My 2005 Solara SLE convertible had a problem from the day I bought it new from the dealer, but I wasn’t too concerned because it only happened when raising or lowering the top. Whenever I would lower or raise the top the radio or CD player, whichever was playing, would fade out as the top reached about half-way, or its highest point, on the way up or down. The sound system is JBL and is factory installed, and still original. Now, both the radio and CD player will fade in and out if I’m driving in town or on the freeway, sitting at a stop sign, or in my driveway. It seems to take spells where it is sometimes worse than other times. I have no problem tuning in stations, and because it originally had a problem when the top was being lowered or raised I didn’t think it was an amplifier. This is one to stump the experts. Has anyone had that problem?
The dealer’s approach is to start changing out parts, like the amplifier, tuner, antenna, etc, until it is finally fixed. That will get expensive and might not even fix the problem? Thanks for any help!
That is because you should not take a 13 year old vehicle to the dealer for radio problem. Just find a local auto sound shop update the entire system. You might even be able to have backup camera also.
I don’t know if you have a problem now but the audio adjustment that you observed when new is a feature. Some manufactures began using automatic sound leveling in the 1990’s.
Automatic sound leveling increases the volume when the top is down to compensate for the lack of a top for the sound to reflect from. The volume is then reduced after the top is raised. Sedans and convertibles can increase the volume at certain speeds to offset road noise, then lower the volume when slowing to a stop.
Push the tuner knob to scroll though the sound settings, see if there is an adjustment labeled “ASL” (auto sound leveling).