car radio lcd display problems quotation

The Canadian mechanical engineering student hacked the dashboard display screen in his car, so it’s now displaying funny quotes from Reddit. Specifically, it’s displaying those weird “Shower Thoughts” — the headlines from Reddit’s forum for the brilliant one-off insights that pop into your head at random moments.

Luckily, all the digital devices in his 2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe were connected using a fairly common standard — the “Controller Area Network bus” (or CAN bus). So Harin grabbed one of his Arduino’s — plus a cheap SPI CANBUS circuit board — and just started doing some experiments. When he first installed his Arduino circuit board into the dashboard, the LCD began showing the time of day — every ten milliseconds — and any new messages that he sent to the screen were simply being wiped out when the system re-transmitted. But Harin had already built up a strong motivation to keep moving forward, according to a recent write-up in Make: magazine, because “I hated that stupid little blue LCD. It would just sit there staring at me brightly with the words ‘AUX’…”

So he re-routed the LCD’s input. And fortunately, Harin’s other Raspberry Pi board could accommodate a WiFi dongle. By using an iPhone for connectivity, it was now able to draw down the funny Reddit quotes. And Make: also reported that his next project may be to install a router directly into his car.

Harin’s even mounted his Nexus 7 Android tablet into his car’s dashboard and is using it to play music. In the comments on his blog, he talks about one day transmitting the “now playing” information from the tablet to the LCD. Somewhere in the mix, there’s even an SQL database. “My main script retrieves the top post from Shower Thoughts and converts the characters to their hexadecimal equivalents, adds the message ID and row identifier, and stores it in an SQL database.”

There’re two more scripts just for retrieving the quote from the database and display it on the screen, which Harin says will be building blocks for more features down the road. “Eventually, I’ll be able to screen the messages intended for the LCD on the primary [CAN bus] network and add the ones I want to keep to the SQL database while removing the ones I don’t need anymore.”

Now instead of seeing the external temperature on his display, he sees bits of mind-blowing amateur philosophy. But maybe it goes to show you that if you’re going someplace strange, your journey there can be just as unpredictable. According to his blog post, the screen was originally intended for displaying song information (title and artist) for Sirius XM.

While touch screens are handy, it definitely isn’t useful if they aren’t working. Here are a few troubleshooting steps you can take to fix the issue with your car’s touch screen:Clean your touchscreen

The cost of having a professional replace your car’s touch screen depends on what you choose as a replacement but can generally land between $100 and $300.

Once you download Jerry, just answer a handful of questions that will take you roughly 45 seconds to complete and you’ll immediately get car insurance quotes for coverage similar to your current plan. Jerry customers save an average of $887 a year.

Might be normal for some, but it is not normal for all LCD displays. The LCD on the AC directly below the radio is not effected at all by heat. Between my wife and I we"ve owned 7 cars since moving to Arizona, plus I"ve changed the head units in 3 or 4 of those. None of those have had any kind of display problem at all. I"d say that makes this BMW unit somewhat unique.

The problem is certainly something I can live with and since it sounds decent I have no intentions of changing it for an aftermarket unit. I do believe that a radio in a $50,000 car should be free of problems and that there is no reason the display in the radio shouldn"t be as good as the one in the AC. I was hoping I just got a bad one and that a replacement from the dealer would fix it. That"s starting to sound less likely.

In the1950sand1960s, havingan FM radioin your car put you in the top tier of automobile owners. Since then, it’s fair to say that things have changed a lot regarding the bells and whistles on your car’s dashboard, as highly advanced infotainment systems are more or less standard in every new vehicle. Built-in Bluetooth lets you take hands-free phone calls, GPS lets you adventure further than ever, plus some systems even support movie streaming and apps. They’re so entertaining that they can even bea little too distracting.

But while they’re undeniably helpful, more complex systems also mean more complex parts—and more expensive repairs. Knowing what an infotainment system is and whether your car’s warranty covers it can help you be prepared if it ever breaks.

A car’s infotainment system is a specific portion of the dashboard, often found where the radio would be and is essentially part onboard computer, part entertainment system. It acts as a touchscreen command center, allowing drivers to control a wide array of functions with just a touch of the finger. And while the specific features available in a vehicle will differ by make and model, mostnew carswill have infotainment systems capable of:

Today, it can be easy to take for granted how quickly and precisely your car can heat up or cool down when usingheatingor theair conditioner. When first introduced in vehicles back in the late 1930s and until the first infotainment systems began making their way into vehicles, the heating and A/C were controlled by knobs and dials that never could seem to get the temperature just right. With a working infotainment system, you can get precise A/C control with an effortless swipe of the screen.

While you can still get the usual radio stations in a vehicle, the musical capabilities of modern cars are far more advanced than ever before. Many infotainment systems have music streaming apps like Spotify, Apple Music and more as standard features. Or, if you have your smartphone handy, you can connect it via Bluetooth and play your favorite songs, podcasts, or audiobooks. Some systems can even stream video!

Most infotainment systems found in newer vehicles will often double as the display for a rearview camera. This can help you safely back your vehicle out of your driveway, a parking space or any other scenario where a pedestrian or another vehicle may not be easily seen in your rearview mirror.

Power Failure:If your infotainment doesn’t turn on along with the rest of your car, it may be due to problems with your car’s battery. If just the infotainment system or other electrical parts of your vehicle aren’t working, it may be a blown fuse or some wiring issues.

Unresponsive Touchscreen:Touchscreens can be very sensitive to extreme temperatures and can stop responding. Spills or other water/liquid damage can also cause the display to stop working entirely.

Antenna Doesn’t Work:If your car has an antenna on the exterior, any damage can prevent it from receiving signals that your infotainment system needs.

Smartphone Integration Problems:There are several reasons your phone could stop connecting to your infotainment, including issues with Bluetooth. If you are physically plugging in your phone or device, check to see if the cable or port/adapter you are using is working as it should.

Rearview Camera Problems:As infotainment systems can double as the screen for arearview camera, you may see issues with your infotainment system should the camera be on the fritz.

Whenpurchasing a brand new carfrom a dealership, you’ll have the coverage of afactory warranty, sometimes referred to as a manufacturer’s warranty or a new vehicle limited warranty, depending on the automaker. This coverage will cover the repair costs needed due to workmanship errors or other faults to keep your vehicle running for a set number of years or miles, lasting between three and five years, or 36,000 to 60,000 miles. Your automaker will usually cover your car’s infotainment system with a factory or a new vehicle limited warranty. However, once that coverage expires, you’d be left paying for any repairs unless you havean extended warrantyor avehicle service contract(VSC).

An extended warranty is an extension of the factory warranty provided by your automaker. At the same time, a vehicle service contract is a similar kind of coverage offered by a third-party provider, like Endurance. It’s also crucial to remember that any warranty or VSC differs from anycar insuranceormechanical breakdown insurance(aka car repair insurance) policy you may have.

If you have an extended warranty or vehicle service contract, what’s covered in your policy will ultimately come down to your provider, including your infotainment system. However, due to their complexity, most extended warranties or VSCs may not cover infotainment systems, similar to how many will not provide you with coverage for things likeyour car’s airbags,catalytic converterorwindshield.

But, while standard plans may not include an infotainment system, depending on the level of service contract you choose, you may find that you can find some coverage. For example,exclusionary coverageplans like theSupreme protection planfrom Endurance cover some manufacturer-installed infotainment elements (like the radio) if the repair is less than $1,000. However, some exclusions may apply, so always check your policy’s fine print.

Additionally, asan Endurance customer, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing you’ll have 24/7 roadside assistance and towing, rental car reimbursements, and trip interruption coverage for free, regardless of your plan. You’ll also be automatically eligible for a whole year’s worth ofElite Benefits, including up to two tire replacements or repairs, collision discounts and more. Just pay a $20 activation fee and enjoy your entire year’s worth of additional perks and savings.

To learn more about how an Endurance protection plan can help you, giveour award-winning care teama call at (800) 253-8203, or you can get started byrequesting a free, no-obligation quote. By visiting theEndurance blog, you can also find other great articles on a wide range of automotive topics, including vehicle buying guides, extended warranty comparisons,DIY maintenance tips, and more.