Horrible Radio Flaw...

I'm not sure if the non-nav systems are the same but the nav versions have mixed-mode presets. That is, there aren't different presets groups defined by source. It's all just one group so you can have FM, AM, and SAT presets all together on one screen.

 

that is a horrible radio flaw.. on my 04, they are all different stations per screen. am, fm1, and fm2.

 

I'm not sure it a flaw, one mans meat is anther mans poison.

I like this, my wife as bank 1 I use bank 2, I like the idea I can mark my favorite stations regardless if the station is on FM,AM,HD or Sat. My old radio I would have to remember which number was which depending on the frequency.

You have 6 banks you could set it up so that bank 1 is FM, bank 2 is AM so on and so fourth.

Just my 2 cents
Harry

 

Just something else you are going to have to reset when the +12 battery ground gets yanked for one service reason or another. Someday I would love to see a radio that actually holds its memory. Is that really too much to ask for?

 

This is also the case with newer GM products. I recently rented a Camaro Convertible and it had the presets from previous rentals already set. The presets were a mix of FM, AM and XM radio stations. You could be listening to XM channel 1 and select preset two for your local FM station. Preset 3 could be another XM station or a local AM station.

 

I am not sure if that is a 'flaw' persay. As in some cases, people would have presets for specific stations, but not for just 'specific' radio band. It could be also a configuration setting you may have to specify it.

 

They can certainly put the presets in Flash RAM, but they make it reset when the power is yanked for a reason- dealers/repair people depend on being able to master-reset everything by doing that, without needing to know special procedures. Good for them, bad for the user.

 

That's because none of the 6 banks are specifically allocated to any type of radio. I can mix my presets in any way I want. I could have 3 FM and 3 AM presets in one bank, or I could just have a bank be purely FM. It's not a flaw, it's a different mode of behavior. I don't think Toyota programmed the system to detect exactly what kinds of presets you have in each bank.

 

So to clarify your issue, you're saying that on the screen you have your AM presets showing and then when you hit the mode button on the steering wheel, it switches to FM but the screen still shows your AM presets?

I personally dont have that issue. I have two FM preset banks and one AM. When I cycle through the sources via the mode button on the steering wheel, my presets change on the screen as expected. The one thing it does not do is cycle through the other FM bank of presets, just the one I was previously on.

 

Sounds like its not a common flaw and unfortunately just your unit. I would definitely take it in to get looked at. Good luck.

 

TS I'll look at how my radio displays when I am in the car later today. I'm not one to channel surf but now I'm just curious. W

 

I think you're right that the way it works is unintuative, but I also think that people are fundamentally using the interface differently to get around the system's inefficiencies.

THE PROBLEM:

When you switch modes the radio switches to the last active station for the new source but the display doesn't change preset banks. What this means is that (after switching modes) when you then hit the preset + or - it goes to the bottom or the top of the bank currently shown and doesn't switch relative to the station that is playing.

This behaviour would only make sense if the last active station on the new source isn't defined as a preset. If it is then the system should be smart enough to jump to the bank where that preset is located (independent of antennae mode).

THE WORKAROUND:

Don't use the MODE button to switch stations. Set preset banks based on different drivers' preferences, not antennae type. For example,bank 1 has my wife's stations, bank 2 has mine, and so on with each a mix of AM/FM/SAT. I just select the bank I want and then just scroll through with the + and - on the steering wheel. You could also create banks based on genre (Talk/sports/rock) and you wouldn't care if they were AM, FM, or SAT.

 

What does the manual say....

 

It's because presets aren't saved in one specific "mode". they're mixed together. A lot of other co's seem to be doing it now, as others have mentioned, where you can save any preset on any screen. It's just how it works rather than a flaw.