General Panda Dynamic Radio problem

[weecar]

Hello to all. I'm hoping someone here can shed some light on a wee problem that has raised its head in my '05 Panda Dynamic. For the last 2 weeks, my radio has been switching itself on whenever I do one of the following things:-

1. Use remote central locking to open the doors
2. Switch on the engine

At first it happened intermittently but now the radio has switched on when I'm driving and, worst of all, when I used the central locking to lock the doors! Luckily I ddn't just walk away and come back to a drained battery.

Has anyone had the same problem and if so, is it with the radio or the central locking system? I have a feeling it is the radio which means the warranty won't cover it

If it is the radio any idea about costs of repairs?

Thanks in advance
Weecar

 

[Dirk_Crisis]

Yeah I had this in my Eleganza. It's most likely the radio and if it's out of the first year of warranty, then it won't be covered. I understand it's easy enough to fix but I don't know about costs (mine was done under warranty and I never found out what the problem/fix was). You could try mucking around with the ignition timer settings on the radio (is it the Blaupunkt MP3 head unit?), but from the symptoms you describe it sounds like the same problem as I had.

 

[Soepy]

I don't have those problems, but when I start the car, sometimes the radio (eleganza) comes on, sometimes it won't. When it doesn't come on, I have to press MUTE twice for it to turn on.

They've used some weird radios.

 

[weecar]

Cheers for the quick replies 1

Dirk-Crisis

Being a wishy-washy female who has no clue about cars (but I can change a tyre myself ) I'm not too sure what you mean by a "Blaupunkt MP3 head unit." The stereo is the basic radio/CD found in the Dynamic. It has no multichanger or anything fancy on it like MP3. How do you muck about with the ignition timer settings on the radio (presuming of course that my stereo has these features)

Soepy

Totally agreed - the radios are weird. Suppose they must have negotiated a bulk discount or something

Thanks again
Weecar

 

[Dirk_Crisis]

"Audio is a nightmare" - That's how the bloke at the Fiat dealership described it. I'm inclined to agree.

So I dunno much about the dynamic, but it sounds like you have the same radio/CD player as me. There is a settings menu which has multiple options(and I can't remember how to get to it without being in the car, but I think it's the "menu" button). One of those options is "ignition timer" which only has 2 settings - "off" and "after 20 mins" so the radio can keep going after the engine has been swiched off for a bit. Setting it to "off" *might* fix your problem, but I think it's a trip to the dealership to get it properly sorted.

 

[weecar]

Thanks again Dirk-Crisis. I'll try this tomorrow, with the manual for the radio in my hand. I've also phoned the dealer and booked the car in for next week. May as well as they are having to re-seal the nearside headlight which is full of condensation.

Weecar:worship:

 

[Chris Corns]

Hello to all, We have a Panda Dynamic, fitted with a Blaupunkt 169 CD/MP3 SW verson 2.86. It has the same symptoms as already reported (turns on by itself, ignition off, doors locked, drains battery). The difference is that our car is just over 2 years old and so no warranty.
We took the car to our local dealer (sold to us from new) they charged us £40.00 and sent the radio away for inspection. It was returned with the comment can't repair, manufacturer won't release the parts.
We were offered a new radio, or a reconditioned unit both very very expensive. We now have a duff radio in a plastic bag and a big ugly hole in the dashboard. Dealer says that they can't help and that Fiat won't help.
We have heard several times that this is a "known fault". My point here is that this fault seems to be much older than experienced by other correspondents who have been fortunate enough to get a fix under warranty!
Our car has only 10K on the clock.
Any pointers would be gratefully received. Chris.

 

[Jai]

i beleive one of our members ditched the OEM radio unit, bought an adaptor (£19 odd) and fitted their own single DIN radio

it obviously breaks the look of the dash, but gave them a unit that would work as they wanted, and of course as the original should.

 

[b1g1an]

Dealer says that they can't help and that Fiat won't help.

Don't take the dealers word for Fiat not helping, ring them yourself.

Worse come to worse talk to trading standards as under the Sale of Goods Act it would be fair to expect a built in audio system to last for more than two years.

 

[pandissimo]

i beleive one of our members ditched the OEM radio unit, bought an adaptor (£19 odd) and fitted their own single DIN radio

it obviously breaks the look of the dash, but gave them a unit that would work as they wanted, and of course as the original should.

That were me. JVC MP3 unit and adaptor. Still delighted with it.

Pics on here somewhere..

uh,here ya go.

 

[pandissimo]

That were me. JVC MP3 unit and adaptor. Still delighted with it.

Pics on here somewhere..

uh,here ya go.

or here..

 

[100hpJames]

slightly off the topic, But I have the occasional fault with the dash display and the steering controls, if I press the steering buttons too quickly they change the stereo from CD play to tuner, and some days, I'll be playing a CD and the dash display says I'm playing a tape, its madness, trying to work out if buying the satnav unit is a worthy investment

 

[hpScot]

Don't take the dealers word for Fiat not helping, ring them yourself.

Worse come to worse talk to trading standards as under the Sale of Goods Act it would be fair to expect a built in audio system to last for more than two years.

Totally with you there mate - time to stick the boot in - why should this owner go to all the inconvenience of having this fault corrected at her cost if this is a 'known fault'. Warranty or no warranty - make it the dealer's problem - they sold it after all.

 

[bobian81]

On our panda dynamic, I've noticed theres a function to restore defaults, you could try setting that and see if it cures your problem.

 

[supersneak]

I don't have those problems, but when I start the car, sometimes the radio (eleganza) comes on, sometimes it won't. When it doesn't come on, I have to press MUTE twice for it to turn on.

They've used some weird radios.

I've got the same problem, but leaving the Tuner on FM seems to help.

 

[T14086]

Hello to all, We have a Panda Dynamic, fitted with a Blaupunkt 169 CD/MP3 SW verson 2.86. It has the same symptoms as already reported (turns on by itself, ignition off, doors locked, drains battery). The difference is that our car is just over 2 years old and so no warranty.
We took the car to our local dealer (sold to us from new) they charged us £40.00 and sent the radio away for inspection. It was returned with the comment can't repair, manufacturer won't release the parts.
We were offered a new radio, or a reconditioned unit both very very expensive. We now have a duff radio in a plastic bag and a big ugly hole in the dashboard. Dealer says that they can't help and that Fiat won't help.
We have heard several times that this is a "known fault". My point here is that this fault seems to be much older than experienced by other correspondents who have been fortunate enough to get a fix under warranty!
Our car has only 10K on the clock.
Any pointers would be gratefully received. Chris.

The problem is blaupunkt software in the audio unit,it is covered by one year blaupunkt (some models 2 years) warranty...NOT dealer or Fiat.

Please everyone direct your complaints at Blaupunkt.

 

[b1g1an]

As Fiat supplied it as part of one of their products it's legally their problem. If it was added after supply, fair enough, but it isn't.

 

[T14086]

Ford (as do most manufactuers) for example only give 12months on their audio units,as are most electrical items in your house.

Anyway sorry but thats the way it is.

 

[supersneak]

What if the problem was first reported within the warranty period, but the dealer couldn't find the fault?

 

[b1g1an]

Ford (as do most manufactuers) for example only give 12months on their audio units,as are most electrical items in your house.

Anyway sorry but thats the way it is.

Sorry too, but that'll be where you're totally wrong, that's what manufacturers try on and is the period in which you SHOULD have no problem claiming but the law has a completely different view of this.