How to Troubleshoot an Alpine Car Radio
by Patrick Nelson
Alpine car stereos may run into problems with the radio, CD player or auxiliary source, e.g., USB stick, MP3 player or iPod, etc. Radio problems may be related to noisy broadcasts or the inability to receive stations, while CD problems may be due to scratches and dirt. File compatibility issues may also come into play. USB issues are often related to the connection between the Alpine car radio head unit and the music player.
Step 1
Fully extend the car's antenna if you have problems receiving radio stations. Look for breaks in the antenna and have it replaced if it looks broken.
Step 2
If you have problems with the CD player, check the display panel for error messages. The error will be labeled "CD ERR1," "CD ERR2" and so on. Error 1 means the disc is dirty or upside down (replace the CD), Error 2 indicates scratches, Error 3 is a mechanism error and requires Alpine service and Error 4 indicates the wrong sampling or bit rate is being used. Error 5 indicates a copy-protected file was tried---replace the CD with a non-copy protected CD.
Step 3
Check the display panel for error messages if you have problems with the USB function. The error will be labeled "USB ERR1," "USB ERR2" and so on. Error 1 indicates no songs are on the memory stick---add some songs. Error 2 indicates the USB has malfunctioned---try another memory stick. Errors 3, 4 and 5 are similar to the CD errors from the previous step. Error 3 relates to connectivity, Error 4 has to do with the sampling and bit rate and Error 5 relates to copy protection.
References
Writer Bio
Patrick Nelson has been a professional writer since 1992. He was editor and publisher of the music industry trade publication "Producer Report" and has written for a number of technology blogs. Nelson studied design at Hornsey Art School.
