alexmoore

Hi All,

I've had zero issues with my beautiful 2005 Pebble Beach edition Lexus SC430! Until..

Last month we noticed while driving for over fourty minutes, all sound suddenly stopped on the radio. Everything is OEM in our system, we normally keep our phones plugged into the tape player with a little thingamagig. But it seems like possibly something is overheating and shutting on a safety, effectively shutting off all sound. We change from Tape to Radio and all other types of settings and nothing changes. Everything works perfectly(buttons/antennas/etc), everything is getting power, but sound is dead. If we turn on and off the car, it will work perfectly for about 5 minutes, and then shuts off again(this is what leads me to believe it is a safety mechanism). If we don't drive the car for awhile, it will work as normal and turn off after an average period of time (25-45 minutes). There are better and worse days.

We've been thinking it's the amplifier, but I just wanted a few more opinions before I take the plunge and purchase a used one off of ebay. They are pretty expensive, so please let me know if you guys have any experience with this issue.

Also, as mine is 2005, I see there is an older & newer amp on Ebay. Which one to buy? The older one looks to be plastic and the newer looks metal. The metal is about double the price of the plastic.
Also, a way to access the amplifier to match serial numbers? I don't want to be tearing up any carpet, as I know its in the trunk. I'll be honest, I don't know my way around much electronics but I do know how to match serial numbers. Let me know if you have any experience accessing that amp.

Thanks in advance!
Alex

mandyfig

I suggest that you re-boot the system. However instead of unplugging the battery (by the way this is not an issue to do but you will lose your pre-set on your seats and your radio stations) you can remove the fuse for RADIO 1 (located on either the PASS or DRIVER kick panel). That will re-set your radio and hopefully fix it. It is a long shot.

If you need to replace/repair your Mark Levinson Head Unit there are places that will do so for you, you send them your head unit and they will replace-repair and send back to you. Approx $150 to $200, Google it.

I investigated this route because my unit had the "CD STUCK" issue. Instead of getting the unit repaired, I converted into the AUX input option. And most recently upgraded into Bluetooth capability utilizing my current set up.

Good luck.

kjcole

Sounds like a thermal safety is being triggered. I'd make sure that the fan that cools the power amp below the trunk is still working.

mandyfig

That should be it...time to rip the trunk out...

Harold57

I agree that it is most likely the amp in the trunk. We saw a rash (a handful, actually) of them a few years ago on the forum.