Radio Ghost?

scuvnut · Jul 1, 2009

OK, here is one that I cannot figure out. I own a NH TC40 with a factory cab. The tractor has its own bay in my garage. Lately, and this has happened at least four times so far, the radio in the tractor goes on for no apparent reason. I'm talking about the fact the tractor is sitting there, turned off and all of a sudden the radio is on. It will either go off on its own after a few minutes, or, I can hit the off button on the radio and it goes off.

I make sure the radio it turned off before I turn off the tractor.

This is truely an odd situation. Has anyone encountered this or know what may be going on?

LoneCowboy · Jul 1, 2009

loose wires
pull the radio and put them back together.

the really bad part is, (having had my roof apart, don't do this BTW-- HUGE job)
all the wires for the cab run thru the roof

ALL of them. (cruise control for example goes up the left front A piller, across the roof and back down the right rear B pillar into the cruise control)

the roof is hard plastic
there are no grommets.

expect the cab TC40/45 models to start having electrical problems about 5 years in.

But, for now, it's probably just the radio wires are loose right at the connection. (had mine happen in reverse, it would go off, then on, then off, then on, very weird)

scuvnut · Jul 1, 2009

Thanks for the advice. I'll check it out.

kebo · Jul 1, 2009

I'm an electronics tech and that really doesn't sound like a loose wire issue to me. Does that radio have a mechanical on/off switch, or is electronic? If it's mechanical and the radio switch is turned off, no way can a loose power wire going to the fuse panel cause it turn on unless maybe something strange is going on with the switch itself.

scuvnut · Jul 2, 2009

Kebo - thanks for that thought. It has an on/off switch that you press, right on the radio. I thought the same thing about the loose wire, but am willing to try anything right now to troubleshoot this.

Hooked_on_HP · Jul 2, 2009

Shouldn't the radio be hooked through the ignition switch so that when the key is off so are all accessories.
Bill

Lone Oak Landscaping · Jul 3, 2009

my tc raido is hooked directly to the ignition and the factory plug, like Bill said above . When key is off all power to raido and accesory plug is also off .
check to see where the power to the unit comes from , it should have no juice with the key off.

howierd3866 · Jul 3, 2009

Hey Paul thanks for asking this question. One of my TN75 does the same thing. But now we got kill switchs now so it does matter.But alway bugged me...ps we used the kill switches just for an extra safe/theif only.

scuvnut · Jul 3, 2009

Hooked_on_HP and Lone Oak Landscaping:

Yes, it is hooked through the ignition. Additionally, with the key off, the radio does not turn on. However, that has not stopped the "radio ghost" from turning it on. Its happened about 6 times so far. When my gal told me about it the first couple of times, I thought she was messing with me. Then, it happened with me home. Walked into the garage and heard the radio, the ignition was off and as I stood there listening, it went off. Another time I experienced it, I got in the tractor and hit the radio off button and it turned off. Very odd. Fortunately, the same song was not playing each time...that would have necessitated me to call the guys from "ghost hunters".

howierd3866:

Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one that experienced this. It was kind of freaking me out a bit!