John Deere Radio not keeping time.

[stlbill]

Hi Goalie:

Walk through this with me...

You get into your tractor that has not been running for a few days, start it up and find the clock is wrong. How long has the tractor been sitting without the key on? What does the clock read at this point?

You set the time on the radio and it keeps great time until you shut the tractor off. If you immediately restart the tractor what does the clock read at this point?

Can you set some radio station presets on this radio? Hopefully, yes. Now do you lose your station presets when the clock loses time?

If you can answer these I think they will help us help you.

-Bill

 

[Goalie]

Bill,
When my tractor sits for two or three days with the key off when I start it the time is wrong. I set the time on the radio as the tractor is running and it works fine. If I shut the tractor off and start it back up it keeps perfect time. It is only when it stits for more than a couple of days without running. As for the preset stations as far as I can remember the radio always stays on 100.3 and never resets no matter what.
Goalie

 

[RickB]

Bill,
When my tractor sits for two or three days with the key off when I start it the time is wrong. I set the time on the radio as the tractor is running and it works fine. If I shut the tractor off and start it back up it keeps perfect time. It is only when it stits for more than a couple of days without running. As for the preset stations as far as I can remember the radio always stays on 100.3 and never resets no matter what.
Goalie

The question was "what does the clock read" not "is the clock right or wrong?" The difference is significant to those with some experience with mobile equipment radios.
If you want help, you have to participate.
Have you entered anything in the station presets? You have not answered that, either.

 

[kebo]

Radios are different. The station preset's are usually saved into a flash EEPROM (memory chip). When power is removed, you don't have to resave all your presets with this type of design.
However, some radios could save the presets into a memory chip that loses all its memory when power is removed. Of course, you would have to reset all the presets with that design.

The clock is usually on run a separate chip that runs off of a separate "hot" 12VDC. When it loses time, ie loss of 12VDC, you simply reset it to the correct time once power is reapplied.

 

[Goalie]

The time is different every time. Today at 10 pm it said 8.20 am. The preset radio stations are still saved and do not change. So the only thing not working is the time. The tractor battery is good and tractor starts with in a few cranks. Any ideas?

 

[kebo]

Yeah, the clock chip has most likely gone bad in some way, or possibly the crystal is bad. Usually the clock chip's are controlled by a pcb mounted crystal that oscillates at a specific frequency. The crystal can change its frequency due to heat/cold/mechanical vibration and if it starts oscillating at a different frequency, then the clock chip obviously will not be accurate. So, that's one possibility. Looks to me like the only way you're going to fix this is to replace the radio, or else try and find an audio/electronics shop that will service it. If it were under warranty, obviously JD would just replace the radio but being out of warranty you'll have to ask your JD dealer what they can do, if anything. I'm betting they will just want to sell you a new one though.