# Car Radio Question/Problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 16, 2001, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-radio-question-problem/76557 "2001-08-16T14:13:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![IzzyR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@IzzyR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IzzyR)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2001, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-radio-question-problem/76557/1 "2001-08-16T14:13:20Z")
For the past several days, my car clock/radio has been malfunctioning in the mornings. When I turn on the car, the clock shows some random incorrect time. Turning on the radio produces nothing. After 10/15 minutes of driving I can turn on the radio and see the station numbers, but no sound. A while later some static will result. A while later it works fine. When I drive home it works fine. What could be the cause of this strange pattern? And is it something in the radio, or the connection to the car? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2001, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-radio-question-problem/76557/2 "2001-08-16T14:24:15Z")
Sounds like an internal, incipient total radio malfunction. Possibly broken trace or other internal connection that “re-connects” as radio heats up and components expand. If it were in the external connection to the car it would tend to mainfest itself as lost power anjd clock re-sets not display goofiness. But who knows with car radio connections and loose grounds anything is possible. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2001, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-radio-question-problem/76557/3 "2001-08-16T16:51:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > **Sounds like an internal, incipient total radio malfunction** Yup. Sounds busted to me, too. NASA Mission Control, 11:40 AM, January 28, 1986: “Obviously, a major malfunction.” ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2001, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-radio-question-problem/76557/4 "2001-08-16T17:06:49Z")
In my expert automotive opinion: Its broke. Time to buy a new one. ---
**Author:** ![satanslawyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@satanslawyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/satanslawyer)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2001, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-radio-question-problem/76557/5 "2001-08-16T17:07:30Z")
Good call by astro there, more than likely. I’ve been in the electronics repair field for the past several years. Just from the symptoms dropzone described I’m thinking it’s a few things. 1. Cold solder joints. You probably have a few solder joints that weren’t properly wetted and they are easily suseptable to temperature. A good way to test this is to try smacking the radio, preferably on the top or bottom and see if that affects function. 2. Failing Voltage regulator or zener diode. Older makes of these were known to leak until they had heated up. This is rare but I don’t know how old the radio is. 3. Leaking capasitor. This is a little more likely than the last one but doesn’t QUITE match up with the symptoms. Temprature rarely has affect on a leaking cap. In short, get a new stereo. The money it would cost you to have this thing removed and repaired is not worth it trust me. ---
**Author:** ![IzzyR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@IzzyR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IzzyR)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2001, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/car-radio-question-problem/76557/6 "2001-08-17T13:37:55Z")
Nothing to add. I just wanted to thank those who responded. You have been most helpful. 🙂