Hi, I have a Kenwood KDC-X817. When I hooked it up the power wires (no other wires) and hit the reset button all that happens is: it turns on says Kenwood, then "code off", then "all off", then the face rolls up into the normal postion and screen goes black, then a few seconds later it rolls back to the insert a CD position. Anyone know what's wrong with it, if anything?
Wish i could help you out!!!!!!!!! not sure on whats going on!!!!!! sounds like a invalid code or similiar, meaning its a code locked HU.......sorry i dont know!!! I am sure some others here may be able to help you out.....or maybe contact Kenwood....
Code Off means that no security code has been installed in the radio. So that is not the problem. I would consider replacing that radio. Motorized faces of that model have been problematic. Yours lasting this long is good. It sounds to me like a button is stuck. Usually when a motorized Kenwood breaks the face won't move at all. Try pushing all the buttons one at a time, do all of them feel normal? Can you insert and eject a CD?
That there is a stuck button. Only one button can work at a time. I hope that was a copied CD. If you unplug power to the Kenwood and plug it back in it should cycle and eject the CD.
Yes, it was copied. I want to hook up the Kenwood, so I can listen to my mp3 player in my car, instead of cd's anyway. You seem to really think it's a stuck button, so I will go with that. It should be easy to fix if I can get the face off and then get it apart. Are there directions for this somewhere? I have looked online before, but did not find any. :starwars: Also one of the buttons did feel slightly different than the others, maybe. But it still seemed to function. It was the "5" button.
I would still consider replacing the radio. A stuck botton means that it needs to be replaced. Also remember that I am diagnosing with out seeing the radio so it may not be 100% accurate. I am going by what I've seen in Kenwood radios. Common problems.
I'm pretty sure the 5 button does not work correctly, upon further inspection. I looked at it from the bottom and not only does it not feel like the other buttons but it also is slightly more pushed in than the other buttons. I would like to take the face off, but I'm not sure how. I can do it without instructions and/or pics, but it will go smoother with instuctions if anyone knows a site that as them for this head unit or a similar one. I don't really care, if I don't have a "5" button :huh: I'm almost temped just to rip it out :wacko: All I want is to play my music from my mp3 player. I could care less about any of the functions of this head unit. Maybe volume and source button I need, that's about it. ^_^ Could this problem also be caused by a broken cable that goes to the faceplate? I have a broken cable. I don't know if it broke trying to take the faceplate off or if it was already broken.
While its possible that the flex cable is broke, I think its unlikely because the you said the face lit up and said "Code Off". I still would replace the radio, its around 7 years old.
It was the cable. You don't have to have all the wires going to it for the display to work. Same holds true for the buttons. I found this out trying to hook up my own cables to the unit. But I kind of messed it up trying to solder the wires to it over and over again 'til I had nothing left to solder to, so I trashed it. Next time I'll know better ^_^ I should have just assumed it was the cable from what I read before I came here and bought one. But I learned something about aweful head units from this, so it was good. Some one told me it was the cable at diyaudio.com after I had soldered the wires. Maybe I still could have got the cable at that point, I'm not sure. I blew it, I guess. I could have had a head unit for $20 or so less. I found this unit. No way I would ever consider paying more than $50 for a unit like this or similar. Most car audio is such over priced garbage, it angers me just thinking about it :lol:
Check out the prices at Etronics. I have had customers use them and all have said the same thing. "GREAT PRICES'". Thier prices on Kenwood is really cheap. I am a Kenwood dealer and most of their prices are just a couple of dollars over what I pay.
Yes I thought you might have been some sort of salesman. You told me to buy a new one, when all I need was a $5 cable. :blink:
I will usually recommend replacing any motorized face radio over 5 years old. Reguardless of brand. The early motorized Kenwoods usually broke after just 3-4 years. I am a Technician/Installer, and I have repaired quite a few of these radios. In only one or two cases has the flex cable been the problem. And in those cases the face motored properly, but there was no display at all. But why are you soldering, I thought the flex cable just unplugs and plugs into the board.
I have a Kenwood KDC-X815....and it crapped a few months ago.... I was driving along and it just quit....poof.....lights out...No sound, no nothing..I hit the button to turn it back on and waited a few seconds...Then the face went into the position to put a disc in and sat there....No lights, no nothing....if I left it like that and came back 8 hours later....still same... If I pulled the face off, it would then retract back to normal position....If I put the face back on....nothing....Checked all fuses, wiring, etc....Called Kenwood dealer where I bought it...They said most likely a ribbon cable problem...probably around $150.00 to fix (if that was the problem)...Decided to just shelf it...I took it apart and got the CD out of it..... If you think this face might work for yours, I could make you a deal on it...It is flawless... Willy Sorry...I did not read the whole post....mine is still broke....I bought a new JVC unit just recently...I will stick with it... thanks
Similar Troubles Been searching all over and haven't found any answers to my question regarding the behaviour of my KDC-x817. Seems like I might find the solution here... The unit seems to reject the faceplate. The faceplate opens to reveal the CD slot, the display is dark. It is unresponsive to any button pressing. If I remove the faceplate the mechanism retracts to its neutral position. If I reinsert the faceplate it sits for a moment or two and then re-opens to the previously mentioned position (CD slot). I can repeat this over and over again even after cycling power and pressing the reset button. I dismantled the unit and removed the ribbon cable and found nothing suspicious after close inspection. I reassembled everything and tested again... same behavior. Any ideas? Thanks!
