Harmon Kardon Radio Problems
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Fairing Mount Bracket Cracked+Excessive Vibaration=HK Radio Problems
I am looking for some advice. I recently sent my stock HK radio to Iron Cross Audio for audio output loss. They informed me the problem was caused by exessive vibration within the fairing which transferred to the radio. I checked the fairing mounting brackets after I was told by ICA that was the likely cause. Sure enough, I found a crack on the left metal bracket where it connects to the top of the fairing. Is there anyway to fix the crack with a liquid type adhesive or other method? I don't have a welder and am tring to avoid having to have the piece replaced. Anyone have a similar experience?
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 136
Likes: 6
From: Sterling Heights, Michigan
dhog
Check out this guys website. I had the same problem this past summer with my radio and the fairing brackets. It is a quick and easy fix and at a very reasonable price. Check around the forums here. Many people have used this fix. I would certainly stay away from any type of adhesives with all the vibrations going on with the fairing.
http://www.nwmachine.com/rfw/Order.htm
Check out this guys website. I had the same problem this past summer with my radio and the fairing brackets. It is a quick and easy fix and at a very reasonable price. Check around the forums here. Many people have used this fix. I would certainly stay away from any type of adhesives with all the vibrations going on with the fairing.
http://www.nwmachine.com/rfw/Order.htm
6th Gear
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Hagerman, Idaho
Looked on some other forums last night and one said to check and see if the CB function was turned on. He stated his radio and CD would go off and on and found the CB on, turned it off and all was good. Turned my CB off and seemed to work fine, at least in the garage.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma
Same prob on my 2008 Ultra!
Same thing here, been flippin that damn switch for a year now. Never know when it will cut out, but seems a quick flick of the rocker switch brings it right back on. I am also having issues with my volume control, sometimes it just quits and won't adjust up, down is OK, but no up volume. Tried everything, even replace the handlebar volume control. Never know when or if I is going to work, from what I have read here it sounds like a PC board issue may be my problem and I am looking at replacing the system. Will any of the aftermarket audio units work with the factory CB radio and the handlebar controls?
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,449
Likes: 46
From: Roswell, GA
Same thing here, been flippin that damn switch for a year now. Never know when it will cut out, but seems a quick flick of the rocker switch brings it right back on. I am also having issues with my volume control, sometimes it just quits and won't adjust up, down is OK, but no up volume. Tried everything, even replace the handlebar volume control. Never know when or if I is going to work, from what I have read here it sounds like a PC board issue may be my problem and I am looking at replacing the system. Will any of the aftermarket audio units work with the factory CB radio and the handlebar controls?
Just pull it and send to Iron Cross Audio and you will be good to go in under 7 days.
Carl
Last edited by Harleypingman; Apr 30, 2013 at 09:10 PM.
Novice
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 16
Likes: 3
I have had 5 - YES FIVE radios replaced under warranty. vibration cracks internal board
I called Iron Cross and talked to a tech, who was a bit surprised that I asked him what to tell HD dealer repair shop. After I explained situation he softened a bit and answered a couple questions.
When Iron Cross fixes radio they add vibration isolation in a way to help prevent this problem. He suspects that sometimes when a radio is just swapped out that the returned radio may already have damage starting- from vibration- and that repeats the earlier failure with radio.
I suspect that my 5th repair will fail, and NOW with my bike out of extended warranty I will need to send radio to Iron Cross for an ACTUAL REPAIR.
Thanks for the help to the team at http://ironcrossaudio.com/
I called Iron Cross and talked to a tech, who was a bit surprised that I asked him what to tell HD dealer repair shop. After I explained situation he softened a bit and answered a couple questions.
When Iron Cross fixes radio they add vibration isolation in a way to help prevent this problem. He suspects that sometimes when a radio is just swapped out that the returned radio may already have damage starting- from vibration- and that repeats the earlier failure with radio.
I suspect that my 5th repair will fail, and NOW with my bike out of extended warranty I will need to send radio to Iron Cross for an ACTUAL REPAIR.
Thanks for the help to the team at http://ironcrossaudio.com/
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 881
Likes: 13
From: ONT
MOCO has a service bulletin out regards to this issue. Seems on the earlier bikes the after 2 screws are a bit high and ride on the underside of the radio when the handle bars are turned. That in combination with the vibration from a broken Fairing mount leads to a circuit board cracking.
Iron Cross will replace the circuit board, improve water proofing and vibration damping and return your radio back to you.
Not sure when HD replaced the two screws with the lower profile but I know I had to replace them on my 09.
When I was having the issue with my radio the local dealer was clueless when it came to the radio. They had the radio out of my bike and I think when they were either removing or putting it back in they must of done something to it. As a matter of fact there are 4 screws that secure the radio. One or two of them are rather awkward to get at. The dealer actually stripped the threads on the right side of my radio and only installed 3 of them. Iron Cross replaced the stripped thread part and strongly recommended using all 4 bolts.
Iron Cross will replace the circuit board, improve water proofing and vibration damping and return your radio back to you.
Not sure when HD replaced the two screws with the lower profile but I know I had to replace them on my 09.
When I was having the issue with my radio the local dealer was clueless when it came to the radio. They had the radio out of my bike and I think when they were either removing or putting it back in they must of done something to it. As a matter of fact there are 4 screws that secure the radio. One or two of them are rather awkward to get at. The dealer actually stripped the threads on the right side of my radio and only installed 3 of them. Iron Cross replaced the stripped thread part and strongly recommended using all 4 bolts.
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Novice
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Mouseville USA
I'm on my Second HK radio issue, 2011 CVO, first time the radio would keep playing but the face plate went out, took two months of it doing this before it would consistently show the problem, go to dealer, it works, drive out, stops, drive back, it's back on. Even showed them on iphone video (yes I stopped when it happened to video it) had to wait, what a PIA.
Now it's out again just 30 days after warranty expired, lucky I bought the extended so I've got to get it over to the dealer for work, now the radio faceplate works but no sound, had a nice POP come through the speakers and then nothing...
Now it's out again just 30 days after warranty expired, lucky I bought the extended so I've got to get it over to the dealer for work, now the radio faceplate works but no sound, had a nice POP come through the speakers and then nothing...
1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Pennsylvania
My FLHTCU Harman radio display intermittently was coming on in reverse. Now it does it all the time. The display is backwards. All I got was jokes and a web site that might fix it for god knows what. Anyone else have this problem. It works fine but the display is backwards. yea I heard all the jokes but none of the solutions