W124 Radio problem?
 

Hi,

I have a 92 300e that has the stock radio. Each time I turn the radio on, the volume goes to the maximum level and it does not remember the previous level setting. Also, once I select the presets, it goes to that radio station but then after a while the display changes the frequency numbers but the preset station remains.

I changed the radio with another stock radio and the exact same thing happens. I noticed that the presets were the same as my previous radio. Are the presets and volume level stored somewhere outside of the actual unit?

I truly appreciate your guidance. Thanks.

Best Regards,
Louis

Is this the radio with 10 or so presets? There is a steel box in the left rear of the car ( at least on a R129 SL of the same era ) that is the other half of the radio.

Radios have 2 power feeds , one that never turns off to keep the memory going and the other switched power so the radio shuts off when you turn the key off. You might have lost the constant power.

Also, does this radio lose presets after you crank the car but not if you just cycle the key? If so, check battery voltage while cranking. I've had batteries with a bridged cell cause too much of a voltage drop and wipe the radio memory. Rather than a 12 V battery you end up with a 10 V battery that cranks reasonably strong and nearly as long as a good battery as opposed to a discharged / worn out battery with limited capacity.

The radio is a Becker Grand Prix 1432 Model with 6 FM & 4 AM presets.

The radio does keep the preset stations after shutting the car off. It does not keep the volume level or the preset # at the time the radio was shut off.

Also, when you turn the radio on, it immediately goes to high volume and 87.7 as the station. The presets must be stored somewhere other than the radio unit since it remembered all the preset stations from the previous radio I removed.

Is there another unit that supports the radio? Thanks.

The second main part of the radio is located on the upper right side in the trunk behind the carpet panel. A bolt in the bottom with a 10mm head holds it in the bracket. Remove the bolt and the module will slide out. These units have a lot of small electrolytic capacitors that leak and cause all sorts of problems.

Do you have the CD player and if so is it the Alpine unit that has the interface module (MX3192, 002 820 3289) screwed to the bottom of it? Bad solder connections on the DIN buss connectors inside the module can cause radio problems as well. I've got 2 interface modules and both bad cracked connections on most of the pins where they mount to a small circuit board.

ipozzo, I think the Becker Repair facility is right there in NJ. You might want to stop in and say: Hey......
Anziani
'97 CL600
58K