I have a 2010 Prius. In the last few months, the radio has started acting strangely. Sometimes it will increase I speed when you speed up and slow down when you slow down. And play normally when at a stand still. Sometimes it locks up, you can not change the volume or station. Sometimes it does not work at all. Other times it works just fine. Any one have an idea what might be going on, or has had this happen to their car? When I called the dealership, they will only replace the radio and not investigate the issue. Replacement could cost 300-400. Thanks Shannon
My best guess is that you're speeding - as you approach the speed of light, the passage of time will change relative to outside observers. Second best guess - check the 12V battery's voltage (should be >12V with the car off for at least 15 minutes, doors closed, etc. - and <13V, otherwise double check that "car off" part). Your car is getting to the age where it is becoming more likely to need a 12V battery replacement, if it hasn't had one already. Even low-12V readings (12.0-12.3 or so) might be indicative of a failing battery, but it's hard to say for sure. If the battery is nearly dead, you might consider replacing it. If the battery is fine, try disconnecting it for 5 minutes or so. The radio is kept minimally powered even when the car is off (e.g. to keep your presets), so it's possible that something is goofed up, and it needs to be fully reset to get it back to normal. Last guess, and it's a bit of a stretch - there is a feature in the radio related to speed. The "automatic sound levelizer" adjusts the volume according to your speed. Maybe something relating to that feature is broken - try toggling it (i.e. if it's on, turn it off)? If you press the audio button on the Nav, then the Sound button on the screen, then the DSP tab, you can turn it on and off there. Finally, one question - what source are you listening to? There are some that it's just not possible for the radio to accelerate or slow down - e.g. radio (AM/FM/Satellite). Even if the radio buffers the sound for a bit (which isn't likely, but if it does, it'd probably be for <1 second's worth), it can't play back music at a faster speed for very long, because it would catch up to what's being broadcast, and then your car would have to have time traveled into the future to know what to play next. By any chance, does this happen when you hit 88 mph and your battery is supplying exactly 1.21 gigawatts?
Strange goings-on here. Don't discount the dealer wanting to replace the radio - troubleshooting an all electronic component (except for the CD mechanism) exhibiting weird behavior may end up costing more than the $300-400 to replace it. Macman's comments make sense, so start with the 12V battery and try to narrow it down from there. Having radio station audio speed up or down, then not being able to change volume or station, is definitely abnormal (and unheard of, at least to me.) If all else fails, let the dealer replace the unit.
I will have my husband help me with your suggestions. No, the battery had not been replaced or checked. So will do that first and try a hard reset on it. I wish I could time travel. That would be fun. However, this happens at all types of speeds and all types of media, radio, satellite, or when we use an aux cable to connect to our phones. Thanks for the help.
I could understand that if you were playing a CD and the player motor speed regulation had a problem, that the music might play faster or slower. However, as the other posters pointed out, it really is not possible for audio coming from broadcast radio or a satellite to be slowed or sped up by your radio. I also agree that the Toyota dealer service department is going to suggest replacing the radio unit because they do not have personnel competent to investigate and resolve electronics issues within the unit. Be happy if they can change your engine oil and oil filter without causing a problem.
My son has a better description. The music doesn't speed up or slow down. It has a sort of oscillation that correlates with the speed of the tires. It's an on/off oscillation, so as you speed up, the pattern goes faster,but as you slow down, the pattern slows down to a stop. I believe it to be an overheating problem, because the entire stereo system will lock up completely becoming unresponsive.
