What is wrong with my factory head unit?

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Oct 21, 2012

Biscuit

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2001 Civic LX Sedan

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What is wrong with my factory head unit?

2001 LX
About one minute after starting the car the lights in the head unit will dim out to no light and then come back on about two seconds later.
What causes that?
I noticed it after randomly holding the bottom three buttons in different sequences hoping I could get the AC compressor to turn off when the defrost is on.
Ignorance is bliss!!!

Oct 21, 2012

GolNat

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Re: What is wrong with my factory head unit?

Maybe a loose connection behind the headunit. I would pull it out and make sure the radio harness is tight. Your car lowered? Maybe loosened from stiff suspension ride.

Oct 21, 2012

ezone

If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one

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Re: What is wrong with my factory head unit?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Biscuit

2001 LX
About one minute after starting the car the lights in the head unit will dim out to no light and then come back on about two seconds later.

ok....

Quote:

What causes that?

Absolutely no idea WHY it would happen, maybe it has something to do with:

Quote:

I noticed it after randomly holding the bottom three buttons in different sequences hoping I could get the AC compressor to turn off when the defrost is on.
Ignorance is bliss!!!

Now why would you do this? The radio is separate from the HVAC. If there is some button dance, it should all be on the HVAC buttons. (I know there is for 8th and 9th gens, haven't heard about one for 7th.)

I would monitor the 2 powers and the ground at the harness on the back of the radio. If it doesn't lose any of those during an event, I'd assume the problem is inside the radio.

Disconnect power from it for a few minutes, as in a reboot. See if that helps. I'd probably try this first. Battery cables off and hold them together for a few minutes.

HTH

Oct 21, 2012

lowlife9

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Re: What is wrong with my factory head unit?

i wouldn't disconnect the battery unless you know the security code for the radio because then you won't even have a radio. and there is a procedure to turn the AC off during defrost but i can't remember what it was i turned mine off years ago.here i found the diy
https://www.civicforums.com/forums/1...ogramming.html

Last edited by lowlife9; Oct 21, 2012 at 12:08 PM.

Oct 21, 2012

ezone

If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one

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Re: What is wrong with my factory head unit?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowlife9

i wouldn't disconnect the battery unless you know the security code for the radio because then you won't even have a radio.

Then he can post in one of the ungodly long "HELP I NEED MY RADIO CODE" threads that gets ignored!

Quote:

and there is a procedure to turn the AC off during defrost but i can't remember what it was i turned mine off years ago.here i found the diy

This was one of the first things I did when I got my 12. I hate not having manual control over some things.

Oct 21, 2012

lowlife9

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Re: What is wrong with my factory head unit?

especially in the dead of winter trying to get the ice off your windshield and the freakin AC turns on im sitting there freezing my ***** off. *** the defogger thats why i bought defogger spray for my window. but i do turn it on evey once in awhile to keep the AC lubed up.

Last edited by lowlife9; Oct 21, 2012 at 07:30 PM.