After sitting all day on an 80 degree day, my stereo seems to have lost power.

All presets lost, clock flashing, and I was prompted for my security code.

After entering the code, all is well now, but this seems really odd. Has this happened to anyone else? Sign of a battery on the way out?

 

Could be the battery. This usually seems to happen more when its cold and not so much when its hot. Did u check battery connections? possible a loose connection.

 

Maybe a blown fuse where the wire hasn't completely separated?

 

I checked the battery connections, they're factory tight. No fuses blown. I'll keep an eye on things for now.

 

did you check the battery itself?

 

The battery "eye" is displaying good, but I didn't put a voltmeter to it. Although it starts fine. My guess would be this is a battery issue, though.

 

Stereo lost power again today. (First really warm day, into the 80's)

Entered code, reprogrammed presets, and working fine. Very odd. If it's a once/year problem, I can live with it.

 

Sounds more like a possible overheating circuit.

 

First warm day this year, and the radio lost power again. I'll enter the code, and I should be good for another year. :-)

 

I dont understand people who jump right at the battery when the car clearly still starts fine.

If this issue was happening to me, Id start looking at your harness grounds if one exists separate for the radio

 

I figured out what's been happening every year. The interior gets detailed once/year when nice weather hits. (The snow stopped two weeks ago.)

I believe cleaner got into the radio and temporarily shorted something to cause the radio to lose its memory. It took 12 hours after the detail for this to happen. Next time qtips will be used around it.

 

do they wash the engine compartment or spray the battery with cleaner/oil/armorall?

I chuckled out loud when it was an every year post!

 

if it was a battery or underhood connection issue, he would have larger issues to deal with.

all the radio stuff is inside the car. If it was effecting battery, it would be effecting lights, starting, radiator fans, etc...

 

The car did get washed, but not underhood.

 

i don't see how cleaner would get in behind the radio deep enough. the connectors are buried all the way in for it to even get wet by anything.

did they powerwash your interior or something?

 

The stereo required me to enter the code again and clock was blinking. No detailing or washing was done recently, so that theory is now out the window.

I'm not looking for help, just documenting it if someone else has the issue. Thanks

 

I am betting this is a stereo harness issue. With nothing else affected it really has to be somewhere in the radio circuit.

 

Another update :-) Stereo is losing power (code/presets/clock) once/week now.

The MPG meter is impacted when this happens now. If it was at 38 average, it will drop to 20 when power is lost. Then rapidly climb over 40 within a few miles. The trip meter does have the correct mileage saved.

So, I'm pretty sure the entire dash is losing power. I load tested the battery again, it is fine.

 

"Intermittent power" is usually a connection issue - grounding, shorting, frayed wires, opens (about to), etc. and not a battery issue. Seems like it's isolated to the instrument/dash clusters. For starters, I'd do a visual on the harness, connectors, relay connections (if any), ground points, fuses, etc. under the dash. Reseat connectors. Ohm out fuse and connector links as needed. Then do the "wiggle" test with power on. Just my take.

 

Subie, good advice, thanks. I have a nice fluke in my toolbox just waiting for this kind of thing. :-)