Beep Beep Beep From The Stereo

[Hooo]

I've just bought a 2001 Xsara with the standard CD player stereo. The stereo was disconnected and not working when I got it, but after replacing the power amp chip it works fine. The only trouble is a constant beeping once a second. It gets louder with the volume control but it still beeps when I press mute. It's there on radio or CD.

I guess it's an alarm of some kind, but there's no warning lights on. Does the stereo need to be reset or something after it's been disconnected?

Another strange thing. The fuse that's listed as audio equipment in the manual, is missing from the fusebox; but the stereo still works. Seems odd that it's not on the correct fuse. I put a fuse in, but it made no difference to anything.

[Hooo]

I've found a bodge to remove the beep, in case anyone else has the same issue.

 

I tried my five nearest Citoen dealers, and they were a complete waste of time. "Er, we don't know, but if you bring it in well look to see if there's any fault codes. Half hours labour, £50 + VAT". £59, just to find out if they can fix it, probably cost even more if they can. Better off buying another stereo.

 

Anyway, I poked around inside the unit and traced the circuit that adds the beep to the audio. I removed one capacitor from the board and the beep is gone, it all works fine. I never found out if it's the security feature that produces the beep, but if it is, then it's rubbish security - it didn't take much effort to remove it.

 

If anyone wants instructions on how to do the bodge, send me a message.

 

H

[Hooo]

Someone asked me for instructions, so I've posted them here for everyone.

These are for a PU-2295A unit. I don't know if others will be the same.

 

First remove the top cover and front panel. The front panel has a screw on each side and then it just pulls off, you don't need to pull the knobs off or anything.

Then remove the CD drive by removing the four screws in this picture, and unplugging the cable using the white tab you can see in the middle.

 

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq160/Hooopyx/Dismantle.jpg

 

The capacitor is circled in this picture

 

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq160/Hooopyx/Closeup.jpg

 

Here's a wider shot with the area in the above picture outlined

 

http://i443.photobucket.com/albums/qq160/Hooopyx/main.jpg

 

I think the capacitor is labelled C230, but the printing is a bit fuzzy on my board. If you have suitable test gear, the beep is easily detectable on the capacitor terminals. If you don't, you just have to take the chance! I unsoldered it, but you could just twist it off with a pair of pliers if you don't have a soldering iron.

[mallyb]

Is the  electronic boffin HoHo still on here, I have C5 radio slightly different on the board, I wonder if he could offer any help.to stop the beep.

[paul.h]

Welcome to the forum, Hooo has not been on here since 2011 so it is unlikely your post will be seen but you could try a message via his/her profile. 

 

Citroen radios are coded to the car on which they are originally installed and if put in a different car the beep is given unless it is then coded to the new car. I have no idea how Hooo decided that removal of that capacitor was a fix for the beep and there have been no other posts to confirm if it works. Other than a dealer, there may be people advertising on the internet who can decode a radio.

[Hooo]

Hi. I sold my Citroen a few years ago, so I'm no longer on the forum. I did get your PM though.

Unfortunately, there's not a lot I can do to help without having the radio in front of me (with test gear to hand). I can let you know how I did it though, so if you can find someone with suitable test gear who knows how to use it you might be in luck. As your radio is a different model my trick might not be possible at all. I'm quite surprised that it was so easy to disable the security feature - bad design in my opinion! They might have changed it in later models.

What I did was identify the audio processor IC, it's one of the big ones and it's a standard car audio device. Then I poked around with a scope until I found the beep signal, and traced this signal back to its source. The source was a microcontroller. In between the microcontroller and the audio IC there is point where the beep signal gets combined with the audio. The capacitor I removed was at the point where there was only beep on one side, and combined audio and beep on the other.

Obviously, you'll need to know a bit about electronics to follow my instructions. I'm afraid there's no way to make it a step by step process.

[paul.h]

Thankyou for getting back to us.

[Monk]

Replaced my radio in 2003 c5 Followed hooo advise on how to stop the beeping , really easy to do and now no beeping ,big thanks

[coastline taxis]

any lexia or decent scanner can sort this.   all you have to do is go to stereo and enter the vin code of the vehicle into the stereo via the obd port and its done.  really is a 5 minute job