Z1 Freezes on start up

[tycoonrp]

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?

 

install your z1 without a bypass to find out if the problem continues to be the same.

[bridge4d]

It's probably worth noting that mine (June 06 unit) only started to freeze up after the gracenote update and mine is bypassed. That being said, mine doesn't freeze up that much (only once in several weeks). One would think that if the gracenote update or the bypass had anything to do with it we would all be experiencing the problem always and not intermittently. I always thought it was a temp issue with the HD, however, because you're having the same problem with a new HD I'd think there is a power issue. Your CD fix is perplexing and it lends itself to pointing at a ROM issue.

 

I saw the post with the operational temps listed, but has anyone found code that uses the temp sensor output? The unit must use temp info to make a decision on HD start up. It would stand to reason that if the threshold is set to, lets say 120F, it would almost never start up mid-day in Houston. Also, a tweaky sensor would cause the freeze up. Dunno, just thinking there is a firmware issue here because the temp would be read there rather than on the HD.

[djmixmac]

I did some test today. For the last couple of days I left my car out in 90 degree heat.

 

System starts up like a charm.

 

I have a dec 06 unit with gracenote database update.

 

 

So those who are having the freeze startup issue. How long did you guys leave it out in the hot sun on consecutive days before the issue occured.

 

 

Because I cannot seem to recreate this issue.

[timvan]

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

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

 

I have a April 07 Z2 and it did it...up until it completely died and now is at the pioneer repair facility in Ohio

[06 KR Supercrew]

I just had this same problem for the first time today. I live in florida and have had my z1 for about a year now with no problems. I was in and out of my truck 7 or 8 times today in the heat (93 degree ambient) and didn't have a problem until the last time. My truck is black so it gets hot inside but like I said, a year with no problems. About a week or so ago it actually reached 101 and didn't have a problem then. My unit isn't bypassed and I dont have any updates at all. When it happened today I stopped and turned off truck/waited and restarted...same problem. When I got home I turned it off/waited started...did manual bypass (light switch), worked fine. I'm not sure what the problem is but it isnt the bypass, updates and I don't think it is heat since mine has been subjected to much higher without problems. Haven't recorded any burned discs either only store bought ones. I also read someone thinks it might be a timing issue on whether you wait for it to boot and then start vehicle or start vehilce right away, I don't think thats it either because I have done both many times in the year I've had it without freeze up. Kicker...I think I just went over the one year warranty period. Anyone else have any OTHER ideas on what might be the problem?

[timvan]

I just had this same problem for the first time today. I live in florida and have had my z1 for about a year now with no problems. I was in and out of my truck 7 or 8 times today in the heat (93 degree ambient) and didn't have a problem until the last time. My truck is black so it gets hot inside but like I said, a year with no problems. About a week or so ago it actually reached 101 and didn't have a problem then. My unit isn't bypassed and I dont have any updates at all. When it happened today I stopped and turned off truck/waited and restarted...same problem. When I got home I turned it off/waited started...did manual bypass (light switch), worked fine. I'm not sure what the problem is but it isnt the bypass, updates and I don't think it is heat since mine has been subjected to much higher without problems. Haven't recorded any burned discs either only store bought ones. I also read someone thinks it might be a timing issue on whether you wait for it to boot and then start vehicle or start vehilce right away, I don't think thats it either because I have done both many times in the year I've had it without freeze up. Kicker...I think I just went over the one year warranty period. Anyone else have any OTHER ideas on what might be the problem?

 

No Idea why it does this...pioneer will tell you to grab your ankles, write a check for $200.00 (the flat fee to repair a Z) and send it in..

I ho[e mine returns working ...unlike others on this board

[nateair]

Just to throw this out there, I have a Z2 and have the same problem. although I have a theory and wont be able to test it until later this month(my truck got rear ended and is in the shop). my theory is that i put some CD's in that were scratched and the unit wrote the tracks on the hard drive with the skips included. Im thinking that messed up some sectors on the hard drive and keeps it from fully booting. So to test im going to do a reset later and wipe it clean and then not record any CD's for awhile and see if it tests ok without anything on the drive. Or has somebody tried this?

[djmixmac]

I had a HDD theory too about disc usage and etc. But I think someone on this thread wiped their whole Z1/Z2 clean with a level 4 reset, and with nothing on their HDD still had the problem.

 

Maybe they can chime in.

 

 

I've had the unit for about 4 months and I'm getting concerned of hearing other people's unit freezing up. I wonder if I'm gonna join the club here soon?

[dimaj]

I will chime in...

I don't think that CD's can get ripped with scratches. Those CDs have digital data on them and scratch means - can't read a number. What it should do is have a retry count and if after X retries that particular bit didn't get ripped, it will tell you that CD cannot be recorded.

In my case, I don't know why, it was skipping some of the songs. I have noticed that those songs were being skipped consistently with high volumes (volume setting set to 20+)

 

After I decided to bite the bullet and reset my system (i lost all my data: telephone book, addresses, waypoints, music...) system froze up again within few days (or maybe even on that day).

 

Also, I found out that if system is not booting up, if you do a HDD read test, it will fail at some address.

After systems cools down and boots up, the same HDD read test passes without any problems.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Regards,

 

dimaj

[timvan]

Wonder if pioneer got a hold of a lot of crap drives or if its software?

[JG0]

My Z2 started locking up after the Gracenote update as well. This might be a coincidence since I did the update at the start of summer. If I park in direct sunlight for 2 hours without having the sunroof and windows cracked the unit won’t go past the logo screen. The unit is installed with the VSS and parking brake wires connected properly. I have spoken with my Pioneer rep and like bridge4d mentioned the heat threshold was lowered in the Z1 & 2 units to 120 deg. Pioneer is worried about the extra heat generated by the hard drive. Most other electronic components are set to 150 deg. I hope the update increases the heat threshold back to 150 deg.

 

It’s kinda funny….. after owning this car for 7 years I finally have to buy a $10 sunshade to get my $2200 radio to work.

[treysch1]

Ok my Avic Z1 had been freezing up contiually worst as time passed until I could count on the error everytime I got in a hot car. I naturally thought it was heat related as well. I read every letter of this thread and tried each possible solution I could including multiple level 4's. I purchased my unit as a refurb. and the 90 warranty has run out so I expected I would need to pull it and get ready to pay $$$ to Pioneer to maybe (as I had seen both good and bad results from some of you in this forum using this option). My thought process was this "if the problem is heat related due to an issue with the hard drive then I need to try another hard drive." I followed the thread that showed success in imaging and replacing the hard drive for a larger one. I was not interested in a larger one.. just one that worked. I did as follows:

 

I used a torx t-8 bit to remove my hard drive. (what did I have to lose?) I took my hard drive out of the casing that it is currently in so I could plug it into a mobile disk case (used to allow you to plug a laptop drive into your PC using a USB cable) I plugged it into my PC, it spun up but nothing in the my computer Icon. After reading further in the thread that talks about hacking the drive, I found this does nothing as the drive is locked and you have to use a totally different cable. So, I took my drive back to my truck, put it back in the casing, and slid it back into the slot and screwed it back in.... I did this 2 weeks ago in Texas summer heat and have not had the problem since. As I don't think plugging it into my computer did anything at all, I am left to believe that the contacts on the enclosure that slides into the Avic must become oxidized or dirty. because in essence all I really did was remove and replace the drive a couple of times(just goofing around) And my problem has gone. The enclosure has a blade stye connector, not a pin style.

 

If any of you are old enough to remember the old Nintendo with the cartridge games... After a while you would have to blow on or lick the blade style connector to get the game to load in the console. Or the Tyco slot car tracks that after a while you would need to run a pencil eraser or some kind of cleaner on the track to get the cars to go all the way around. I think it might be the same principle.

 

Not sure if this is the end all for you guys, but, I have a Black american made F250, with no window shade in Texas summer at it gets HOTTER than the hinges on the gates of hell in that thing. I have had no probs for 2 weeks.

 

Good Luck!

[bridge4d]

Hmmm, Interesting. I too continue to experience "Texas Heat Induced Freeze-up". Couldn't hurt to give your suggestion a try.

[mdmill1]

I have two z-1's one is in my truck and the other is in the wife's van and mine has locked up several times I think due to the heat, because my wife always uses her sun shade and I don't and hers never has locked up until... We went on vacation and I drove her van to the airport and when I parked it I didn't put in the sun shade and two weeks later when we got back it was hot has hell inside and the z-1 froze. So I ran the AC to cool it off inside and we stopped to get a bite to eat on the way home. By the time we left the resturant it was cooler outside and the z-1 was back to normal.

[D Hall]

From what I have read....when your Z1's freeze up....the screen is at the Pioneer boot up screen right?

 

Mine has done that maybe twice since I installed it a year ago. This morning I start my 05 Avalanche and I get a BLACK SCREEN. It still has power and you can hear it trying to boot but no picture at all. I have hit the reset many times but all it does is fail to boot and flashes the lights in the bottom row of buttons about 4 times. What does the flashing mean?

 

Help....I love this thing....

 

 

Note: Manufactured Sept 06