Does anyone know where the thermistor that measures the temperature of the unit is located? If we know where it was located, and what resistance value it thought was favorable (say 75F), we could easily replace it with a resistor of that same value. This would make the radio always think it was the same temperature. I'm a firm believer that it locks up because it thinks it's too hot, but not because it's actually too hot. I can drive my car for 2 hours, shut it off for 2 minutes while I get gas, and it will lock up when I turn it back on. If it worked for 2 hours at that temp, it must just check the temp at startup.

I was thinking the thermistor must be near the HD, since that's what they're trying to protect with the overtemp sensing...

Any thoughts?

Dave

That's potentially a good idea. Just keep in mind that the HD still works when the unit freezes up. If you have a remote you can go through all the sources (library, XM, FM, AM...) and play music that's on the HD. So it is spinning up. I agree with you I think it's relying on the temp sensor output, but I can't figure out why it would stop the screen output and not the HD as well.

Actually, on mine I cannot play music in the HD library. I can scroll through the sources with the remote, but it stops when I hit the library... I've also had the map only work at certain zoom levels (can't load map info except what's cached)...

Maybe it has multiple modes of failure? I think it's absolutely ridiculous that I have to consider where I park at work on hot days, so I will be able to see navtraffic on the way home.

Dave

dont forget if you change the resistor your warranty is shot, and well shouldnt it work properly?

You're in good company man, lots of folks having this issue (my current count is 39, and that's from only one thread). That's interesting about your library not playing during freeze, perhaps your HD is really shut down? I wonder why mine doesn't? Have you had any luck using a sunshade?

I agree that it should work properly... However this problem has apparently existed since the Z1s and Pioneer has not offered any help. I don't expect them to suddenly come up with something in the next year, before my warranty is up. At this point this issue is frustrating me to the point where I'd gladly void my warranty if it fixed the issue. It affects me on a daily basis in the summer. I have a black car with black interior, which means it can take 15-20 minutes before a restart will actually get the unit to boot. Ridiculous.

Dave

return it if you feel so strongly. if your right that will speak much louder

You're in good company man, lots of folks having this issue (my current count is 39, and that's from only one thread). That's interesting about your library not playing during freeze, perhaps your HD is really shut down? I wonder why mine doesn't? Have you had any luck using a sunshade?

I haven't tried a sunshade... I've been considering tinting my windows anyway, and I'm sure that will help slightly with the in-car temps. The radio is low enough in the dash (and under several other things) that I don't think sun beating on the dash affects it as much as the overall temp in the car. I should try it, though...

I notice it most often when I stop for a few minutes and get back in the car. It is almost always going to lock up in that scenario if it's over 80F outside and I'm not using the A/C.

Dave

i did the recent update and it did help with mine [pre june bypass cd update]. before 80 degree days and it would stay in the froze position.

sunscreen is a must and im working on a few different ideas as well.

the hard drive is the culprit yesterday mine would not boot because i left the windows barely cracked and it was hot my unit would not boot after 20 minutes of ac. i took the hard drive out and it was pretty hot put it in the freezer for 3-5 minutes and put it back in cold and it booted perfect with the rest of the z2 still very hot.

the new update did make my unit more stable there must be boot files in it. and like you guys i have noticed once it starts freezing it gets worse on its own quickly.

tonight we had a cold snap and it was 70 degrees and for the first time in a week i was able to copy a whole cd to my hard drive without failure. im happy it took i was getting worried this thing was going to need another hard drive.

as hot as my hard drive was you do not i repeat do not want to mess with the z2,s internal thermastat. when we overclock PC,s we would never let any of our equipment get this hot without water cooling it. as hot as the HD was im really glad it didnt boot or who knows how much data corruption would have taken place.

Wow glad I have a n2!

I installed an 80mm computer case fan next to the radio tonight. We'll see if this improves anything. It's only wired to come on when the ignition is on, because I couldn't come up with an easy way to let it go 10-15 minutes after the ignition turned off. I'll report back in a few days and let you know what I find.

Dave

today was 85f outside and unit booted perfect but as soon as i go to library it starts jumping from song to song pulled hard drive out after a 20 minute ride in ac and the hard drive itself was pretty hot if i had to guess id say definatly over 100.

rite now im going to try and use my hard drive like a mobil rack and take it with me so it never heats up in the truck. the problem i see is once the z2 starts running it wont cool itself down properly and the hard drive will heat up and fail but it will boot up everytime this way and your music will play through the library without fail but if the HU is too hot youll probably only get 10-15 minutes before the hard drive causes problems listening to music.

the real answer is a hard drive that can take the heat since theres not much room for cooling improvments [yet] pioneer was so close another 20-30 degrees better and we would have no problems at all.

Well, the fan idea sure didn't work...

Actually, it kept the unit quite a bit cooler, but apparently still not cool enough to boot consistently. I swear the outer case of the unit is at about 70-75F, and it still won't boot! It boots after it sits overnight, but it hasn't booted during the day for me in about a week.

Dave

Its not a heat issue and pioneer is aware of this. You need to return your unit and get a new one. I have had 2 of these do this.

Will they do any kind of cross-ship RMA? I'd rather not be driving clients around in my car with a huge hole in the dash. A crippled (powered-off) Z2 in the mean time would be much more favorable.

Dave

I swapped them out for my customers and returned them for new ones. Whoever you bought yours from should do the same.

since i bought mine back east from a non certified dealer im pretty much stuck. someone posted about a work around the warranty issue but ive goy this nailed down to a hard drive problem.

from what ive read here theres probably about 30-35% with heat related hard drive issues. hard drives have always been funny beast and is say some toshiba hard drives are prone to heat failure and its luck of the draw getting one.

my z2 has been booting fine lately but my music jumps around wildly in the libarary if i take the hard drive out its hot. let it cool and it plays perfectly.

i really think the solustion is a remote hard drive placed low in the vehicle instead of placing it high in the dash where they would normaly go. if it was out of the HU it would disipate heat much faster as well.

If it is the HD we can wait patiently for the prices of the Solid State Drives to come down. Some of the Samsung SSDs have operational temps of up to 176F.

how much are they now?

how much are they now?

I've seen the 40GB units on ebay for $999...ouch.

ya i found those too lol i was hoping i found the wrong ones. allot of them are even more almost double that for 15g.

just for giggles i may try the 40g toshiba gax line and see if the heat threashold on ours have been lowered with the heat they have been subject too.

just for giggles i may try the 40g toshiba gax line and see if the heat threashold on ours have been lowered with the heat they have been subject too.

I was thinking of that, too. I just with I had a Z2 image so I didn't have to tamper with unlocking mine, in case I have to send it back for warranty work.

Dave

bridge4d found a sweet 40 HD for us with higher operating temp

instead of the 35 bucks in ebay for the 40g toshiba gax these are 107 refurbed or 159 on average new .

that would be cool if this 150 dollar fix took care of all the issues