2004 Elantra GT Kenwood Radio Mystery

Hi all,
I notice quite a few folks mentioning power on/off issues with
various Hyundai OE radios. My daughter has been complaining lately
that the Kenwood radio in our ’04 GT has been turning itself off all
by itself and will not turn back on without having to reset it using
the internal reset button. This happens both at initial start-up of
the car as well as when just running around. Apparently this kind of
behavior is a known condition and I’m gathering that replacement is
the only real cure. My question is: how likely is it that the next
radio will be any better? The reason I ask is that I have installed
many, many aftermarket radios in my lifetime and I figure, if the dash
is going to be opened up, I might as well put a new (better) unit in.
They are so inexpensive for the function these days that they have
become pretty much throwaways.

Any comments or opinions?

 

| Hi all,
| I notice quite a few folks mentioning power on/off issues with
| various Hyundai OE radios. My daughter has been complaining
lately
| that the Kenwood radio in our ’04 GT has been turning itself
off all
| by itself and will not turn back on without having to reset it
using
| the internal reset button. This happens both at initial
start-up of
| the car as well as when just running around. Apparently this
kind of
| behavior is a known condition and I’m gathering that
replacement is
| the only real cure. My question is: how likely is it that the
next
| radio will be any better? The reason I ask is that I have
installed
| many, many aftermarket radios in my lifetime and I figure, if
the dash
| is going to be opened up, I might as well put a new (better)
unit in.
| They are so inexpensive for the function these days that they
have
| become pretty much throwaways.
|
| Any comments or opinions?
|

I brought this issue to the antique radio newsgroup since they're
hands-on electronics folks. We batted it around a bit. My
suspicion is that the problem is caused by that nasty little
new-fangled volume control -- the type that's so
automatically-electronic that its last position is stored in
computer memory -- it is not a traditional mechanical control. It
has no "full down" stop, but rotates continuously. All of its
control is performed by reference to the last stored position,
not the control's actual physical position (got that?). I mean,
like, who needs this? It's user-hostile design.

The part is being made by some supplier, and being sold to
various companies. I think that the failure is caused by a tiny
unsecured part inside the control, which has a conventional
"on/off" feel, but in fact, isn't a mechanical switch. Hitting a
bump causes that part to make brief contact, which turns the
radio on. Note that in every case when the radio has misbehaved
in two Hyundais, the failure mode has been that hitting a bump
turns the radio on. When the radio is on, the opposite doesn't
happen: the radio stays on.

Does anyone know of a brand other than Hyundai in which this
happens?

Richard

 

Richard,
Thanks for the input. I would suspect you’re right although, in my
particular case, I don’t know that I can tie the event to a bump in
the road (so to speak) or some other shock/vibration event.

You’re right about the "user-hostile" design with respect to these
new logic-controlled power switches and other controls. I have seen
power anomalies cause these things to do all sorts of weird things on
other types of equipment besides car stereos.

Bill B.

 

I haven't seen this issue with the Kenwood. While the Kenwood isn't the
most user-friendly radio, it does seem to be more reliable than the other
Hyundai radios. It probably won't happen again if you take it to the
dealer to be fixed. If they agree there's a problem, they'll replace it
with a reman.