Tip to fix volume issue on stock radios

[NC280z]

Good evening all,

 

I've been doing a bit of troubleshooting on my car, and one of the issues I've had was with the radio not being able to power the speaker. I was getting a very low amount of power to the speaker when scanning FM channels, and the issue was intermittent. I've found that the cause is the potentiometer that controls the speaker volume. For those who have opened up their stock radios (or haven't, but have this issue) the potentiometer is a two-piece design. One portion controls volume for AM, and another controls volume for FM, and both use separate resistive elements. On mine, the blade that wipes across the resistive element for FM was sticking, and only after forcing the knob inwards and turning back and forth was I able to get any volume from the radio. I'll try to post photos tomorrow of the component to help clear things up. I'm going to attempt to clean it with electrical contact cleaner and see if that fixes it, otherwise I may try to replace the assembly altogether.

 

I just wanted to share this tidbit for those who, like me, intend on keeping the stock radio and are having volume issues with either AM or FM. Hope this helps!

[datzenmike]

My $8 Sony alarm clock radio does this too. I just twist the volume control back and forth a few dozen times to polish the contact surface and it's good for another year.

[510freak]

This stuff works wonders!

I use it on old stereos,its even fixed a problematic electrolux vacuum

 

http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.188/.f

[spottedog]

Remove the radio, take the top off and and locate the volume control but dont remove it. The correct name is potentiometer.

It is a variable resistor (you turn the knob, the resistance changes.)

 

On the front of the device you will see three metal tabs sticking out that are soldered to the main circuit board, leave them attached.

 

Look closely at where the tabs enter the metal "can" (the potentiometer) Do this under a strong light.

 

You will see a gap between the tabs an the metal housing very (small and thin gap).

 

Take a WD40 can that has the plastic spray wand on it, position one end of the wand on one of the gaps and shoot WD40 into the gap.

 

Radio Shack contact cleaner is better, but both work.

 

Now when you are sure you have sprayed the cleaner and got some into the can, hold onto the radio and with your other hand start turning the shaft back and forth as fast as you can for a few minutes.

 

The potentiometer has a circular carbon track as well as a brass contact that rides on the carbon track when you turn the shaft.

 

Over time the carbon track starts to flake off the substrate leaving spaces on the track leaving dead spots,  The solvent you put in spreads the remaining around on the track and generally

will give you a few more years out of your radio.

 

NOTE:   After you do the cleaning process and before you close your radio, conect 12 volt power and ground back up and attach a temporary speaker to test to tell if maybe you should use

the cleaning process again. If so, much easier with the radio out of the car. 

 

 

[MikeRL411]

Radio Shack contact cleaner, especially the version for "color TVs" works better!  Ultimately, most Nissan branded factory standard stereo heads use the volume control as the off / on control and wind up wearing out the resistance deposit on the volume control knob unless you depend on the ignition switch to turn the stereo/radio to turn off.  Not a fool proof option!  I still have the original 240SX stereo head, having replaced it with a Maxima unit which had the identical electrical interfaces and a separate on/off function.  Don't ask how I had to adjust the smaller width problem!  Hint, it was an after market "adapter" kit and some super glue.

[banzai510(hainz)]

I will try this I got a old  1960s German wood box Blaupunkt radio with same proplem