Kenwood Dnx-525dab Black Screen

[markh]

Hi All

My Kenwood DNX-525DAB seems to have died recently. Initially the symptoms were a blank screen upon switch on, with just the red triangle light above the CD slot glowing. In the dark, it could also be seen that the screen had a very faint glow, although there was nothing on it. I tried pressing the reset button with a paperclip and this appears to have made matters even worse. I now don't get anything at all when I try to switch the unit on. If I press the reset again the red triangle light briefly glows but that is about it!

Any ideas or is it likely to be completely broken?

Thanks.
Mark

 

[Absolut5]

I’m afraid Mark it’s probably had it...

Many of these 521 and 525 units are now going wrong with the same symptoms

 

[markh]

Oh dear - I feared as much!

Was just vaguely hoping there might be some way of resetting it, as it does appear to have some sort of power going to it in order to light up the triangle light. I guess it must be a pretty catastrophic failure with the computer, as if was just the screen, I should be able to make it do something still?

What do you recommend as a good alternative?

 

[Absolut5]

Remove the unit and get a multi meter on to the red wire coming out of the CanBus box and check there is 12v when ignition is on, you could also unplug it and leave if for a few seconds and try again , if no joy, time for a new one

You may be a bit fed up with the Kenwood but the last 3 tears of so kenwood has been virtually bullet proof, the DNX 8019dab and DNX 9190dab are our choice

 

[markh]

Thanks @Absolut5 . I'll give it a try at the weekend and let you know the outcome.

Good to know the newer Kenwoods are a bit more reliable!

 

[Absolut5]

Thanks @Absolut5 . I'll give it a try at the weekend and let you know the outcome.

Good to know the newer Kenwoods are a bit more reliable!

The have very few problems with Kenwoods compared to another big brand, great screens and super fast operation

 

[markh]

Remove the unit and get a multi meter on to the red wire coming out of the CanBus box and check there is 12v when ignition is on, you could also unplug it and leave if for a few seconds and try again , if no joy, time for a new one

You may be a bit fed up with the Kenwood but the last 3 tears of so kenwood has been virtually bullet proof, the DNX 8019dab and DNX 9190dab are our choice

Hi

Finally got a chance to pull it out today and give it a test. I've got nothing on the red wire terminal coming out of the CANbus box either with the ignition on or off. I assume I have the correct one - 3rd pin from left at the top as you look at the CANbus box? There is 5V on the yellow wire terminal (top left pin). Coming in to the CANbus box the red wire seems to have no voltage and the yellow has 12V but not sure what I should have there anyway?

The fan on the unit does come on periodically, so there is some life there!

Any ideas what else to try?

Thanks!

 

[Absolut5]

Yellow is permanent 12v

The wires with 5v is CanBus wires, do not touch these, the red coming out of the CanBus box heading towards the headunit should have 12v when ignition is on

If not try quickly running a cable from the yellow into the red, it may power up, if it does then you have a faulty CanBus box

 

[markh]

Yellow is permanent 12v

The wires with 5v is CanBus wires, do not touch these, the red coming out of the CanBus box heading towards the headunit should have 12v when ignition is on

If not try quickly running a cable from the yellow into the red, it may power up, if it dies then you have a faulty CanBus box

Thanks, I'll give that a try. Do you mean connect the yellow to the red at the CANbus box input or connect the yellow at the input to the red at the output? Or maybe it makes no difference if the 12v just runs through. At the mo I don't have 12v at either the red input or red output, even when the ignition is on.

 

[Absolut5]

Connect a wire from the yellow to the output.. preferably the red in the back of the headunit

 

[markh]

No luck unfortunately. Bridged yellow to red as in image :



and now definitely have 12v on round connector (2nd pin from left on 2nd row from top) :



but still nothing, except the fan.

Not looking good!

 

[Absolut5]

No luck unfortunately. Bridged yellow to red as in image :

View attachment 65057

and now definitely have 12v on round connector (2nd pin from left on 2nd row from top) :

View attachment 65058

but still nothing, except the fan.

Not looking good!

Join a wire from the yellow in the main loom to the red which in the rectangle plug as in picture-

 

[markh]

Join a wire from the yellow in the main loom to the red which in the rectangle plug as in picture-

View attachment 65109

No luck still unfortunately. Definitely got 12V at the red wire on the rectangle plug now, after connecting it to the yellow on the loom. However, all I get still is the red triangle light above the CD slot and the fan starting up.

 

[Absolut5]

No luck still unfortunately. Definitely got 12V at the red wire on the rectangle plug now, after connecting it to the yellow on the loom. However, all I get still is the red triangle light above the CD slot and the fan starting up.

I’m afraid it’s probably knackered, and a repair would be costly

 

[markh]

I’m afraid it’s probably knackered, and a repair would be costly

Yes, I feared as much!

Any chance you could PM a price for what I need based on the DNX 8019dab you mentioned? I would love the tilting screen of the DNX 9190dab but no way I can afford that at the moment unfortunately, and I don't really need the sat nav stuff either. Are there any other major differences? I'm hoping the screen has improved a lot since my DNX 525 as I could barely see that when it was sunny and the touch screen was very unresponsive! Do I need another MFD interface or will the existing one work?

Thanks.

 

[Absolut5]

Yes, I feared as much!

Any chance you could PM a price for what I need based on the DNX 8019dab you mentioned? I would love the tilting screen of the DNX 9190dab but no way I can afford that at the moment unfortunately, and I don't really need the sat nav stuff either. Are there any other major differences? I'm hoping the screen has improved a lot since my DNX 525 as I could barely see that when it was sunny and the touch screen was very unresponsive! Do I need another MFD interface or will the existing one work?

Thanks.

It’s on the way to you.. the 9190 is the best out there in terms of screen quality speed, sec it’s also has following over the 8019, cd/dvd/SD, Garmin nav

However the 8019 is a great unit, it has a capactive screen which is massively better than the resistive one on the 525, in response as well,