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Radio Preset Labels keep changing

2K views 31 replies 16 participants last post by  atdeneve 
#1 ·
When I set my radio presets, depending on how lucky I am, I can get it to show the radio station, frequency, or the call sign, but most of the time I get a partial of one of the above or the song title or artist.

If this isn't anoying enough, the next time I get into the car all the labels to my presets change. It appears that they all change to whatever happens to be comming from that radio station when I turned the car on.

This is an 05 that has had 3 different head units in it since I have owned it. I think they have all exhibited this behavior. Is this normal? User error?

I have been living with it, but if it is fixable, I'd like to get it fixed.

Thanks
mike
 
#3 ·
I did the trick of holding down the preset button and flipping to the station at the last second to get the station frequency to save, but the next time I get in the car its a partial title.
x3,same thing happened to me..at first i thought my friends were screwing around with my presets when i wasn't paying attention..but no its just the Navi.

I think we just have to live with it.. i have never heard of a fix
 
#6 ·
Its works if you do it right.
 
#8 ·
You guys have the right idea. Just go one click off the station you want, hold to save, and then change back to the station right at the last possible millisecond. I can usually do mine no problem now but sometimes I'll think I got one and it will change. Sometime it takes 10 times to get it down.

I almost gave up the first time. It really started to piss me off. Then I got the hang of it and did them all but the last one. I worked for like 10 or 15 minutes on the last one. It really kicked my ass!
 
#16 ·
I think you might be missing what my problem is. I understand it is a PITA to get the preset labels set, and I'm willing to accept that, if it would just stay set.

What is happening, is that after I get it set to what I want, for instance 95.3, the next time I get in the car, it may be set to 95.3, or KHYI or a partial song title or artist name or a combination of the above. No one other than me could possibly know what my presets are based on the label. They are all just a jumble of numbers and words.

Does this happen to you?

mike
 
#9 ·
I've learned to live with the junk.
 
#10 ·
WOW. I thought it was just me. What a PITA. I find it hard to believe CTSV154, that you got that to work. I may try it on one to test your theory, but holy crap, 15 minutes for one. I listen to XM or a disc almost 98% of the time. Oh Well, does not effect how the motor performs, so I can live with it.
 
#12 ·
trust me, it works. when I get a battery in I'll go take a picture of my radio screen.
 
#13 ·
It is normal. It has to do with the RDS data signal from each station.
We have an even more annoying one in this area.
One station that a lot of people seem to like doesn't broadcast the right info so it totally blanks out the preset altogether so you have a display of nothing as a preset.

It isn't something GM asked for I can tell you. The company that built the radios made them that way.

When servicing the vehicle with the VIN you entered, the following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the described symptoms.

Condition/Concern:
When setting the presets with the navigation radio tuned to a RDS station, a customer may notice that on the preset tab located on the right hand side, it displays part of the song title or music category instead of the station frequency. An example would be if the radio station is sending out the name Soft Rock, the preset tab may display only Rock.

Recommendation/Instructions:
This is a normal characteristic of the navigation radio.
 
#18 · (Edited)
If the broadcasted RDS caption happens to contain the text "95.3" and you fail to perform the "preset-tuner" trick correctly it may initially appear that the trick worked. Happened to me. The trick really does work if you do it correctly. My theory is that if broadcasted RDS signal is not found, the preset memory stores a 'null' value. This is probably why you need to tune to the frequency adjacent to the desired one. The RDS is out of tune. Having this null value set, the radio will never update that preset's caption. Just a theory but it seems possible due to the outcome I have experienced.
 
#19 ·
It pains me to see this is still an issue with people. It pains me to hear the correct answer given and people still not getting it. It pains me that the answer has clearly been spelled out on the faq forever and it took me quite literally five seconds to find the correct page by simply typing 'presets' on the faq search.

edit: I am saddened that my supporting membership expired. That was my last breath of V life, and it's been taken from me. Alas all I have left are headlight assemblies, the w4m tune, and a bad taste in my mouth. Sigh.
 
#32 ·
You just proved EXACTLY my point. It is literally painful, I'm talking bleeding ulcer painful, that you say it's not the long-term solution. If the 'fix' didn't work, than you didn't do it right. I set my presets and never had to fix them again BECAUSE THE FIX WORKS if you do it properly.

But now I'm just smiling with the amusement that those of you not being able to figure this out are left with having to look at garbage on your labels or 'fix' them everyday. 'Fix' in girlie little quotes because it's not a fix (sans quotes) until you do it right.

But for some reason you are all doing the fix correctly (doubt it) and are still getting garbage in your labels, then I apologize for your frustration. I've just never seen the fix fail when done properly.
BigRed, it genuinely pains me to see you in so much pain. I shall send you some uplifting stationery laced with flowery bits of Hallmark prose.
 
#20 ·
Thanks, we all understand how the "fix" works. But it's not really a "fix" if the next time you start your car, you have to "fix" 6 presets all over again.

I think the real question is...Is there a long term solution? From what I've heard and seen on the forums, and from personal experience with the "fix", the answer is NO.

~J
 
#30 ·
You just proved EXACTLY my point. It is literally painful, I'm talking bleeding ulcer painful, that you say it's not the long-term solution. If the 'fix' didn't work, than you didn't do it right. I set my presets and never had to fix them again BECAUSE THE FIX WORKS if you do it properly.

But now I'm just smiling with the amusement that those of you not being able to figure this out are left with having to look at garbage on your labels or 'fix' them everyday. 'Fix' in girlie little quotes because it's not a fix (sans quotes) until you do it right.

But for some reason you are all doing the fix correctly (doubt it) and are still getting garbage in your labels, then I apologize for your frustration. I've just never seen the fix fail when done properly.
 
#21 ·
If you are asking if a fix exists for the preset captions to update more frequently as it should then no, there is no fix. The forcing of the station frequency value to be displayed in the preset caption from the "FAQ fix" is your best, no hassel, less annoying solution.
 
#22 ·
If you do it correctly, you dont have to do every time you get in the car. My battery has been out of the car for 7 months and when I put it in the other day my presets were still there the way I left them. Numbers only. I didnt have to do anything.
 
#26 ·
I am changing my original statement in that it doesn't work. I agree with ctsv154 now.

After I posted above, I realized that I had done the trick to my FM1, but not my FM2. Last I remember was being on FM2 noticing the screwed up presets, but also forgetting that I didnt do the trick to that set of presets.

I drove my V last night and my FM1 presets were all good, so I spoke too soon above. My bad. :cookoo:
 
#23 ·
I hate this ish.

Set your stations when you are out of your home area. Worked for me
 
#24 ·
Ok, one last try. I know about the "trick" that makes it easier to get just the numbers in to the preset label. I have done this. I get everything set to a number. Then the next time I get in my car, some may be numbers, and other not.

Here is an example. The before.jpg is after I set all the presets. The after.jpg is after turning off the car and coming back 10 minutes later. Notice that the first second and fourth presets changed. They are still the same station, just the label has changed.

Is this normal? If so, I am going to turn off RDS.

mike
 

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#31 ·
The fix never fails if the fix is done correctly!
 
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