Stereo issues
If I have CD in the radio and switch from CD mode to FM, it will sporadically spit out the
CD and then turn off. I turn the radio back on and it works fine for a moment but if I
attempt to switch the radio station using a programmed channel, the radio will shut off. Its
an intermittent issue.
Toyota Standard Radio CD Player Intermittent control problem Symptoms: Player erratically turns off when CD is playing Sometimes ejects the CD and turns off Display goes blank or displays rectangles, or otherwise rendered unreadable When buttons are pressed, player turns off and/or radio turns off Otherwise, CD player and radio are usable. Troubleshooting Tip: Player and radio are workable. Only the display and controls are not working properly, which isolates the problem to the connector shown in the picture. Root Cause: Bad connector design - pins get stuck in the connector and fail to maintain spring-type pressure on opposing receptacle. This is due to long-term warpage of the connector material from temperature and humidity changes which binds the pins. Solution: Dealers usually replace the radio/CD player under warranty DYIers can fix without replacing (if not under warranty) Fix on Toyota Corolla (2009-2013): 1. Remove the radio using instruction here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxZVOrA5Sxw Tip: only dismantle the top portion of the panel. You will have to loosen the lower left side panel strip to get access to the upper left side strip. Then remove left and right side strips, then the upper vent assembly, then the radio. 2. Remove the front radio panel by loosening the 4 side screws, and releasing locking tabs (picture 1 & 2). 3. Using a large pin or needle, bend the pins outward on the connector shown, about .05 to .1 inch (not too much, as you don't want the pins to bind on the receptacle, or worse, to bend out of shape and render the connector unusable). You should notice some of the pins binding in the connector; they should be bent far enough to release the stress (picture 3). 4. Reassemble the front panel to the radio assembly. 5. Plug in the radio assembly and test prior to assembling the screws and tabbed parts. There is no guarantee that this is a permanent fix. The pins could bind again over time as they did at first. The only permanent solution is to buy a different audio set. All these Toyota standard factory CD/radios have the same connector, and they all have a probability of eventually having this issue.
