Hi Line Head Unit problem

ADL · 9th January 2010, 16:42

As the title says, I have been having trouble with my Hi-Line head unit. Over the past couple of days the brightness of the screen will deminish and have a slight red tinge to it. I have noticed this before when the weather is cold (-9C) for last couple of mornings. However this time the screen detail is then replaced by what looks like an untuned tv with horizontal flashing lines. All the functions are still available and there is no problem with the sound but if I am using the Sat Nav then obviously it becomes useless. I used the "morons method" of repair and gave it a sharp slap on the top of the unit above the plastic eyebrow and lo and behold everything returned to normal but it happened again later in the day. As I have mentioned we like most people have been suffering very low temperatures recently so I was wondering if this could be the problem.

Greeners · 9th January 2010, 16:46

Two things to try...

Whip the unit out and check the two connectors are fully home,

then go into the set up menu, (go to set up and hold the menu button for 8 seconds) and check the screen brightness is up.

I'm assuming the boot of the car is dry....

Jontie · 9th January 2010, 17:31

Hi Tony,
If your unit's kaput I may be able to help you! Pm me!

Happy new year!!

Regards

John

ADL · 9th January 2010, 21:34

Thanks for the replies guys. I don't think the head unit itself has a problem because most of the time it works perfectly so as Greeners suggests I probably need to take the unit out and check the connections. What I am not sure about is how this is done can someone post instructions for me to follow. By the way thanks John for your offer but hopefully I won't need to replace the equipment.

Greeners · 9th January 2010, 21:49

Remove the trim under the eyebrow, (flips out with a small screwdriver)
Remove eyebrow (2 screws)
Remove 2 screws from head unit, then start wiggling to remove it.

HTH

Ragman · 9th January 2010, 22:05

The cold also affects the colour - does it improve as the car warms up

ADL · 9th January 2010, 23:16

Thanks again Greeners for your help and Hi Ragman.
Yes the colour returns to normal once the inside of the car is warm. As I said originally this colour problem has happened before and also with my previous car a Rover 75, so I think this is probably something that happens normally with these units at low temperatures.

Ragman · 9th January 2010, 23:19

Mine does exactly the same

ADL · 18th January 2010, 18:45

Just to follow up on my original problem. The flashing screen had got worse over the rest of the week but I managed to get to work on the car at weekend now the snows shifted. Only took 5mins to extract the head unit from the dash, pressed both connectors (the lower one did seem a loose), re-fitted everything and fingers crossed not had a problem since and have travelled over 100 miles since Saturday. Once again thanks guys for your input.

ADL · 27th January 2010, 13:12

Spoke too soon. My head unit problem has started again only this time no ammount of fiddling with the connectors will fix it. The problem as I first thought seems to be inside the unit, maybe a loose connection. Does anyone know how easy it is to open the casing so I can at least check the internals just in case it's something that shows itself and is fixable.

Tony

9th January 2010, 16:42	#1
ADL Regular poster MG ZT-T 190+ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Radcliffe Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hi Line Head Unit problem As the title says, I have been having trouble with my Hi-Line head unit. Over the past couple of days the brightness of the screen will deminish and have a slight red tinge to it. I have noticed this before when the weather is cold (-9C) for last couple of mornings. However this time the screen detail is then replaced by what looks like an untuned tv with horizontal flashing lines. All the functions are still available and there is no problem with the sound but if I am using the Sat Nav then obviously it becomes useless. I used the "morons method" of repair and gave it a sharp slap on the top of the unit above the plastic eyebrow and lo and behold everything returned to normal but it happened again later in the day. As I have mentioned we like most people have been suffering very low temperatures recently so I was wondering if this could be the problem.

9th January 2010, 16:46	#2
Greeners Moderator MG-ZTT Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 19,798 Thanks: 161 Thanked 1,249 Times in 1,036 Posts	Two things to try... Whip the unit out and check the two connectors are fully home, then go into the set up menu, (go to set up and hold the menu button for 8 seconds) and check the screen brightness is up. I'm assuming the boot of the car is dry.... __________________ *David* Impecunity is the mother of ingenuity Useful how to's for common problems Car Of The Month Jan 2014 [SatNav Power Down] [Coolant Level] [SatNav Repair] [Diesel Non Starting] [Paint Codes] [Rear Light Seals] [Reversing Light Switch] [Bleeding Brakes][Sunroof Drain] [Early ZT's][Instrument Pack Diagnostics][ATC Diagnostics]

9th January 2010, 17:31	#3
Jontie Loves to post Rover75 2.0L Conn SE Auto Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Barrowford near NELSON in Lancashire Posts: 456 Thanks: 15 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Hi Tony, If your unit's kaput I may be able to help you! Pm me! Happy new year!! Regards John __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]John. (Sadly,they really don't make 'em like this anymore!!!!)

9th January 2010, 21:49	#5
Greeners Moderator MG-ZTT Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Ware, Herts Posts: 19,798 Thanks: 161 Thanked 1,249 Times in 1,036 Posts	Remove the trim under the eyebrow, (flips out with a small screwdriver) Remove eyebrow (2 screws) Remove 2 screws from head unit, then start wiggling to remove it. HTH __________________ *David* Impecunity is the mother of ingenuity Useful how to's for common problems Car Of The Month Jan 2014 [SatNav Power Down] [Coolant Level] [SatNav Repair] [Diesel Non Starting] [Paint Codes] [Rear Light Seals] [Reversing Light Switch] [Bleeding Brakes][Sunroof Drain] [Early ZT's][Instrument Pack Diagnostics][ATC Diagnostics]

9th January 2010, 22:05	#6
Ragman This is my second home ZT 260 SE Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ashington, West Sussex Posts: 3,512 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	The cold also affects the colour - does it improve as the car warms up __________________ I've learned that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

9th January 2010, 21:34	#4
ADL Regular poster MG ZT-T 190+ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Radcliffe Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the replies guys. I don't think the head unit itself has a problem because most of the time it works perfectly so as Greeners suggests I probably need to take the unit out and check the connections. What I am not sure about is how this is done can someone post instructions for me to follow. By the way thanks John for your offer but hopefully I won't need to replace the equipment.

9th January 2010, 23:16	#7
ADL Regular poster MG ZT-T 190+ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Radcliffe Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks again Greeners for your help and Hi Ragman. Yes the colour returns to normal once the inside of the car is warm. As I said originally this colour problem has happened before and also with my previous car a Rover 75, so I think this is probably something that happens normally with these units at low temperatures.

9th January 2010, 23:19	#8
Ragman This is my second home ZT 260 SE Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ashington, West Sussex Posts: 3,512 Thanks: 2 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Mine does exactly the same __________________ I've learned that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

18th January 2010, 18:45	#9
ADL Regular poster MG ZT-T 190+ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Radcliffe Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Just to follow up on my original problem. The flashing screen had got worse over the rest of the week but I managed to get to work on the car at weekend now the snows shifted. Only took 5mins to extract the head unit from the dash, pressed both connectors (the lower one did seem a loose), re-fitted everything and fingers crossed not had a problem since and have travelled over 100 miles since Saturday. Once again thanks guys for your input.

27th January 2010, 13:12	#10
ADL Regular poster MG ZT-T 190+ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Radcliffe Posts: 53 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Spoke too soon. My head unit problem has started again only this time no ammount of fiddling with the connectors will fix it. The problem as I first thought seems to be inside the unit, maybe a loose connection. Does anyone know how easy it is to open the casing so I can at least check the internals just in case it's something that shows itself and is fixable. Tony