Rover 75 RADIO: DIED for 1 yr, CAME BACK, DIED AGAIN (Highline SatNav-Radio-Tape
 

The SatNav got wet about 4 years ago, became a parasitic drain and was removed. Was using just the radio for 3 yrs, until a year ago when radio died. Electricals man said fuses OK but no power reaching unit. Then radio recently sprung back into life, was perfectly fine for 2 weeks but then the screen changed to the German language and radio is completely dead now.
Rover 75, V6, 2004, automatic.
Any ideas?

Try a battery off reset. Also I believe language choice is in the settings menu.:}

Thanks, Suzublu, but it doesn't make sense. I did not have a flat batt, and I now realise that just before the radio dies the screen changes to German; that's what happened 3 yrs ago and yesterday.

No, disconnect the battery for 10 mins and see what happens:cool:

Thanks. Before I did that, radio came back on. However, a few days later battery dead - even the alarm light was not on. New batt from RAC this morning, checked for parasitic drain (apparently none), radio came back on but in German language. I changed that, it reverted to German several times. Just now, in the evening, radio is completely dead again!:duh:

Anyone out there heard of this fault?

Do you know, it had the original Unipart battery must be from 2004 or at least 2007 when I bought her. Lasted 16 years, can you believe it!

Water in the spare wheel well.

Wot Trikey said. Get at the tuner in the boot (located on the wheel well rear wall behind the large black plastic blister which is fastened by x4 scrivets - at about rear bumper level but inside the boot). The tuner is located to the O/S of centre, look below it, you'll see the water if there is any. If it's all wet in there you'll need to give it a good drying out - just pull the tuner upwards about an inch and release the black multiplug which is underneath it - there's a sort of crank handle that, when rotated downwards towards the boot floor, jacks out the plug from the tuner socket, it's locked into the closed position by a small plastic tab that needs depressing to release it (sorry it's the best description I can give you). Once the plug is cleared just raise the tuner up and out of it's bracket. I'm sure you can work out what needs to be done to dry everything out (a hairdryer is a good start).
If it's not gone too far you might be able to recover the tuner/plug but electronics don't really take to H2O especially as it appears your's might have been sloshing around for 12 months or so. I'd also give all the sockets and plug pins etc. a good coat of contact grease before you reassemble.

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Thanks gents, but the wheel well is dry and so is the tuner area. Took the scrivets off and had a good look. It certainly did point to water, but it's something else. EVERY time I switch the radio off & on again, or the car, the screen has changed to the German language. I reset to English, but it will be in German next time I use the car. It's a mystery, and I can't find a fault that is similar to mine on this forum or by googling. :duh:

My HiLine Alpine acted in a similar manner and eventually gave up the ghost. Your's could have been wet at some time, no signs of a tide mark or dried sludge?

No tidal mark, no dried sludge. If there ever has been rainwater there, then I think it was a small amount which stayed in the well because the rising slope to where the tuner is kept it in the well.

I agree it's on the way out, but I find it difficult to give up on something if there's no logical sense to it. I am reluctant to spend £140 on a new (old Rover stock) radio esp. as the seller seems unable to answer a question in a straightforward way. The car electricals chap who came to my house a year ago said there was no power getting to the radio, though fuses were intact. So why is power getting to it now - sounds bananas to me?

Anyway, thank you again.