Can't read display on my CD player

[spddm0n]

I'm having intermittent problems with the display working for my stereo/CD player in my E36. When I power on the stereo (turn on the car), there is nothing in the display, then after a few minutes in comes back on and I can read the disc/track information. I've seen this problem before on another E36 that I almost bought, but it was with the heater control unit.

Can anyone offer advice?

Thanks,

Matt

[Deloriant]

Dude, the same thing kind of happens to me. My CD display will be really really dim, like someone turned down the display brightness of the whole dash unit. If I flip it on and off a few times it might come back to being bright...but it's pretty random. Weird....

[spddm0n]

Yeah, that's exactly what I am talking about. I thought I remembered the dealer that I almost bought the other car from tell me that it was the actual heater control unit itself that was causing the display of the heater control (dual climate controls, etc) to not function. I wonder if the same is the case with the stereo display? I guess the heater control unit was a common electrical problem. I wonder if the stereo unit has the same common problem. Also, I've only noticed it when the temperature outside is HOT!

[El Presidente]

The e36 HU backlights suffer from poor soddering. You can either buy a new aftermarket unit or take it apart and repair it.

http://www.boston-bmwcca.org/bimmer/2002/10/radio.asp

[Reedalicious]

I know this post is a few days old, but how do you get the radio head out. All I can find is the little gold screws when you open the little plastic flaps on the front. I looked in the picture and it seems like the guy left those screws in, and was pointing at other screws. I need to know how to get to those.

[iantosca]

Those little screws when you flip open the flaps are all you need. Get an 8mm hex wrench, undo them and out pops your stock hu.

[Macksddy]

Anyone know what kind of power supply is used to power the radio. I'd like to try the fix for the dim LEDs and would like to power the unit before putting it back into the car. Thanks.

[El Presidente]

DC 12V You can probably get a good enough test using a 9V batt