Stereo Comm Error

[rkgdmd]

Hi All,

Didn't find much info by searching other threads..and what I did find didn't help my situation. I am getting a Stereo Comm Error/Audio Unit Off. Strangely, this did not happen suddenly. Over the past two weeks this situation would occur and then seemingly resolve itself. The last several days the radio has been DOA however. I have two JL Audio amps (800 and 600), three subs, two 7.7 JL coaxials and 6 JL 6 inch coaxials. This is what I have done so far:

Checked all connections for something loose or broken.

Checked fuse directly off the back of the head unit.....didn't think it was this as problem stated as an intermittent issue.

Disconnected remote from head unit. My local Yamaha dealer suggested this as they have seen the rear remote short out and cause this problem.

Checked that head unit was receiving power.

Here's the really weird thing....even with the error and "audio unit off" the unit still connects to my phone by Bluetooth and plays the music from my phone. I cannot control the volume, but it still plays????

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mainah]

Sound like a radio can bus issue that could have a few different root cause the most common if which is a loose connection somewher. The connext display communicates with the radio via the radio can bus. The rear remote also communicates this way. Can you control volume with the rear remote?

 

[rkgdmd]

The rear remote is dead. Disconnecting the rear remote from the head unit made no difference. I have unplugged/plugged all possible connections. There is power to the head unit. I'm not sure how the radio is connecting to my phone via Bluetooth but it does and plays. Volume is not controllable anywhere. It simply plays at a certain volume that cannot be changed.

 

[Mainah]

Most certainly a radio can bus issue. This is going to sound odd but check the tachometer connections at the back of the tachometers. Believe it or not they are involved with the radio can bus. The reason bluetooth still works is the blue tooth is in the radio head unit. The radio head unit is just not communicating with the connext mfd for some reason. Next step would be a dealer or getting a wiring diagram and tracing everything down with a multi meter.

 

[rkgdmd]

Thanks @Mainah. I already checked the blue wires. Funny thing is the wiring diagram from the service manuals shows a connection to both tachs, but mine has only a single blue lead from the port tach. Not sure why you would need the connection to both tachs as I'm pretty sure it's only used as a power sensing lead....or am I wrong?

 

[luckie_529]

I had this same issue today. Started my boat and radio said that it was off. Nothing I tried would turn it on so I killed the motors to restart the boat. Problem cleared and my boat is still stock no amps.

 

[rkgdmd]

I had this same issue today. Started my boat and radio said that it was off. Nothing I tried would turn it on so I killed the motors to restart the boat. Problem cleared and my boat is still stock no amps.

That's exactly how mine started. You could clear the error by restarting the boat. Eventually nothing would clear the error though. I hope you don't have the same problem as I do.

 

[luckie_529]

I will add this to my list of repairs. thanks for the heads up

 

[Mainah]

If you are getting an accurate speed reading the connext screen and all connections are good then it could be a bad head unit.

 

[rkgdmd]

That's what I was thinking @Mainah. Any thoughts about the MFD being the culprit? Is it possible for all the other functions to work yet the display being the cause of comm loss?

 

[Mainah]

It is possible. That why I asked about speed. Speed is transmitted over the radio canbus to the mfd. Basically trying to help narrow it down. The mfd also has a self test mode that you can enter by holding one of the buttons.

Good luck and keep us updated so we know what to look for in the future.

 

[rkgdmd]

OK Thanks. Will do on the updates. Speed is working and accurate. Thanks for all your help. You have more knowledge about these boats than my dealer!

 

[Mainah]

Just thought of this. Download the polk ultramarine app. You can can control the headunit volume over bluetooth with that app. Temporary solution of course.

 

[rkgdmd]

Thanks @Mainah. I'll give it a try!

 

[rkgdmd]

Ok...Just wanted to give everybody an update on my Stereo Comm Error/Audio unit Off issue. Turns out the swim deck remote, or "Commander" as Polk calls it was the issue. I removed the port side speaker and was able to disconnect the cable that runs between the head unit and Commander remote. The stereo is now fully functional...no more errors. I am not sure if I'm even going to replace the remote. Never use it that much anyway since we control the stereo from my phone anyway. Hope this helps someone from pulling their hair out when troubleshooting a stereo issue. Happy Holidays!

 

[Julian]

Just thought of this. Download the polk ultramarine app. You can can control the headunit volume over bluetooth with that app. Temporary solution of course.

Wow...never knew there was an APP for that!!!

Ok...Just wanted to give everybody an update on my Stereo Comm Error/Audio unit Off issue. Turns out the swim deck remote, or "Commander" as Polk calls it was the issue. I removed the port side speaker and was able to disconnect the cable that runs between the head unit and Commander remote. The stereo is now fully functional...no more errors. I am not sure if I'm even going to replace the remote. Never use it that much anyway since we control the stereo from my phone anyway. Hope this helps someone from pulling their hair out when troubleshooting a stereo issue. Happy Holidays!

So as to help future members....early on you said you'd eliminated the swim deck remote, and now you are saying that was the culprit....so what is the difference in? Did you disconnect it from different locations and get a different result? Makes me wonder if it isn't the remote itself or the wire between the HU and remote is compromised somewhere between the two.....

 

[FloJet]

Good question @Julian. I'm curious to know myself. I am thinking a short. I'm not a fan of how Polk made the covers for those things. I don't like using it and I have lost my cover 2 times on it already. I know it's waterproof but when we are doing water sports, the back transom sometimes get flooded and I worry about a short with that remote in the back. Need to find a way to totally shut it off and keep the cover on it. I just don't know if I want to unplug it. I just wish off stayed off until I turned it back on.

 

[tdonoughue]

Can you clarify what you disconnected for us? I thought you had disconnected the remote cable at the HU earlier on and the problem persisted. Maybe you disconnected the wrong cable there? That would explain why disconnecting in the back at the remote side fixed the issue.

I had a similar problem with my JBL. Disconnected the remote (that was rarely used, as there are no speakers back on the deck (yet)) and all life was again good.

 

[rkgdmd]

Yes @Julian. I did disconnect the remote lead at the head unit initially and it had no effect. I agree that this is strange. If you download the Polk manual it appears that the lead from the head unit enters a Y splice and branches off to two locations. One goes to the rear remote, the other to an "OEM controller"...or something like that. Perhaps this OEM device is needed for the radio to function and by disconnecting the lead from the head unit you interrupt the connection to the remote and this other controller. Dont know for sure...but it works now.

Download Polk Ultra Marine app for android or iOS at the app store.

 

[rkgdmd]

Here is a link to manual. Page 8