# Bad XpressRC



## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

I have a XM radio, the XpressRC, with color screen. I also have a lifetime sub to XM.

Last week, the screen backlighting stopped working (after blinking on and off for a few hours).
XM says if I buy a new receiver, I have to pay a $75 transfer fee to sub the new receiver. What I need to know, is, has anyone opened one of these units, and is the backlight something I could replace with parts from Radio Shack (like a LED) or is it more involved? Id kind of like to fix it myself, rather than send if off and not have it for a month.


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## 311Man (Oct 20, 2007)

Davenlr said:


> I have a XM radio, the XpressRC, with color screen. I also have a lifetime sub to XM.
> 
> Last week, the screen backlighting stopped working (after blinking on and off for a few hours).
> XM says if I buy a new receiver, I have to pay a $75 transfer fee to sub the new receiver. What I need to know, is, has anyone opened one of these units, and is the backlight something I could replace with parts from Radio Shack (like a LED) or is it more involved? Id kind of like to fix it myself, rather than send if off and not have it for a month.


Is the product less than a year old? If so it will still be under warranty. I sent a unit back to Audiovox and got it back in about a week or so. XM did not charge me the transfer fee as I told them the existing unit failed. They told me they waived the $15 transfer fee (not $75). Could be your transfer fee is more since it is a lifetime sub.

In regards to opening up the unit I would not recommend it. Nothing in there that radio shack is going to have to repair.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

311Man said:


> Is the product less than a year old? If so it will still be under warranty. I sent a unit back to Audiovox and got it back in about a week or so. XM did not charge me the transfer fee as I told them the existing unit failed. They told me they waived the $15 transfer fee (not $75). Could be your transfer fee is more since it is a lifetime sub.
> 
> In regards to opening up the unit I would not recommend it. Nothing in there that radio shack is going to have to repair.


Pretty sure its over a year since I bought it, but Ill check on it. Hasnt really bothered me much, as I can manually enter channel numbers, and dont look at the screen much while driving anyhow, but it would be nice to get it repaired.

I occasionally do like to see what song is playing.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

Just a followup: The radio is over a year old, so no warrantee. Audiovox wants $85 plus the cost to ship the unit to New York, to replace the burned out light bulb. XMRadio would sell me a new one for less than the cost to repair the old one, however, in addition to the cost of the radio, I would have to pay a $75 fee to transfer my lifetime subscription over to the new radio... So...Im going to check with a local electronics shop and see if they will replace the bulb, and if not, Ill have to try to do it myself. Cant hurt, if I screw it up and break the radio, it wont cost a dime more to send it in to Audiovox, since their repairs are flat rate charges.

Edit: After researching this unit, it appears there IS NO BACKLIGHT, the entire LCD display is enclosed, and the whole assembly has to be replaced. So no DIY repair. 

Does anyone know of any in dash car stereo with a built in (not add-on, or under dash, or external) XM tuner? If I need to replace the radio and eat the $75 transfer fee, I need to get away from the flimsy plug in dock and go with a factory replacement radio, but havent found a brand that had it all built into the head, the ones I saw (Pioneer and Sony) had external adapters for $100 or more additional to the radio.


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## bluesguyAZ56 (Jul 11, 2010)

yeah me too. I did take it apart and the screen is attached to the board with a zero insertion force plug which i cleaned and buffed and reinserted but to no avail . Probably a bad display and I don't find any displays anywhere for sale. I swapped out to a RoadyXT until i can figure out how to fix this. I liked the display. It flashed for a couple of days and went dim. The display is about 3" by 2" with nothing more than a flex cable locked into a zero insertion force plug. 

If i could find a source for the display i could fix it. Comes apart simple enough. I suspect the AZ heat cooked it in my truck. If you find a source for the display let me know. 

BG


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

bluesguyAZ56 said:


> If i could find a source for the display i could fix it. Comes apart simple enough. I suspect the AZ heat cooked it in my truck. If you find a source for the display let me know.
> 
> BG


Well, I doubt we will find one. Audiovox refused to repair my unit. Wouldnt send me a new display either. I can actually read it ok, if I shine a mini flashlight on it at an angle.

In any case, I bought a XMP3i with a vehicle kit. I liked the new power FM transmitter that sends the signal through the 12V car system to the in dash FM radio without needing that wire running to the FM antenna on my roof.

XM (the company) was MUCH more sympathetic and helpful than Audiovox. When I called to transfer my lifetime subscription, they asked me why, and I told them about the screen and Audiovox's refusal to repair my actual unit, and wanting to charge me almost full price to exchange it, so they waived my $75 transfer fee without me even asking them to. I thought that was REAL upstanding of them. I just wish they would license someone besides Audiovox to make their radios.


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