Radio on

[ORLOV 0]

my radio often comes on while ignition is off and runs the battery flat. I turn it off manually now before switching off. Works sometimes. What can I do to stop this?

Thanks Doris

[Huronlad 186]

How long is your car sitting inbetween uses? The radio should only run for 15 minutes if the car is off.

[ORLOV 0]

Hi Huronlad

In winter it sits unused for six months, but we disconnect the battery

In normal use in summer, it might sit for two or three days without use.

It just started this last summer. Normally on all cars the radio goes off with the ignition.

Now I have to turn it off first, then turn the key off.

[Huronlad 186]

You have witnessed the radio turning on by itself and staying on longer than 15-30 minutes?

[ORLOV 0]

No.when I go to my garage to use my Smart, then I find the radio on and battery dead.

[Huronlad 186]

How old is the battery in your smart?

[ORLOV 0]

It is original, it is a 2010. Only used 6 months a year, battery disconnected over winter storage.

[Huronlad 186]

I would start by having the battery tested. Low battery voltage can have odd side effects with the smart electronics.

[ORLOV 0]

We tested the battery and it is good. Could it be the computer gone rogue?

[Huronlad 186]

I would not expect it is a problem with the SAM if there is no battery voltage issues. May be an issue with the radio.

You may want to have a look over at smart Car of America to see if anyone has had a similar radio issue.

[MikeT 747]

smartparc (Ray) in Nanaimo had a similar issue and the cause was a short inside the radio unit.

[smartdriver 49]

my radio often comes on while ignition is off and runs the battery flat. I turn it off manually now before switching off. Works sometimes. What can I do to stop this?

Thanks Doris

On the SAM there are 2 sets of contacts in a row with plug in fused connectors. Approximately half are switched with the ignition and the other half are unswitched.

The fuse for the radio at the site below is given as fuse number 20, but that fuse also powers other items in the car which are switched. Are you using the stock radio?

It should be possible to move the radio power to one of the switched slots.

http://www.fq101.co.uk/how-to-guides/fortwo-450/electrical/245-fuse-arrangement-fortwo-mk7.html

The connectors in question are labelled R1 to R9 in the table given at the bottom of the site listed above.

After thinking about this a bit more, Fuse 20 controls other things including the radio.

Fot this reason, there might be the possibilty that the relay in the SAM that controls these circuits is stuck in the ON position.

Edited May 2, 2015 by smartdriver