I seem to have a little electrical issue that popped up recently. Every couple minutes or so the radio randomly drops out for a second. I was just thinking it was a issue with the station at first, but then noticed that it was happening on multiple stations. I also noticed that it seemed to happen (sometimes) when the car would get a jostle (such as railroad tracks) but not every time.

This AM I also noticed that if I cut the steering wheel all the way to either side that it seems to cut not only the radio, but the power to the dashboard as well, causing the dash to cut off and on again. There is a slight thump when the wheels hit their stops so this could be a mechanical disturbance as well.

My first theory is that I have a bad/loose ground somewhere, but since i'm still relatively new to the S2K I'm not exactly sure where to start. I'm no EE, but not unfamiliar with a multi-meter either so I'd like to try to diagnose the issue.

What is the best source to get a complete wiring diagram for an 04?
Anyone have any suggestions in the mean time?

 

This would be the best source of wiring diagrams; you may be able to find a cheaper one on eBay,
or perhaps there is a digital version floating around somewhere.

 

I once had an issue where the radio would turn off every time I adjusted my mirrors or had something plugged into the 12v socket. The problem ended up being the load shedding relay having high resistance across the contacts. I ended up fixing the issue by scraping the corrosion off of the relay contacts.

Anyway, you need to use the schematics in the service manual to see what's in the same circuit as the radio and dash lights.

 

BTW you might want to measure the battery voltage as you dry steer side to side. If you dry steer at idle, the alternator will not put out enough juice to power the rack alone. The car relies on the battery to provide the remaining juice. But if your battery is extremely weak, the voltage may drop low enough that things like the radio may drop out for a few seconds.

 

My bet is the accessory cut relay under the dash. This relay only activates when you crank the starter, disconnecting power from the radio and accessory socket. The relay contacts get dirty, you can pull the relay and clean them or replace the relay.

 

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm off to try to get one of the manuals as it's really a cheap tool that can save a lot of cash in the long run.