Bad radio?

aaron o.

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Location
Georgia
TDI
Beetle & Sprinter
Radio will play until it times out if you're parked, car turned off(cleaning car for example). But, take it for a ride, within 30 seconds it turns off and starts blinking like it's trying to turn back on. I checked wires on the back, they're all in.
Radio itself bad? Ignition switch? Something else?

Thanks
 

aaron o.

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Location
Georgia
TDI
Beetle & Sprinter
Another factory radio or aftermarket? I don't mind doing that at all, takes about 30 seconds at pull-a-part. Just didn't want to be wasting my time/money.
 

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Location
PNW
TDI
2000 & 2003 Golf GLS (2005 Mercedes E320 CDI)
An 18 year-old stereo/radio failing?, unthinkable!:rolleyes:

Cut your "losses" and, for pretty cheap, drop in an aftermarket unit (almost impossible to NOT get something that exceeds the stock units).
 

aaron o.

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Location
Georgia
TDI
Beetle & Sprinter
Hah! Didn't think of it that way. I like the stock unit. Seems like all the aftermarket has all the bright scrolling crap. Guess I need to start searching. My 21 year old ford radio still works just fine.
 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
My monsoon took a dump about a year ago and I wired in an aftermarket Kenwood deck (always have had good luck with them). Install was a breeze. Once you find your way trough the settings there's not much scrolling or anything. Brightness, color, etc can all be set. I don't like my stuff too bright at all. Can have a good deck for around $100 that will do everything you need it to. Ditch that OEM garbage.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
I recently acquires a '03 Beetle with a monsoon, it works, but the rear speakers sound like 2" cones. Is this common?
My old 99 Jetta radio died, I was unable to find a factory style replacement that wasn't like $400 plus, ended up w/Crutchfield $40 with all the bits, very happy. Just the mp3 capability made it real nice. The speakers in the Jetta seemed much better than the Beetle.
 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
I recently acquires a '03 Beetle with a monsoon, it works, but the rear speakers sound like 2" cones. Is this common?
I don't think that is common. My monsoon system in my 02 Golf sounds really good actually. Hits hard and loud. I didn't even bother changing out speakers, amp, or sub because that system is good enough for me and is pretty high quality. I think you have something blown if the rears sound bad...
 

aaron o.

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Location
Georgia
TDI
Beetle & Sprinter
Thanks guys. I'm being cheap. This is my work beater, I'll go silent before I drop $100 on a radio. Maybe 40, now that isn't too bad. I may try my luck with another pullapart.
 

jettawreck

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Location
Northern Minnesota-55744
TDI
2001 Jetta and 2003 Jetta
Just make sure you either get the radio code with an OEM replacement radio or can get it from a dealership for n/c, because you will need it to swap it into a different car and have it workable. The owner's manual says a dealer should supply you the radio code at n/c, but many now charge a fee to supply the code info. So, there may be an additional cost to another OEM unit.
I like the looks of the OEM units but they are very low power and not very reliable whether they be the Clarion or some other brand(s). In the 2001 I installed a single DIN Pioneer w/USB impute from Crutchfield for about $100. Way better power, sound, features, etc, etc, than the Monsoons but not with the OEM "quality" look. My other MklVs had double DINs and the only reason I haven't swapped those out is that they still worked and I had a couple PhatBox hard drive systems loaded up with a bunch of tunes.
 

hey_allen

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Location
Altus, OK
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI
I may have gotten lucky with the local dealer, but they were able to provide me the code for a Canadian market City Golf radio that I bought from a wrecker.

I swapped radios to add Aux In and USB, but other than a possibly failing speaker in my driver's door, am surprisingly content with the VW provided audio.
 

wonneber

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Location
Monroe, NY, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
My monsoon took a dump about a year ago and I wired in an aftermarket Kenwood deck (always have had good luck with them).
I also installed a Kenwood that has all the bells & whistles.
I deleted the amp and ran new power and real speaker wire.
Didn't want to deal with the scanner power issue. :eek:

Got it from Best Buy clearance for under $300 with buying a few missing parts. Less then 1/2 the original cost.
Best radio I ever bought.

When I'm ready to sell the Jetta the radio will go into my Tiguan.
Someday I'm going to try a dvd in it. :)
 

aaron o.

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Location
Georgia
TDI
Beetle & Sprinter
A local dealer was nice enough to give me the code over the phone. They just needed the serial number off of the radio itself. This one I'm having trouble with is not the car original, but is a factory beetle radio, just from another car. This couldn't be something stupid like a speaker shorting and the radio cutting off as some type of self protection? I thought I had seen mention of that somewhere along the line.
 
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