VW Phatnoise problem skipping & frezzing

[navyboy65]

Ok I got my phatnoise from a VW dealer via the mail! I installed it about 2-3 weeks ago and have had noting but problems with it. My car is an 03 VW Jetta GLS TDI with the premium 6 non-monsoon head unit! I have upgraded the firmware/software, tried wiping the DMS, Set up the phatbox to the correct headunit per the instructions, all my mp3s are @ 192 as the instructions suggests to!
   What happens is fresh from cradle to the phatbox I can get 10-20 mins of nice playback but then I get skips that get worse and then it won't respond at all! Says no cd or something like that or it will display the track but won't do anything for 10-15 seconds and says no cd and goes back to FM!
I have run the DMS doctor and it passes all 5 tests! I can play songs from the dms to my pc and no problems there!! I have contacted the VW dealer that I bought it from and he said it has a 12month 12000 mile warranty that any VW dealer will honor!! So he is mailing me out a nice new invoice if I need to take it in!!!
Please help me narrow the problem down!!
Thanks, Seth

[S80_UK]

Hi,

This sounds like something is warming up inside the box and then failing when hot (and this is not the DMS cartridge since you already tested that).  So I would see two options.  If you have a warrenty that is good then use it, especially if you can get a replacement box.  But I suspect that it could be the voltage regulator inside the box.  Normally this is clamped to the rear panel - a cross head screw an inch or two to the right of the rectangular connect operates a simple clamp arrangement. Check that this isn't loose.  If it is, then you would need to risk voiding the warranty and opening up the box to check the positioning of the clamp.  There should also be a very thin flexible sheet of plastic between the regulator and the metal plate.  Make sure that this is in place.

Another possibility is that there is a problem with your cable to the box.  For the standard VW box this cable also provides the power feed.  I suggest checking all connections are secure.  I would undo the connections, visually inspect all pins and then reconnect.  See if it makes a difference.

Best of luck.

Les.  

[jjc]

I have heard of problems with the pins in the VW connector not being all the way out and so only making intermittent connection have a look in the plug.

John

[navyboy65]

Well it took a while!!!! I took it to a dealer(not the dealer I bought the phatnoise from) to check it out and they said since I didn't pay $105 to have it installed they couldn't test it for free and would cost me $105 to test?!?! But they said if its dead and won't work at all, which what was now happening!! They would exchange for free but this dealer couldn't get their hands on another phatnoise!!   So I had to ontact  the dealer I did buy it from and he said he would exchange as he had one left!!! Thanks god to because I just installed the new one and it works perfect!!!! I love it!!!!
Thanks, Seth!!!!