My radio problem is that occasionally I lose FM when switching via the steering wheel controls. I've determined that when it happens, it only works again by switching away from FM entirely, via steering wheel or dash controls--going from FM1 to FM2 it's still silent. Asked my dealer about it last time I was in and they had no clue, were going to research, and haven't said a word since. Obviously they couldn't reproduce it.

My other sound system related issue is that I seem to be blowing speakers a little too often. They had to replace my left rear speaker (took some extra effort to prove to them it was a problem though it was obvious when _I_ played something), and said a door speaker had been blown too at the time, and now maybe a year later I'm hearing another blown left rear speaker. I rarely listen to the stereo at any serious volume, so the only thing I can even think of is that the sound level on my MP3 CDs vs the radio is pretty significant for many discs, which sometimes leaves the volume way too high when I switch to a CD. But still for the volume I normally use I can't imagine any reason my speakers should keep blowing.

 

The TCH stereo has eight speakers and an eight-channel, 440-watt digital amplifier. (220 RMS watts) That would supply 55 peak watts to each speaker. ( 27.5 RMS watts)

Here is a Crutchfield page for popular brands of replacement speakers for the 2007 TCH w/o navigation. The TCH probably comes with the JML brand speakers. Here you can see the brands that would be better.

http://www.crutchfield.com/g_410/Com...ms.html?tp=106

This is the start page to select any vehicle with or w/o navigation.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Q4W9vYR...?s=0&cc=01&lp=

 

One problem with the Crutchfield car-specific speaker options is they only have the location option for the front door speakers. Can't select a filter to find appropriate replacements for the rear speakers. And I'm not a big audio guy, so I'm not looking for the best speaker system ever, I just want to make sure I'm not going to keep blowing speakers from very mundane usage. It's just frustrating, the speakers sound great to me when they're working.

But thanks for the pointer.

 

It's usually excessive bass that ruins the larger size speakers. You might press your right radio **** and back off the bass from a full 5 to a 4 or 4 1/2. Watch your volume numbers to see how loud your running your CD audio.

I have played this song in my car to 35 volume with with bass set to 5, with no problems. I'm using the oem '07 TCH radio and speakers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dO5uCKw4nl0

 

Hm. I generally keep it pretty neutral, and nowhere near that volume. Though I'll repeat, the sound level of the radio can require volume up 15-20 for reasonable sound (especially with windows down or on the highway), and I can often play an MP3 disc at volume <5, so it may be that the MP3 at 15 on some of these songs is equivalent to radio at 35, I just don't know. But hearing that you're using the original (non-nav?) stereo and speakers loud with tons of bass makes me that much more confused (and annoyed, heh) that mine have blown twice now without doing anything like that.

(And yes, those volume levels are semi-extremes--I rarely have the radio that loud, though teens is common. But I can easily play some MP3 discs as low as 1-3 volume.)

 

Here are my settings for the JVC standard 8 speaker radio. Press the Tune **** each time to step though the settings. Once done it will time out on it's own.

Fade, one number toward the back
Balance = 0
Treble = 4
Mid Range = 3 or 4 (can't remember)
Bass = 5 (you may prefer 4)

 

BTW just as an update--dealer still has no clue what's going on. Replaced the stereo at least once (presumably twice, but I only recall them mailing me my CDs the second time), no change. And it seems to me that it happens more when it starts getting cooler outside. Summer is pretty good, fall it becomes more noticeable.

 

Interesting... I've seen printed circuit boards develop hairline fractures within a trace. Heat expands the fracture together, while cold contracts it apart. You'd think a skilled technician could figure out which board is likely causing the problem. Having said that, my Nav Screen went bat$hit once. It went blank except for some sort of a warning message. A "reboot" resolved it.

 

Yeah, they're not having a lot of luck. Whether that speaks to the subtlety of the issue or the skill of the staff looking, I can't say. But the fact they're kind of out of the way for me means I'm not willing to go back and forth frequently. Not sure if that would've helped, but so far the periodic investigations and stereo replacements have been going on the last... must be 2 years or so now? And it's just unclear what's not working right. The display shows FM, so you'd think that's probably a good sign it's not switching to the absent AUX or satellite inputs, but then who knows.

And I have yet to find anything that sounds like anyone else with a similar problem (service department using Toyota resources, having the same result).

Still just a mystery and occasional annoyance. The main technical thing decreasing my pleasure in my car, even if it's only a little bit.

 

I had the same issue, blank display. It did it one day and I swung by the dealer. They ordered a new JBL head unit/changer. This was an intermittant problem and I was lucky the dealer could see the issue.

I pulled the **** off of the volume shaft and marked the shaft with a sharpie so I could tell if they swapped it out. They did swap it out (verified) and the problem has not returned.