7 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHWeird radio power problem - 1998 C2
Reported or suspected cause
wise idea
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Identified cause
1
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that suspect a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
With that theory in mind I was going to just replace the alternator and be done with it, assuming it's possibly a failing VRM on the alt, but has anyone had the same issue before I spend £300 on a new alternator and belt?
Leading evidence: 'wise idea' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'wise idea' (1 discussions; 0 report identifying it and 1 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace alternator and be done' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
With that theory in mind I was going to just replace the alternator and be done with it, assuming it's possibly a failing VRM on the alt, but has anyone had the same issue before I spend £300 on a new alternator and belt?
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
Once the engine has run for a while, the radio will come back on (or I can turn it on manually).
These are separate views of the same evidence. Frequency alone does not establish a fix, and these counts must not be added together.
Replace alternator and be done
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
With that theory in mind I was going to just replace the alternator and be done with it, assuming it's possibly a failing VRM on the alt, but has anyone had the same issue before I spend £300 on a new alternator and belt?
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
7 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
911uk: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T163944Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
edit: Oh, turns out this is my first post. Hi!
I've had this issue with the car since I bought it a year or so ago but have never bothered to fix it. I've got a bit of time on my hands now so thought I'd have a go...
When I first turn the ignition on, the radio will come to life. Once I start the engine, the radio will die again and I cannot turn it back on manually.
Once the engine has run for a while, the radio will come back on (or I can turn it on manually). The period between starting the engine and being able to turn on the radio varies according to outside temperature, it seems... Bear with me here...
In the winter it takes a lot longer for the radio to become operational than in the summer. On a hot start the radio will work straight away.
The only thing I can think of is that it's related to the current draw on the battery - I don't drive the car much so there's going to be some charging of the battery going on when I first start it. In winter I would imagine the battery will have lost more charge between drives than in the summer...
With that theory in mind I was going to just replace the alternator and be done with it, assuming it's possibly a failing VRM on the alt, but has anyone had the same issue before I spend £300 on a new alternator and belt?
Cheers :thumbup:
It'll be just over 14 when 'cold' then just under 14 when warmed up. edit: According to the dash anyway, I haven't stuck a multimeter on it.
The car doesn't seem to have any other weird voltage related issues, at least it'll start fine after being left for 2-3 weeks.
Nothing wrong with the alternator and nothing wrong with the battery. 1st thing I'd try is connecting the stereo up to a permanent 12v supply and see if its the stereo that's the problem or the car. Make sure you have the code before you start messing with anything.
I have experienced a similar issue.
I had assumed it was related to the aftermarket stereo but I changed it for another one and still occasionally get the same problem. The wiring is completely standard so I don't think it's been tampered with.
Interesting, thanks.
This is the factory fit OEM stereo (at least it's the same make/model so I assume it is). The previous owner mentioned that it sometimes cut out under hard acceleration but would come back with a tap of the brakes. He'd assumed it was a loose connection somewhere but this has never happened to me; I only get the problem on a cold start.
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