You have my sympathies. Fifteen years ago, I had a car where the radio would randomly change stations and volume. I was ready to sell the car because it was driving me nuts, but decided to replace the stereo instead. I ended up keeping it for another couple years, until the lack of safety features began to invade my dreams as highway crashes followed by fierydeaths.
You obviously have gremlins. That's the only plausible explanation.
In all seriousness, I think i would honestly explore replacing the stereo system. If it's nonrefundable, anyway, might as well go all in and just make sure the damned thing works.
I'd spend a bit more, and replace most everything but the speakers and their cabling, from a stereo dealer who'll warranty *their* equipment and installation - because what you've described sounds like at least a partial reboot, which might be triggered by intermittent power interrupts or surges or other things, which might not be internal to the unit but which, if not internal, should be discoverable, resolvable, and/or preventable with proper installation of a new unit.
"Replacing the stereo system" is apparently not an option, because the stereo system is so intertwined with the navigation system that one would have to replace both at once.
It's still an option - you can totally buy aftermarket stereos with navigation built-in. They will likely cost around the same as a replacement radio from your dealer, but you'll have a wide variety of options. Try Crutchfield if you decide to go this route.
eta: I misread your numbers. You can totallyfind new units for under $1300.
Sounds like a head, not an amp, fault to me. My stab is that your unit is having main bus issues after a component connector has gone through too many heating cycles and has experienced a hairline crack - when it heats -just- right, you end up with a gremlin-like electrical fault that affects just part of one component.
1) Tracking that down would basically require taking apart the entire unit and needing specialized test/repair equipment - no one's going to do it for that particular piece of hardware at a reasonable cost. It'll be cheaper to have the dealer just put in a new one.
2) When the dealer does a head-end swap, they have a special SIRI/XM number that they're supposed to call to 'swap' you over to the new ID. You may have to remind them a couple of times - and hang around at the dealer until the 'new' radio does the swap over. The last time I did it, they screwed up the process and it took me a week on the phone/computer with XM to get it worked out - where it would have been just a few minutes for the dealer's tech.
If it ends up factoring into your calculations at all, I would not put any amount of money down on the bet that you would be able to actually buy a fully self-driving car for private use any time before 2028.
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In all seriousness, I think i would honestly explore replacing the stereo system. If it's nonrefundable, anyway, might as well go all in and just make sure the damned thing works.
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I'd spend a bit more, and replace most everything but the speakers and their cabling, from a stereo dealer who'll warranty *their* equipment and installation - because what you've described sounds like at least a partial reboot, which might be triggered by intermittent power interrupts or surges or other things, which might not be internal to the unit but which, if not internal, should be discoverable, resolvable, and/or preventable with proper installation of a new unit.
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It's still an option - you can totally buy aftermarket stereos with navigation built-in. They will likely cost around the same as a replacement radio from your dealer, but you'll have a wide variety of options. Try Crutchfield if you decide to go this route.
eta: I misread your numbers. You can totallyfind new units for under $1300.
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Two followups, if you have any insight into them:
1) Assuming your diagnosis is correct, should this be repairable or do I need a new head unit?
2) Do you expect that replacing the head unit would mean sacrificing my "lifetime of the equipment" XM subscription?
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2) When the dealer does a head-end swap, they have a special SIRI/XM number that they're supposed to call to 'swap' you over to the new ID. You may have to remind them a couple of times - and hang around at the dealer until the 'new' radio does the swap over. The last time I did it, they screwed up the process and it took me a week on the phone/computer with XM to get it worked out - where it would have been just a few minutes for the dealer's tech.
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