RCD-200 Faults

[DarkCloudNebulae]

Hi Guys and Gals,
I recently had a problem with my RCD-200, and would like to know if anyone else has seen similar. (I have done a search and no luck)

The display screen started displaying "characters" like when you don't have a font installed on a computer. boxes and lines and all sorts. Has anyone else seen this before?

Most frustratingly I did not have a camera with me at the time (lasted a couple of days) and by the time I got home I had pushed buttons galore and fixed it... To me it seemed that something was under the buttons (CD, AM and FM) from pressing each a few times moving toward the FM side it resolved the issue... of cause that done, now I can't show the dealer to get raise a warranty flag!

Does anyone have any ideas what may have happened? Or any advice as to what I could do?

The unit worked well enough with the screen going haywire, and it occurred after the AC had been on for a while making the car quite cool inside without the unit on (was a stinker outside and a couple of days very hot before hand) so I'm not sure if it was temperature related.

Cheers!!
DCN

[noone]

Sounds like an issue with the display itself, especially if it happened when it was very hot in the car.

The unit is swapped out in a few minutes, it should not effect functionality, but would be good to get a photo for future reference.

[DarkCloudNebulae]

Thanks Noone, temperature in the car was cold (I drive with it cold, drives the Mrs crazy, although the heated seats keep her happier now!) the days prior were 40+ although I did crack the windows to allow some cooling, but that day we cranked the AC for maybe an hour before she turned on the unit and the screen was playing up. (its my first car so I imagine my face wasn't a friendly one when I saw it was playing up... ).

Problem with swapping it is not so much the job, its if it goes under warranty that's fine, but if it goes outside of warranty then I guess they will say "sorry we have no record" and VW dealer was great but said that while a photo would be enough to log it, they can't just take my word for it... (next time I'll remember to use a phone or something to record it)
Hopefully it is either something that never happens again, or something that happens again soon... either way, every time I turn it on ATM I look at it a bit cockeyed! my worry of cause is that its still broken and I cant see it/prove it any more.

Cheers DCN

[jesum]

i had that problem too. got worse as the outside temperature went up (or when i parked the car under the sun for a long time). the display would show corrupted graphics.

sent it to the dealer and they fixed it. no idea what they did but the radio was not changed. there were some minor grease marks on the head unit (cleaned it later (!*@#&$ dealer), but it would seem they removed the head unit to get access to the back. my guess could be wiring issue ??

[Stuwey]

Me too. Mine does it all the time. Either that or i don't get any display up at all.

As you lot have said, worse with the hotter temperatures we've been having. Guess i'll have to take it along to the dealer for a look-see in the near future.

[DarkCloudNebulae]

Thankyou everyone very much for your help! I'm glad I am not the only one suffering it!
I will mention to the dealer next time that others have seen it. If I could see it again I would be glad! so I can get a photo and prove it! Dealer said that if it happened it would be just a case of them popping it out and putting in a new one, they dont try to fix it. Maybe popping it and checking the wires is the go. (hopefully I wont need to again)

Again thankyou!

[Cygnus]

Yep. You're definitely not the only one. Mine goes blank all the time. Everything else seems to be okay, but it just goes blank for no reason at all, and some times it will just magically come back fine.

[xtturbo]

i just give it a whack, it then comes back straight away

[noone]

If its fixed so easily, its probably a loose jumper cable.

I had a problem with an iPhone I'd been given, all it was was a jumper cable had come loose, fixed in 5 min, and most of that was disassembly and assembly time.

[DarkCloudNebulae]

Noone
Sorry to sound silly, I can and do work with electronics to some degree (back yard style) but my terminology is lacking. what is a "jumper cable"? is this one of the flat style cables that plugs between two sets of pin connectors that are often used in newer electronics? Wide, flat and thin, often white?

My worry was not that it was a plug but faulty/broken soldering that during temperature changes was becoming further detached... If it is indeed just a lose cable or wire I will be happy. That's an easy fix!

Thanks!

DCN

[noone]

I don't know, it could be soldering...

Jumper cable is a pretty generic term for set of cables (ribbon style) that connect different hardware elements.

If you are proficient in this area, borrow some keys to remove the unit and open the device up.

[DarkCloudNebulae]

Thank you Noone... ribbon cable was indeed what I was thinking of!...
Haha Proficient... I wouldn't call it that, I will tinker with things that are broken to the degree of soldering and rewiring and sometimes making new devices that I have plans for, but I don't like the idea of opening up something that is working...
for now its all working normally, and if it plays up again I will get a photo and warranty job it! I still have a long time on the warranty. If it goes out of warranty and I still have the car I will look at a better unit... one that can auto tune to all stations, not just the strong ones (I don't get how it picks the strong ones, at home I can tune to stations that are perfect strength but I cant get the search tune to see them at all, but when I go out into the country it just goes though numerous like a normal radio...) with the TP thing off.
Its an interesting radio that's for sure!

DCN

[DarkCloudNebulae]

It has done it again today, and I managed to get photos!
I will let you all know how I go with the dealer/warranty claim!

(I will also endeavour to post images when I have worked out how... )


PSSSSTTTTT are we able to still "post" pictures on here without having it on a HTTP thingamajig? if so can someone explain where to post to your account, I have read the directions on the FAQ but I can not find the area in my User CP to press images... I have read some posts that might indicate this had been disabled? As I do not have a HTTP image thingamajig is there any other way I can post it?

Update:
The dealer was very happy with my pictures and has ordered a replacement unit to be fitted when it has arrived (under warranty) so I am very pleased!


Cheers! Thankyou all again!
DCN