Z1 Freezes on start up

[JT_GTI]

Thanks for the info on the internal hard drive.

 

No word from Pioneer support yet, but I'm not holding my breath either.

 

3 unsuccessful boots this weekend.

 

This sucks.

 

JT

[bridge4d]

I don't think that HDD gets shut down... But I think that it starts to mis-read and throws a lot of reading errors. As a result, OS can't finish boot-up process and freezes at the point where it was left.

 

The what's the point of having internal temp monitored? I don't think they'd add the expense of an internal thermometer if the system didn't use it for some function.

[dimaj]

You have a point there.

Here's the temperature spec of the hard drive in the system:

Operating 3.2o - 158oF (-16o to 70oC)

Non-Operating -40o - 176oF (-40o to 80oC)

Shipping -40o - 176oF (-40o to 80oC)

 

I highly doubt that any of our systems reached those temperatures... those are almost temperatures of boiling water

If I recall this correctly, when I was in the debug (diagnostics) window doing a read check, system said that temperature of HDD was 32 degrees or so.

 

On the other note... if they will shut down HDD due to a sensor reading, that means that HDD will not start immediately after reset (since sensor is still reading high value). Am I correct? I honestly don't know... I'm just thinking out loud.

 

What I noticed with the debug window, if my system freezes on boot, I get a read error (during read test). If my system boots up properly, I go through the entire read test w/out any errors. If you are correct on the shutdown thing, maybe HDD gets turned off during the read test...

 

P.S. if this doesn't make any sense, let me know and I'll re-write this in the morning... I'm completely exhausted right now and I'm just typing up what I'm thinking

[tycoonrp]

i got my z1 back from pioneer today. i have not yet install. this is what they wrote in the service comment: NTF, RESET UNIT. i called pioneer to find out what does it mean. he said my z1 is no-trouble-found (NTF), only a reset is done. all my mp3s are gone. they tried to duplicate the problem and didn't find any.

 

he also mentioned to connect my z1 to a regulated power supply and try a different ground source.

 

well, i'll let you guys know when i get it installed soon.

 

finally i got my z1 installed. it's about 90 degrees today and some how my z1 is working. so far no freeze at startup. it's hard to say that temperature has to do with it.

 

pioneer said they found nothing and resetted my z1. all my information and mp3s are intact.

 

could this be true? i think pioneer knew what the problem is but not disclosing the information to the public.

[tycoonrp]

late last night i was driving home and my z1 started to skip when playing mp3. when i got home, i turn off the engine and turn back on, my z1 froze. it freezes today as i drove to work. i can't do anything at all.

 

i'm sending it back again for repair. i hope this time they'll find a problem.

[dimaj]

Was this heat related again?

if so, when you send it back please ask them to toast the unit for a few hours in a closed card under the sun. That's the way that I used to reproduce my freezes when they were happening.

 

Good luck to you.

 

dimaj

[ipsi]

Hi everyone, new to the forum. I am having the same problem, bought a new avic z1 about three months ago, worked fine for a couple weeks and then started to freeze at the pioneer logo. The problem got progressivley worst over the next three weeks, going from a once a week problem to a daily problem. I live in Florida so the car gets very hot in the summer. It's gotten to the point where i can only get the unit to work on the first start in the morning. Sent it to Pioneer twice in the last six weeks and both times NTF, reset system. The customer support could care less about my problem. I just received the unit back today so i will let you know if it's any better. Not too optomistic after reading all your posts.

[baritb]

I too just started experiencing this problem about 3 days ago. I've had this unit for over a year now (purchased in May 2006) and this has never occurred before, even after sitting in a black car with a black leather dash and seats in 95 degree heat. dimaj, I've been having the same problems you were having with playback just stopping and skipping to the next song. I actually experienced this before the system started freezing on the splash screen. The thing that bothers me the most is that I've been seeing the system freeze on boot when the vehicle is not hot at all -- I'm talking 60 degrees ambient temperature after sitting in the garage overnight. This leads me to believe that there could possibly be some physical damage to the HDD or thermal sensor that exhibits itself more frequently when the temperature is high.

 

Also, Sirshopolot makes a good point about the ACC coming from an ignition switched relay. I'm sure the BIOS waits a specified amount of time before it starts the hard drive, but (depending on the vehicle) if you frequently caused the HDD to power cycle by switching the ignition from accessory to ON, I could see it getting screwed up. Just my two cents.

[timvan]

Im one up...my unit has been down all day...

Iv reset it, removed all power..cooled it...no avail

 

 

Its stuck on the "starting pioneer in car navigation" screen.....wonder when it will start?

 

I love the unit when it works...unfortulately thats not very often for me

[tycoonrp]

Was this heat related again?

if so, when you send it back please ask them to toast the unit for a few hours in a closed card under the sun. That's the way that I used to reproduce my freezes when they were happening.

 

Good luck to you.

 

dimaj

 

i'm not sure it's heat related. of course pioneer didn't find any problem in their first repair. that's what they claimed. to me it's BS.

 

well, i took my z1 back to them. this time they'll replace it since it's intermittent problem. i'm not sure the exchange is a new or refurbish. i hope it'll work for good.

 

for all you guys experiencing the same problem, i recommend you send it back to pioneer if you still have the mfr warranty. some of the guys posted on the forum, it's a work around procedure, but when the problem comes back, it's very frustrating.

[ipsi]

I've had my z1 back in my car for 3 days now. No problems so far. It was almost 100 outside over the weekend and the car was parked in direct sunlight several times. Pioneer claimed NTF but did delete all my songs in the library so i'm curious if they really found no trouble why clear the hard drive?

 

I'm also starting to think this isn't just a heat problem, when mine started acting up on a daily basis there were several times where i just pulled it out of the garage in the morning, drove the car for 10-15 minutes, restarted the car and it would freeze up on the pioneer screen. No way the radio could heat up that much in such a short time, especially with the air running.

[tycoonrp]

I've had my z1 back in my car for 3 days now. No problems so far. It was almost 100 outside over the weekend and the car was parked in direct sunlight several times. Pioneer claimed NTF but did delete all my songs in the library so i'm curious if they really found no trouble why clear the hard drive?

 

I'm also starting to think this isn't just a heat problem, when mine started acting up on a daily basis there were several times where i just pulled it out of the garage in the morning, drove the car for 10-15 minutes, restarted the car and it would freeze up on the pioneer screen. No way the radio could heat up that much in such a short time, especially with the air running.

 

mine was NTF too. they reset my z1 but my mp3s are still there. it didn't last a whole day and my z1 freezes at startup. now they're going to exchange another one for me since this is my second visit. i won't get it til end of the week. will keep you guys post.

 

i hope yours don't act up intermittent. good luck.

[timvan]

IPSI

 

How long did pioneer hold your avic hostage? I just sent mine in...they say 5 days.

[tycoonrp]

usually 5-7 business days.

 

if pioneer says NTF (no trouble found) and reset it, most likely your z1 will have the same problem. which happens to mine. send it back to them.

[dathotbrotha]

I'm complelely feed up with this unit. My z1 was sent off for repair twice now to pioneer. First time, NTF only reset was done. I was skeptical about this actually being done because when I got the unit back all my cd's were still in the library. Installed unit (cool 70 degree night in garage) and unit hangs up on pioneer screen immediately. I once again I was unable to do anything with unit all buttons except volume were locked out. Sent unit back to pioneer again with detailed description of problem. They say the replaced hard drive. Installed newly replaced hard drive z1 in this weekend. Only to find that my ducati circuit bypass no longer worked. Tried ground pin bypass and it worked. New unit and bypass worked for about one day then started freezing up again.

 

I've found that if I keep the most recent Gracenote Update CD (started having problems after this update) in the unit before I turn off my car, it will start up fine everytime with no freezing occurring and unit still being bypassed. I just make sure I either eject the disc or immediately switch to another source other than the CD drive to prevent the update from actually taking place. After each successful boot with the Update cd installed I would remove it and try to start without the disc in the drive and it would freeze up EVERYTIME. Open for any explanations?

 

Either way, unit will be uninstalled once again and sent off to pioneer with a DVD copy of the video I plan to take to visually describe the problem that everyone seems to be having since they don't seem to understand verbal or written explanations.

 

Could it be the bypass that is causing all this headache?

Is there anyone out there having these problems with an unbypassed z1?