Xm Satellite Radio Issue

[kg3000]

Hi, I am new to the board, I just got my 2008 GS 350 AWD a few months ago.

I have just had one problem with it, the satellite radio fades in and out then completely goes out. At first I thought it was a reception issue, but if I turn off the car and turn it back on the radio will come back on. Also I noticed whenever signal does go out it will say no signal, this does happen with my issue.

I took it in about 3 weeks ago to Meade Lexus of Southfield they took it apart and check all the components and said that everything looked fine. I thought maybe it was just a loose wire and when they put every thing back together they probably just fixed it, until this morning when it faded in and out again and then completely went out, I pulled over and restarted the car and the radio was back up again.

I was wondering if anyone has had a similar issue or any suggestions on a fix, I will probably take it back sometime this week, but I wouldn't mind some input.

Thanks,

KG

[steviej]

It happens to me too. It is not the radio, it is in fact loss of signal.

I know exactly where it will happen on the roads I travel because it always does. Oddly enough, it is the same places my cell phone has the poorest reception too. I also lose signal briefly when I go under a bridge.

steviej

[Duckman]

Happens to me as well...not only in my car, but on my XM Portable unit also. I know of a couple of other people that have the same issues with their portable units. I don't know if it is a complete loss of signal, because the name of the songs and the artists still change....so the visual information is making it down to the players....just not the audio.

Generally it happens if I change channels quickly....but that really doesn't make that much sense. It's a pain.....but it appears to be something on the XM side of things.

--Duckman

[kg3000]

When it does finally end up going out, there is no display either the name/title is blank, but i know for a fact when there is no signal it will actually say no signal on the upper bar (the bar that comes down when you change channels). I have had XM for a while in my old car and the portable unit, and I used to lose signal every once in a while, but it was never permanent, it would come back in a few seconds. With this probelm it will not come back unless I actually turn the car off and then turn it back on......either way I am goign to take it in again and maybe lexus can figure something out.....if anyone has similar problmes please let me know

-KG

[Duckman]

I did not include in my post that in all cases, the portable units and the car have to be turned completely off...in order to get audio back and working. Similar to what you are experiencing with your car.

--Duckman

[GS350Chris]

I had the exact same problem with my 2007 GS350. It is definitely related to repeatedly changing channels...I'm a channel surfer. My dealership (Lexus of Naperville outside of Chicago) replaced the SAT unit. It fixed the problem for 5 months. When the problem came back, they replaced all of the wiring between the unit and the radio (the unit is located in the trunk). This has reduced the frequency of the problem dramatically (once per two hours of driving down to once per 40 hours of driving). I decided to settle for that. Not sure if I would really consider this an 'XM' thing (meaning infrastructure). It may be an 'XM' thing regarding unit specs & design. However, none of my other cars with XM do it <shrug>, so I call it a Lexus thing from a purely customer perspective. Given they have been able to influence the problem be replacing things, I would say your dealership should be able to do the same ... even if the problem never 'completely' goes away. Good luck!

Hi, I am new to the board, I just got my 2008 GS 350 AWD a few months ago.

I have just had one problem with it, the satellite radio fades in and out then completely goes out. At first I thought it was a reception issue, but if I turn off the car and turn it back on the radio will come back on. Also I noticed whenever signal does go out it will say no signal, this does happen with my issue.

I took it in about 3 weeks ago to Meade Lexus of Southfield they took it apart and check all the components and said that everything looked fine. I thought maybe it was just a loose wire and when they put every thing back together they probably just fixed it, until this morning when it faded in and out again and then completely went out, I pulled over and restarted the car and the radio was back up again.

I was wondering if anyone has had a similar issue or any suggestions on a fix, I will probably take it back sometime this week, but I wouldn't mind some input.

Thanks,

KG

[trice]

When you lose your XM can switch to FM or Cd and still get sound?

[steviej]

When you lose your XM can switch to FM or Cd and still get sound?

absolutely. I do not lose FM signal anywhere where I lose the XM signal.

The CD sound never cuts out nor does my tape player.

steviej

[richromero]

I have an 08 GS 350 with a similar problem. It's happened about 6 times when I leave work from an underground garage with the radio on. I get no reception when I'm on the street or choppy signal. The "no signal" warning never comes on the screen. I have to turn the car on and off for the XM to work again. Of course the dealer has never heard of this and when I asked them about it, they said "gosh that would require a lot of work and we would have to dedicate one tech to your car for a day!". I had to laugh and told them I would wait for it to happen again and come back. It hasn't happened in months.

[Duckman]

I really don't think that it is something that Lexus is going to be able to fix...or diagnose. It's an XM issue. My portable unit is a Delphi MyFi XM Radio unit...and it has this exact same issue from time to time. I have to turn the unit off and turn it back on when it occurs.

You noticed that you do not receive a NO SIGNAL on the radio....and....the song titles and artist names will continue to update, even though you do not hear sound.

I agree it's a bummer, but I'm skeptical that Lexus can do anything to resolve it...

Here are other posts about this same issue from other forum sources:

Toyota Prius forum: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-a...ot-working.html

Cadillac forum: http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadil...-feel-like.html

--Duckman

[BenF12400]

I began having the same problem about a year ago in a 2008 RX350 with dealer installed Lexus XM - xxm sound begins to fade in and out, then sound lost, xm radio still shows signal (song and artists). Have to turn off engine to "reboot". Happens every few weeks now, I never bothered to check with dealer based on the responses on this site. Yesterday same thing happened, but I tried something and it worked; when I lost the sound, I repeatedly pressed the AM/SAT button rapidly about 20-30 times so it went through AM, SAT1, SAT2, SAT3 and for ssome resaon I got my reception back.

[richromero]

Hi Everyone,

Thought I would update everyone on my XM issue in case anyone else is having it. After 6 trips to the dealer and a complaint to Lexus and consulting a lemon law attorney (a friend), I think they fixed it.

The dealer insisted that there is no known issue regarding the sound going out with the reception still on. I finally got it to do it in front of them and they acknowledged the issue. The replaced my radio and not the XM transmitter. Two weeks later...same problem. They just replaced the XM transmitter and informed me that there is a known issue (Technical Bulletin) on the XM transmitter but that they never knew because they only found out when they called Lexus (after 5 visits?). So if you are having this issue, you have to fight and threaten until they respond. I also video taped the issue with my phone for proof as my next step was going to be to threaten to use the lemon law for action (I told this to the service writer). Keep in mind, I was taking this extreme measure since they refused to fix the issue as they claimed since they couldn't see it, it wasn't an issue.

[steviej]

If you had the TSB done, the number of the TSB should be listed on your service invoice.

Please post up that TSB number.

steviej

[richromero]

If you had the TSB done, the number of the TSB should be listed on your service invoice.

Please post up that TSB number.

steviej

There is an "LSB 0090-09" listed under the "correction" for the issue. The tech wrote "cause - internal short".