E36 Radio Keeps Turning Off and Requesting Code

[haykes]

For the past month, my radio in my 1998 BMW 328i (Alpine) keeps turning itself off. I might get 1 to 30 minutes of listening time before it switches off. When I turn it back on, it asks for a code (which, fortunately, I have). Sometimes it takes up to 5 minutes before the power on button works... sometimes, I can switch it on right away.

If I bring it to the dealership, it will cost me $125 for them to just look at the car. Before they try to fix anything.

Obviously, I'd like to have it fixed. However, if the radio is in fact broken, or if the cost would be exorbitant (which I expect), I have an after-market JVC that I have been sitting on for the past 5 years which is a fine radio. I'd just as soon, swap out the broken one and replace it with the JVC. The problem is that the BMW dealership won't touch an aftermarket radio.

So my question to all the Bimmer-philes out there is whether anyone has had this problem in the past?

Was it a problem with the radio, or perhaps the battery or fuse?

What did it cost you to fix it?

Thanks!!!

[marti5]

How old is your battery, low ampage will cause this sometimes, if you do a lot of short journeys, as I do , I have to charge my battery off car once every 3 weeks or I get problems.

Although I have had a Goodmans radio/CD player that would change channel after 1/2 hr turned on due to the heat in the vehicle, whih was down to a resistor in the radio.

[thekid]

You can swap it out. You might have to rewire the car. If you have the cd changer and would like to keep it I've bought in the past the stock head units for $50 from members of this board. That could be an option for you too.