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.

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!

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

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.

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

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

If you can hear it.. then I would say the drive is bad... but I would check the connections just in case...

I've triple checked my wiring connections. All wires are secure as they have been since the unit was installed. No blown fuses either. Fan turns and it sounds like normal boot-up inside but stops about 6 seconds after that. Then the hard-drive makes a winding down noise and the LED lights in the buttons flash 4 times. Fan keeps spinning. No noise, No picture, No nothing. Bluetooth is the only working. Speakers only.

I just found a old post that might point to a bad PAC module?

I yanked out my Z1. How do I test a PAC?

The Z1 was in my nice cool office all day long and I just plugged it back in and it still does the same BLACK SCREEN.

The LEDs in the buttons still flash 4 times.....anyone have any idea's?

Did you try calling tech support? I know they are generally little help, but the flashing sounds like a visual diagnostic error code. They might be able to tell you what it means. More than likely a bad drive.

If you're up to it, you might try pulling the hard drive and re-inserting it. Over the years when I've had some laptop problems I found that just removing and reinserting the drive fixes problems sometimes...not all the time, but sometimes.

I would pull out the hard drive and shove it back it in like you suggest but the screen wont come down to get to it. Is there a manual way to get the screen down?

March 07 here no mods and have not used the library. It is freezng everyday now.

I would pull out the hard drive and shove it back it in like you suggest but the screen wont come down to get to it. Is there a manual way to get the screen down?

I seem to remember reading a post on here recently that detailed how to do this, so yes, I believe it can be done.

I seem to remember reading a post on here recently that detailed how to do this, so yes, I believe it can be done.

I've searched and searched.....but had no luck finding it. If anyone runs across it I would greatly appreciate the link.

I seem to remember reading a post on here recently that detailed how to do this, so yes, I believe it can be done.

 

I've searched and searched.....but had no luck finding it. If anyone runs across it I would greatly appreciate the link.

Here is what I found. Posted by Hyperite in Hacks/Mods. http://www.avic411.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8478

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Here is what I found. Posted by Hyperite in Hacks/Mods. http://www.avic411.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8478

Thanks for finding the quick explanation of the manual method of lowering the LED display.

The explanation said "the motor on the bottom has a small worm gear. You can spin that with a screwdriver until the screen is about 1/2 way down, then just gently pull it the rest of the way".

Well I see the motor thru one of the small slots in the case but it does not turn either way using a moderate amount of force. I didnt want to apply to much force as the gear is plastic and with my luck it would shatter causing a whole new problem.

Did you try calling tech support? I know they are generally little help, but the flashing sounds like a visual diagnostic error code. They might be able to tell you what it means. More than likely a bad drive.

Oh yeah....I did call Tech Support to ask specifically about the LED lights in the function buttons flashing 4 times every time I hit the reset button and it fails to boot (no picture, just fan).

He said that indicates a short. He could not tell me if it was internal or external but said the Z1 MUST be returned for repair.

Well I tried to get the screen down again and since I had a couple odd shaped tools that fit a little better I was able to get the gear turning and it came down real smooth.

Now I cant find a Torx small enough to remove the HDD. I have a T10 but I remember reading somewhere it takes a T8.

Our Wal-Mart is open 24 hours so its worth a shot.

Well I got the hard-drive out and put it back in and put it back together and hooked it back in to my Avalanche and it still does the same thing....nothing. Piece of crap.....I think I wll use it for a doorstop for my gate by the pool.

Thanks to the guys that tried to help me get'er goin again. I put the stock stereo back in and it is awesome....it plays music and has 6 preset channels and plays a cd and has a clock. WOOOOOHOOOOO!!! The best part is it works!!

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!

not that i dont believe you, because i do believe that is the type of connection that type of hard drive uses. but..

Has anyone else tried this and had it work for them? I plan on trying it this weekend when i get some time. But i wanted to see if there was anymore success stories.

Maybe your PC gave the drive a jump start or simply gave it the kick that it needed?

I'm willing to try anything.....I wish I had another Z1 I could put my drive into.

has anyone thought that areas of the hard drive that we cant delete with a level 4 wipe are getting corrupt causing music tracks to jump around or get copied half way. i was thinking with heat that gracenote files are getting jacked when were using this on hotter days, maybe other files as well.

it seems like once your avic starts freezing at startup it just gets worse quickly and the fact that you do the test when its warm and you get HD errors tells me the whole file system is probably jacked

maybe a complete format of the HD would help ill try it today and see.

mine froze 5 times on hot northern Ca 100+ days and now its freezing allot more even on 80 degree days and it cant copy or play cd,s on the hard drive the way it used too.

well if the hard drive is locked then then i suppose its just read errors and my idea is plain wrong lol [brain fart]

Hey, for all those having issues with the freezing on starting up...would you please list what type of car you have the unit installed in. I was thinking about the problem today and wanted to know if there is a few similarities. Ill start it off

'06 silverado

Thanks...

03 sierra

03 sierra