/pops.

Thanks in advance.

[ec437]

fix that suspension if you don't want the clunks! :P

[SRK]

I think the later radios are different - the 93 and 94. 90-92 may be the same.

My radio does much the same thing, related to wet weather. If it rains, it loses almost all volume. Everything works, just no sound output. When the sun comes out, and the car dries up, the radio and everything in it works fine again.

I sent it to Bob at Factory Car Stereo Repair. Being Florida, it worked perfectly on his test bench for three weeks without interruption. No fault found. To Bob's credit, and my permanent admiration for his business, he sent the unit back to me (west coast of Canada) at no charge. Very impressive.

Now that winter is closing in, the radio is sporadic. So much for the much lauded "Nakamichi". No aftermarket Pioneer has ever done this to me.

I am considering an aftermarket adaptor, and using a DIN or DIN and a half Pioneer unit, if such an adaptor also includes a harness adaptor.

I haven't checked on the price of a Lexus exchange unit, which I would put in myself quite easily, but I think the cost would require a couple of nitro pills to swallowed first.....

[ec437]

I think the later radios are different - the 93 and 94.  90-92 may be the same.

My radio does much the same thing, related to wet weather.  If it rains, it loses almost all volume.  Everything works, just no sound output.  When the sun comes out, and the car dries up, the radio and everything in it works fine again.

I sent it to Bob at Factory Car Stereo Repair.  Being Florida, it worked perfectly on his test bench for three weeks without interruption.  No fault found.  To Bob's credit, and my permanent admiration for his business, he sent the unit back to me (west coast of Canada) at no charge.  Very impressive. 

Now that winter is closing in, the radio is sporadic.  So much for the much lauded "Nakamichi".  No aftermarket Pioneer has ever done this to me.

I am considering an aftermarket adaptor, and using a DIN or DIN and a half Pioneer unit, if such an adaptor also includes a harness adaptor.

I haven't checked on the price of a Lexus exchange unit, which I would put in myself quite easily, but I think the cost would require a couple of nitro pills to swallowed first.....

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I would think that the problem with your radio would be located elsewhere in the car?

[92Lex]

I've seen Pioneer units go for 99 bucks on ebay.

[CUMan]

I have no idea whether this may be a factor in the radio problems folks are having, but I will comment on a past experience I had involving radio problems.

In the late 1980's, I started having intermittant problems with the radio in a 1986 Honda Accord. As others have stated in this thread, the problem seemed to occur during wet weather or during periods of high humidity. The radio would cut out completely but would work again later.

The radio quit working completely during a trip I made from Alabama to Texas. While driving through Louisiana during a period of heavy rainfall, the radio stopped completely. It did not work the rest of the trip and was still dead when I got back home.

I took the car to a person who specialized in repairing Honda radios. He removed the unit and said he would call me when he had diagnosed the problem. A couple of days later, he called and said that the radio had been damaged by water - more precisely, water dripping onto the radio outer cabinet from the air conditioning duct located directly above the radio. The outer cabinet of the radio had vent holes, presumably to help with cooling. These holes allowed the water to drip from the ducts into the interior of the radio. The water eventually damaged some circuitry inside the unit.

He replaced the damaged components, taped over the cooling vents in the top of the radio cabinet, and reinstalled the radio. I never again had any problems with that radio.

It appears to me that the radio in my 93 LS 400 is located directly below the air conditioning ductwork. It would seem conceivable to me that condensation could form on this ductwork during periods of rainfall or heavy humidity. If the radio does not have a solid surface on its top (I don't know since I have never had a reason to remove my radio), this moisture could possibly drip into the radio.

I am not saying that this is the cause of the problem that some folks are now having. I am just tossing it out as a possibility.

[90LS400Lexus]

Thanks for the reply. It is a possibility, but it seems to be temperature related. It makes no difference what the humidity is, but rather the temperature inside the car. It seems like the internal parts of the radio needs to be at least 80 degrees before it will work. Winter is approaching and I am afraid it will never work again. Probably not even when it warms back into the 90s, because it seems like it is requiring it to be warmer and warmer before it will work. By then, it will probably be history. I doubt I will keep it that long. If it does not sell soon, I am going to just trade it in. I just wanted to know if it was something simple. I may replace so I will have a radio until I do sell. Thanks again.

[UCF3]

It sounds like a connection is poor. Does your radio light-up while the temp is cold?

[90LS400Lexus]

Thanks UCF. I sold the car today, so it really does not matter now, but I was thinking since it was because of the temperature, that it would not be the connnections. I was thinking perhaps it was a cracked circuit board, but I guess it is possible that it was a connection at a plug. Perhaps it was loose and the temperature change helped it make the connection? I have no idea. I suggested to the new owner to install another unit, with a CD player. Thanks again for the replies.

It sounds like a connection is poor.  Does your radio light-up while the temp is cold?

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