radio drains battery - 2005 Accord
 

Hello,

We have a 2005 Accord. The radio started to malfunction over a year ago. The clock display and everything just stopped working. Disconnecting the negative battery cable would reset it but then it would stop working again a short time after. Sometimes with the car off, you can hear the radio making a sound, like it's trying to eject a cd. Whatever its doing, its draining the battery. I have to jump the car about once a week. I called the dealer and they said the radios for this year and model are known to be faulty but the fix is expensive and we cannot afford it.

I'm pretty handy but not so much with stereo/ electronics. If there is a fix out there, I am willing to try it. Please help.

Many thanks,

Thomis

I've been searching and searching and researching this issue online. There seems to be a good bit of discussion but I can't find the fix.



Is the issue with this known problem in the radio/cd head unit itself or is it the so-called "printed circuit board"?

no fix. replacement is the solution. you can replace with another factory or go aftermarket (recommended).

Just bought an 05 LX with 200k miles on it, great shape in/out......however, radio goes out often, and can hear it come on when the car is parked.............so only option is to replace?

sadly, yes. the radio has failed internally.

options:
 

ycats, i've researched this extensively looking for the cheapest option. here they are in order of expense:

1- if you're handy, you can pull the radio out and jumper the bad resister on the circuit board with $2 in parts, this worked for me:

2- replace it with an aftermarket radio in the cubby hole under the ac controls, the kit is free from crutchfield if you buy a radio from them. the cost I was looking at was $120 including tax and s&h (i was looking at a kenwood model). the downside to this option is you have two radios in the dash, one works, one doesn't.

3- replace it with an aftermarket radio in place of the bad one with the same $120 kenwood mentioned above, but you need a dash retro-adapter kit they sell for $75. but it is reported to have finish issues and be very cheaply built. i haven't seen it, its just what i read. the total here is $195

4- this option isn't a bad one and I almost chose this option. pull the bad radio out and send it to pioneer in CA along with a check for $188. 6 to 8 weeks later you get it back. the cost to ship it to them plus insurance, you're looking at a little more than $200

hope this helps.

cheers,

thomis

so that same resister would affect the issues I'm having?