1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Volume Gone Wild (and then stops working)

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by HokieHybrid, Jun 1, 2008.

  1. alanh

    alanh Active Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2007
    1,175
    99
    0
    Location:
    Phoenix, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Depending on the model, the radio list price goes from $700-$1600 for the part; installation is extra. AFAIK, no one has torn down one to see what the issue is.
     
  2. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),Highlander HYB Plat,B52-D,G,F,H

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2009
    2,799
    1,170
    0
    Location:
    Auburdale FL
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    Well guess what. Mine decided to not work today and I pushed on the plastic trim as suggested and it works fine. This is a no brainer for Toyota. Why don't they fix these before they are installed?
     
  3. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2005
    6,278
    373
    0
    Location:
    Central Texas
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV

    Wow!..I've missed that one!..... I haven't heard of pushing the trim!
     
  4. farrellcsun

    farrellcsun Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2007
    24
    1
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    FOLLOW UP: Got my stereo replaced a couple days ago under warranty...so far so good. Not really expecting any problems with it again for a while at least!!
     
  5. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2005
    6,278
    373
    0
    Location:
    Central Texas
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    yes, my volume has stopped working twice since my last post... all I had to do was simply depress the volume button into the dash and press it again so it comes back out and all is well! " until it decides to do it again"
     
  6. SureValla

    SureValla Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2007
    590
    21
    15
    Location:
    Shelton, CT
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Had this problem today as well.

    2007 Touring w/ JBL

    Volume button didnt adjust the volume but no random fluctuations. Pressing in the button once with moderate force made it work again.
     
  7. FrankD

    FrankD Member

    Joined:
    Apr 21, 2009
    199
    40
    0
    Location:
    Leesburg Fl.
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    This volume knob thing just happened this week on my 2007 Pkg#3 Prius that I bought 2 months ago used from the toyota dealer.
    It is still under warranty.

    The week before I bought it, the dealer replaced the radio and some other component. He was not happy when I told him this problem.

    It goes back to the dealer in 1/2 hour. We'll see what they say.....

    Frank D.
     
  8. yups

    yups Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 18, 2006
    67
    2
    0
    Location:
    Tucson
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    II
    This is an issue fo my 2006. I have to push the vol knob in firmly and then it starts to work.
     
  9. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),Highlander HYB Plat,B52-D,G,F,H

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2009
    2,799
    1,170
    0
    Location:
    Auburdale FL
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    Did not try the moderate force.
     
  10. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),Highlander HYB Plat,B52-D,G,F,H

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2009
    2,799
    1,170
    0
    Location:
    Auburdale FL
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Limited
    Well mine decided not to turn off today or change channels. Once I shut the car down everything was reset! Time for a new radio.
     
  11. alexilic

    alexilic Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2007
    120
    18
    0
    Location:
    Wauconda, IL
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    My '07 Touring Pkg 3 started acting up a couple of weeks ago. Now, I have no controls on the radio at all anytime!! I still have full control with the steering wheel controls. I have over 50k and am out of factory warranty. I hope someone figures out a DIY fix!! Otherwise, I might go aftermarket when I have "extra" money LOL
     
  12. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2005
    6,278
    373
    0
    Location:
    Central Texas
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    It hasn't been a big enough issue to warrant too much trouble.... usually simply pressing in the volume button and pressing it one more time so it comes back out fixes it "till it acts up again"
     
  13. nikki&petey

    nikki&petey Junior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2009
    20
    2
    0
    Location:
    Utah
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    My 2007 touring is doing this as well. It is so agravating. I don't have any money for a new radio so I will be pissed if this thing totally breaks.
     
  14. mmichaell

    mmichaell Member

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2009
    241
    18
    0
    Location:
    chicago
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    If it is fluctuating yet pushing the button doesn't help, then it may be that the metal contacts need some cleaning of some sort.

    For this you can use something like DeoxIT, http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000RGD9PK/ref=oss_product, which helps clean metal contacts from corrosion, etc. I had this issue with an 8-year old (but still very good) Sony F828 digital camera I owned - the rotating flat knob that sets the settings kept on changing settings even without touching it, so it was useless for a few years. Last year however I did a quick spray with DeoxIT, moved the knob several times, and since then it's been perfect - aa quick spray fixed it all.

    So, not sure if you guys can easily take out the radio, or have access to under the radio knob, but this is worth trying out. A quick spray, then moving the knob right and left may be all it takes to fix it.
     
  15. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,122
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    The JBL stereo on mine did it for the 2nd time that I can ever remember. Previous time was many months ago and it accopmanied by the volume changing up/down by itself.

    This time, the volume knob didn't work at all but no random change. The steering wheel volume control buttons worked though. Pushing the knob in and back out didn't help. Power button still worked though.

    Eventually, it started working again. I'm way out of warranty and definitely wouldn't want to spend $1K on a new OEM head unit. I wonder if anyone will figure out the real cause or a cheap fix (like hobbit did for the 04-05 MFDs). Big problem is that it's so intermittent.
     
  16. blueumbrella

    blueumbrella Member of Prius Regeneration

    Joined:
    May 24, 2009
    294
    33
    0
    Location:
    Seattle
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I had the strange uninitiated radio volume change briefly during a very wet winter day. It lasted only a minute and never reoccurred. Better the volume increasing than the accelerator. Ghosts in the wires.
     
  17. josh2008

    josh2008 Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 2, 2008
    365
    144
    0
    Location:
    Princeton, WV
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    All of this is caused by a short in between the faceplate of the radio and the internal workings. Hard to describe with no pics handy. The fix is: radio replacement, this is becoming more common on customer cars, unsure why.
     
  18. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,122
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Thanks! It did it again a few more times today. :(

    Pushing on the left side of the faceplate where the volume knob is seemed to help "fix" it. I sure hope someone comes up w/a cheap way to fix it and that my steering wheel controls to work.
     
  19. dwfick

    dwfick Junior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2007
    1
    0
    0
    Same here (2007, JBL) - no button functionality on the faceplate, all 5 CD LEDs are orange, restarting changes nothing. Firm press on the left side fixed it. This seems like a simple electro-mechanical issue that would be easy to repair once the unit was out on a bench.
    -dwf

     
  20. Sarge

    Sarge Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2005
    1,298
    757
    1
    Location:
    Milton, Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius Prime
    Model:
    XSE Premium
    I seem to experience similar volume issues where the knob doesn't register at all on my 06 (or else just flips between two volume numbers). Someone mentioned a while back that pressing in the middle of the face of the radio with your palm (not too hard), seems to do the trick, and that works for me about 95% of the time.

    I agree with some above... no interest in spending hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on a headunit, and I am well out of warranty (166K KM)...