Music Service bulletin for faulty radio (title amended)

[KevinF]

Honda has this week issued a service bulletin for the Civic radio. This, I gather, is to fix the faulty implementation of RDS by the radio's manufacturer Panasonic, which renders it unable under certain circumstances to auto-tune to a stronger signal.

The fix has undergone a period of testing here in the UK before being released to dealers. It includes new software, loaded from CD. My dealer tells me that Honda allows an hour for the work. He's either wrong (he looked at the bulletin in haste during my call yesterday) or the fix includes more than new software.

My car is booked in for the 'upgrade' on the 20th of March. Could the first Forum member to have the fix applied please tell us all what was changed - and what the result is!

Thanks.

KevinF.

[emmaloula]

Hi KevinF,

Where do you find out this information? I've just done a search on google and it returned nothing regarding this.

I am interested in this fix as my radio doesn't work properly however I want to read up on it first so that I know what I'm talking about when I mention it to my dealer (who always seems so far behind).

Thanks

[KevinF]

I learned about the bulletin from Honda customer services yesterday when I rang to continue my moaning about this fundamental and quite unneccessary problem.

My dealer in Swindon then told me they'd just received the bulletin and confirmed that it includes a new software image loaded via a CD.



KevinF.

[geoff]

I asked my dealer about this and he said its nothing new same as what i have had done which didn't work
so if it works for you please let me know
nine months of rubbish radio
if i put the cd on the aircon plays up dash gets hot

[KevinF]

Geoff -

I hope your dealer is wrong. The word from Honda customer services is that they acknowledge that 'some owners have problems' and have worked with Panasonic to develop and road-test a fix.

The bulletin is that fix.

We'll see: hence my request that the first Forum members to have it done report back to us.

Let's hope it's not like the foam 'fix' for the non-opening fuel cap.

Rgds.

KevinF.

[KevinF]

...is that RDS standards require a radio transmitter to broadcast two data items that enable a car adio to re-tune as it moves: alternative frequencies (AF - the other frequencies that the chosen station is broadcast on locally so that the radio can constantly poll each to discern the strongest) and programme information (PI - so that a radio turned off, driven out of area, and therefore away from the frequency it was originally tuned to, can scan for the same programme.)

I have corresponded with an electronics engineer specialising in RF design who who confirms that the Honda Civic radio is fundamentally flawed, being both dumb and forgetful.

It's astonishing that Honda and Panasonic have taken so long to issue a fix for such a basic problem - RDS has been a fact of European broadcast since the early 90s.

Let's hope they've finally got it right. What else is there in Blair's 'integrated transport' Britain but listen to the car radio, much of the time?

KevinF.

[geoff]

lets hope you are right
I can't really ring Honda customer service until I get the letter from my dealer telling me there are no fixes
will update later today

[KevinF]

Come on chaps!

I can't get my car to the dealer for the new radio fix any quicker than February 20.

The duff radio has been the most enduring problem afflicting the Civic and I can't believe I am alone in being very keen to see it resolved.

Who's going to be first?

KevinF.

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by KevinF

Come on chaps!

I can't get my car to the dealer for the new radio fix any quicker than February 20.

The duff radio has been the most enduring problem afflicting the Civic and I can't believe I am alone in being very keen to see it resolved.

Who's going to be first?

KevinF.

Your wasting your time - they cant fix it, Honda Uk have ignored my questions about it (amongst other things)!!

Geoff - At one point you sounded like me - now I am starting to sound like you

[KevinF]

Originally Posted by Topcat

Your wasting your time - they cant fix it, Honda Uk have ignored my questions about it (amongst other things)!!

Geoff - At one point you sounded like me - now I am starting to sound like you

Topcat, Geoff -

As I indicated in earlier postings, the new radio software was distributed to dealers last week after pre-release testing.

If you're getting a different story (or none at all), then it sounds to me as if your respective relationships with Honda and your dealers have become dysfunctional to the point where you need to examine your options.

You're stuck with Honda customer care, but you can use any dealer you wish for warranty problem resolution. I think it might be time to exercise that freedom of choice!

With best wishes.

KevinF.

[basegreen]

Originally Posted by KevinF

Topcat, Geoff -

As I indicated in earlier postings, the new radio software was distributed to dealers last week after pre-release testing.

If you're getting a different story (or none at all), then it sounds to me as if your respective relationships with Honda and your dealers have become dysfunctional to the point where you need to examine your options.

You're stuck with Honda customer care, but you can use any dealer you wish for warranty problem resolution. I think it might be time to exercise that freedom of choice!

With best wishes.

KevinF.

This is what I have been saying, if you are in a position to try a different dealer, then do it! Not all dealers were created equal!

[geoff]

thanks kevin i think we will just have to wait till yours goes in
I rang hcs on friday your contact was not available but they checked with the boffins and said no new update

At this moment I am awaiting a return phone call from hcs i phoned them at 12.02 and they said i will get straight back to you

So i won't make any comments about hcs I am in enough trouble on this forum

[basegreen]

Originally Posted by geoff

thanks kevin i think we will just have to wait till yours goes in
I rang hcs on friday your contact was not available but they checked with the boffins and said no new update

At this moment I am awaiting a return phone call from hcs i phoned them at 12.02 and they said i will get straight back to you

So i won't make any comments about hcs I am in enough trouble on this forum

Noone is in trouble, all I ask is that you try and stick to the rules of conduct like everyone else!

[geoff]

only joking i will be good

funny about hcs not returning phone calls

still i expect somebody else will comment on that

[basegreen]

HCS are shocking at returning calls, to the point of rudeness.

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by basegreen

This is what I have been saying, if you are in a position to try a different dealer, then do it! Not all dealers were created equal!

I have changed dealers - will ask about the radio software etc when I take the car in next week for the paint repairs, also need to ask about the shocks, filler cap, clutch judder and gear stiffness I was going to wait to the service in may but its all getting worse.

But I thought geoff had the upgrade done before or is this different?

[basegreen]

Topcat, ask them to reset the ECU (remove battery should do it). You might find the DBW adapts better to you from scratch.

I wouldn't mind taking a drive in one of the cars that exhibits this judder/problem.

[geoff]

no return phone call from hcs or the dealer 17.35

[geoff]

well kevins right there is a update for the radio hcs have been told about it today
funny how kevin found out and my dealer couldn't
I think i must agree with basegreen about certain dealers
I will keep my comments to myself for the time being

just a thought if they repair the radio and i have it on all the time won't that cause the dash to get hot and then my climate control will go wrong?

must try and be positive if they can fix the radio what next
anybody got a list of faults?

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by basegreen

Topcat, ask them to reset the ECU (remove battery should do it). You might find the DBW adapts better to you from scratch.

I wouldn't mind taking a drive in one of the cars that exhibits this judder/problem.

You had to say "scratch" didn't you

Your welcome to take a drive in my car anytime - it has slowly got worse, its only in first gear (obviously - when pulling away) it is really hard to fnd the right biting point these days, im hoping it just needs a clutch adjustment.