Radio Volume Knob

I think I stripped my radio volume knob when I turned it to its highest level. I am now unable to turn the radio volume down! Does anyone have an idea of how I can repair this?? My car is a 1993 Buick Century. Thank you.

If it’s like the radio in my 93 Caprice, just pull the knob off and turn the shaft by hand or a pair of needle nose pliers. Replace the knob with one from junk yard. The shaft has a half moon shape that the knob slides onto.

Ed B.

you might be able to stick a few pieces of a toothpick into the opening in the knob and hope it grabs the shaft.

Do not turn the knob to 11. It only goes up to 10! :slight_smile:

Most knobs are plastic with a “D” shaped hole that slips over a “D” shaped metal shaft. What happens is that eventually the plastic cracks and allows the inner part of the knob to open up and slip around the “D” shaft. Pull off the knob and take a look at it to see if it’s cracked (or even, broken off). With luck and a little super glue you may be able to get it back together, and after the glue has dried, slip the knob back on the shaft. Otherwise, a junkyard knob or a generic knob from a parts place will do the job.

Get two knobs. You’re going to break the other one soon (due to age of the plastic).

Hi Ed,

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I will give it a try!

Erin

I too had stripped the radio knobs on my '02 Mazda (yeah, I first swapped the knobs, and then stripped the other one).

I did the glue route, and they broke again!

I spent a lot of time online and in parts stores, driving the pep boys crazy, to no avail.

I finally figured out a solution that seems to work, and best of all: It’s Free (One of Life’s Little Victories!!!)

Find a drinking straw that is just a little smaller than the width of the knob shaft part (the piece of plastic that has gotten too wide to grip the metal shaft). Temporarily make the straw a bit wider by shoving the end of a pen in it. Slip the end of the straw over the shaft holder. Cut the rest of the straw off at the base, and you are set! When the straw goes back to it’s original size, it will pull the shaft holder tight, just like new!

Remember, each fast food joint has different width straws! You may have to visit one or two to get the right size. For Mazda, try McDonalds.

Hope this works for anyone else - it worked great for me!