A couple of times my JVC head unit has "crashed": the screen goes blank, it keeps playing but nothing, not even the volume control will do anything. I'm guessing it's overheating, as both times it's been whilst I've had the roof down and the heater on full (and that centre heat outlet is right on top of it).

Last time was on Thursday night driving into Dover. I tried to change the radio station, and got radio 3, and then it crashed. So I was driving into the port of Dover where there's a big queue, roof down, with Radio 3 blasting out. More than a bit embaressing.

I found somewhere to stop and switch off and back on, but that didn't help, but fortunately after I'd left it for a few minutes it worked again. Phew. I had vision of doing the whole Easter weekend at The Ring with no music and static blasting out of my stereo (okay so I would have worked out the fuse eventually).

Does this sort of thing happen to anybody else?

 

I had it on a few older headunits .. since I switched to Alpine, I've not hat the issue.

I've also had problems with CD's getting so hot, they'll not play anymore.

 

lucky you wired it so its controlled by ignition and not so it's constant on hehe

 

On European trips my Alpine gets hot enough to fail after a fast 4 hours. Comes back to life once it cools.

Need a PC fan round the back maybe to keep the air moving

 

I experienced the same problem with the Alpine fingertip control adapter, as did Budgie. Have you thought about some aluminium foil shielding at the back of the HU?

 

Mines been okay, but then the internal amp is disabled as I use an external amp.

 

I've not had any issues at all with my Blaupunkt head unit, or with overheated CDs