This has become a serious migraine for me. Service department and Master Techs can't figure this one out. I will copy and paste my log with my experiences. Please someone save my sanity.

2012 Fiat 500 Sport - Radio Issue/No sound from speakers "No Sound" Fault
-Sound will all of a sudden, cease. LCD face of radio will be responsive to buttons depression, But no sound will emit from speakers for any radio funcionality including AM/FM/CD/USB and Blue Me.


March 2012 - Since purchase 3/2012, "no sound" fault occurred so infrequently, I did not recognize a problem or yet see a pattern. I thought the radio station had gone out (dead air). I did not check other stations, as I would be waiting for the channel to regain functionality. I would be focusing on driving and the radio would come back on, usually within a few mins. (Mind you, my typical drive to work is 5 miles in each direction and not every weekday. I do not spend extended time in the car, so please excuse my lameness in not recognizing an issue/pattern right away.)


In Sept 2013, I finally correlated that it was my vehicle's radio and not the channel, when my sister called me to listen to something on the radio. I asked them how they were listening to the channel, when the station was experiencing "dead air". She said there was no dead air and I could hear her radio in the background.

(Oct 2013) Started hearing a "static" sound out of passenger door speaker before radio sound would cut out. I reported the incidents to Fiat service dept when I came in for regular oil service. Fiat could not duplicate the issue. Vehicle was functioning normal at the time of oil change. Therefore, they couldnt/wouldnt help me.

(Nov 2013) - "No Sound" fault became more frequent, but because this is a conspiracy or something, when I bring it in to show them, my radio starts functioning properly again! I notified Fiat and also needed some other warranty work (shift boot broke off, instrument cluster replacement)

11/20/2013 - Fault occurred.
-I emailed them video of fault occurring 11/22. Service dept needs to elevate to master tech exam, set up appt for Dec.

12/16/13 - Master tech examined vehicle. Told do not use radio delay feature. Enabling feature causes fault and radio needs to cycle 3 times to restart...
- fault occurs even though radio delay had not been enabled. I enabled it right before dropping it off at service to see if they'd mention that as an issue...sneaky tech...sneakier owner.

1/31/14 - Per service, internal radio fault causing impaired function.
- replaced radio.

2/5 - fault occurred again with new radio.
- Notified service dept 2/5 (Israel).

2/6 Service dept (chuck) needs to get in touch with Master Tech again.

Latest:
2/10 Fiat suggests my phone pairing is causing fault.
- Phone has not been paired since replacement.
- fault occurred when phone was paired and unpaired
2/10 Fiat suggests my cellphone software is the problem.
- I have had 3 different phones, all different software since purchase of the vehicle.
-My current phone is an iphone 5, running latest iOS (7.0.4)
- Fiat says this is not the issue then (2/10). Chuck needs to get back in touch with master tech to relay answers to suggested fault reasons.


any ideas?

May be obvious but have the speakers been checked for functionality ?

Do you have Interscope stereo upgrade option? Specs are different in the US but if so there is a separate amp in rear of car which could be faulty.

Is it just the radio? Does it still work if you switch to CD/USB?

If so, for $200, save yourself the drama and get a Kenwood KIV-901BT with Bluetooth off ebay. OEM radios are universally terrible or breathtakingly expensive.

Could also be a defective aerial.

They may well be correct in pointing at the phone. Although the phone that may have caused the issue may no longer be paired with the unit, if the Blue & Me module has been "damaged", unpairing the phone will not repair that "damage". Symptoms are similar to the mute function that the phone would trigger if you answered a call.

For diagnosis, the Blue & Me module needs to be disconnected, for as long as necessary to show the fault still there, or gone. If this turns out to be the case, they'll argue that it is not their fault. Hopefully the B & M unit can be reset to factory default. You could argue that it should not be possible for a phone to alter the B & M software.

(As a driving instructor, I have a secondary speedo that runs off the satellite signal. A feature of this is that it is supposed to be able to give my phone the positioning data to make the phone nav work more accurately. Pairing my phone caused the speedo to respond slowly and it would not recover after the phone was disconnected. I'm now on the fourth one, and will not pair the phone again.) Sadly, Bluetooth is not as clever as it should be.

PsFiat said:

May be obvious but have the speakers been checked for functionality ?

Click to expand...

Other than to fluctuate from -9/+9 on the fade and balance, to see if sound was coming out evenly, no. Everytime I've brought the car to the dealership, the radio has been functioning normally. Last time, I suggested the wires be inspected. They only replaced my head unit. I'm still awaiting a response from service/master techs.

Mercky said:

Do you have Interscope stereo upgrade option? Specs are different in the US but if so there is a separate amp in rear of car which could be faulty.

Click to expand...

Thanks, Not sure, but I'll check into this one.

UFI said:

Is it just the radio? Does it still work if you switch to CD/USB?

If so, for $200, save yourself the drama and get a Kenwood KIV-901BT with Bluetooth off ebay. OEM radios are universally terrible or breathtakingly expensive.

Could also be a defective aerial.

Click to expand...

no, it doesnt work when i switch to CD or USB either.

portland_bill said:

They may well be correct in pointing at the phone. Although the phone that may have caused the issue may no longer be paired with the unit, if the Blue & Me module has been "damaged", unpairing the phone will not repair that "damage". Symptoms are similar to the mute function that the phone would trigger if you answered a call.

For diagnosis, the Blue & Me module needs to be disconnected, for as long as necessary to show the fault still there, or gone. If this turns out to be the case, they'll argue that it is not their fault. Hopefully the B & M unit can be reset to factory default. You could argue that it should not be possible for a phone to alter the B & M software.

(As a driving instructor, I have a secondary speedo that runs off the satellite signal. A feature of this is that it is supposed to be able to give my phone the positioning data to make the phone nav work more accurately. Pairing my phone caused the speedo to respond slowly and it would not recover after the phone was disconnected. I'm now on the fourth one, and will not pair the phone again.) Sadly, Bluetooth is not as clever as it should be.

Click to expand...

I was told they did a factory reset on my BlueMe software. But it has since faulted. Sometimes, when i start my car and press the VR button shortly thereafter, the voice (please state a command) crackles in and out before I hear the static puff and lose all sound functionality. Sometimes there is no voice feedback at all when i push the VR button.

That's what makes me believe it is a wire problem/short. I gave serious thought to it being my phone... But I also feel that if my phone were the issue, wouldn't I at least hear the BlueMe prompts? Could incoming data cause the BlueMe systems to react as though a call is coming in and mute everything?

The faults do tend more towards a B&M fault. The B&M system will just send a mute signal to the radio when the phone is in use, so no sound output. Some of the early 500s had issues with the microphone, next to the interior lamp, crackle from here may be a problem.

My guess is that the radio is the victim here, not the cause. I still think that if the B&M unit is disconnected, it will enable you to run the car for a week or so and see if the problem persists, or has gone away. That will at least identify whether it is a radio unit or B&M fault.

Did you ever find a resolution to this? I've had the same problem for about three years... All buttons functioning correctly, just temperamental sound... One day it works... Then no sound for another month...

MissIzzard said:

Did you ever find a resolution to this? I've had the same problem for about three years... All buttons functioning correctly, just temperamental sound... One day it works... Then no sound for another month...

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Some men would pay a lot for a wife like that!

MissIzzard said:

Did you ever find a resolution to this? I've had the same problem for about three years... All buttons functioning correctly, just temperamental sound... One day it works... Then no sound for another month...

Click to expand...

no, no resolution. I ended up getting rid of the car before they were ever able to find and fix the problem.