We just bought ours in May & immediately the knob started to malfunction turning the volume up and down rapidly yet it always worked on the steering wheel so we sort of turned a cheek to the issue. I’m seeing a lot of people say it’s the type of knob but ours just started to do it on the steering wheel volume buttons as well so how does that explain the knob theory? Does this mean it’s a bigger issue, maybe electrical. If anyone has any input or insight on any of this i’m looking for answers on forums before eventually taking it in to hopefully get it fixed. Has anyone had the update done? Does it help?
2019 Altima S volume knob
Hey everybody. I recently bought a 2019 Altima S and my volume knob is malfunctioning. When I turn the volume knob the volume level rapidly skips around. The way I have to actually adjust the volume is by using the volume buttons on the steering wheel. Going to the dealership in a few days to have this issue looked at. Has anyone experienced this?
21 - 37 of 37 Posts
We've seen a lot of them, but I've never heard of one misbehaving at the steering switches. The ones in the wheel are a completely different system with different wiring and connections than the encoder in the radio. In fact, they don't even connect to the radio. They connect to the instrument cluster, which then passes the signals to the radio via CAN communication. So it follows that you must have two separate issues, the "bulletin" problem with the radio encoder plus (most likely) an issue with the spiral cable or the switches on the steering wheel.We just bought ours in May & immediately the knob started to malfunction turning the volume up and down rapidly yet it always worked on the steering wheel so we sort of turned a cheek to the issue. I’m seeing a lot of people say it’s the type of knob but ours just started to do it on the steering wheel volume buttons as well so how does that explain the knob theory? Does this mean it’s a bigger issue, maybe electrical. If anyone has any input or insight on any of this i’m looking for answers on forums before eventually taking it in to hopefully get it fixed. Has anyone had the update done? Does it help?
I also have an altima sl and the radio has been doing the same thing, i fixed it myself in about 30 seconds. get some wd40 with the spray straw attachment, a rag, now with the car and radio off.Hey everybody. I recently bought a 2019 Altima S and my volume knob is malfunctioning. When I turn the volume knob the volume level rapidly skips around. The way I have to actually adjust the volume is by using the volume buttons on the steering wheel. Going to the dealership in a few days to have this issue looked at. Has anyone experienced this?
- gently pull the volume knob straight out from radio, it will just slide off with your fingers
- hold rag against radio under the knob hole, make sure the foam ring behind the knob is out with the knob.
- spray WD40 with the straw inside the knob hole, dont be afraid to flood it out. you want it cleaned out.
- work the knob post with your fingers turning it back and forth and all around in circles and push it on and off several times.
- spray again and clean up any drips and runs, dont worry WD40 does not conduct electricity and is not combustible. if anyone remembers back in the old days it was used to clean and displace water or moisture inside the cars distributor cap.
- replace knob by just pushing it back on easily with the foam replaced the way it was removed.
- give it a try, you radio should function like new, let me know if this works for you or not, if your radio hasnt been damager in another way this will work for you.
I also have an altima sl and the radio has been doing the same thing, i fixed it myself in about 30 seconds. get some wd40 with the spray straw attachment, a rag, now with the car and radio off.
- gently pull the volume knob straight out from radio, it will just slide off with your fingers
- hold rag against radio under the knob hole, make sure the foam ring behind the knob is out with the knob.
- spray WD40 with the straw inside the knob hole, dont be afraid to flood it out. you want it cleaned out.
- work the knob post with your fingers turning it back and forth and all around in circles and push it on and off several times.
- spray again and clean up any drips and runs, dont worry WD40 does not conduct electricity and is not combustible. if anyone remembers back in the old days it was used to clean and displace water or moisture inside the cars distributor cap.
- replace knob by just pushing it back on easily with the foam replaced the way it was removed.
- give it a try, you radio should function like new, let me know if this works for you or not, if your radio hasnt been damager in another way this will work for you.
You dont want to use contact cleaner or eletrical cleaner of any type, some switches come lubed inside and you dont want to wash this lube out with a contact cleaner, wd40 is an oil based lube that will clean dirt out and not wash out the factory contact lube if the switch was manufactured with any.
The fact that WD40 can get in there at all indicates the seals are either crappy or nonexistent. That's why I was surprised to hear that WD worked. It never occurred to me that Bosch might use an unsealed part, or I would have tried it myself long ago. Lube can't possibly be a problem, those things are Gray encoders and not pots. If they're conductive at all then it will be conductive plastic, but most likely they're optical.You dont want to use contact cleaner or eletrical cleaner of any type, some switches come lubed inside and you dont want to wash this lube out with a contact cleaner, wd40 is an oil based lube that will clean dirt out and not wash out the factory contact lube if the switch was manufactured with any.
To update this, so far we've used WD40 on two customer cars and it worked on both. One of the two needed a shot of compressed air along with it, I suppose to force the WD past the bushing. Contact cleaner seemed ineffective, I think it was evaporating too quickly to get inside where it needed to be. We couldn't make either encoder misbehave after treatment with WD, even when spun momentarily with an electric drill. I'd say the technique is easy and effective, we'll be doing more of it. Thanks @randyleeseger12, great find!
I have a 2020 SR and purchased new and currently @ 37K miles. About 6k miles ago my volume knob started acting wild as everyone here describes. Always my Bluetooth or USB connection to my Android phone would skip audio. Recently since last week my radio while driving would lock up and restart, which happened 3 times. Researched online and found the bulletin showing a software update resolving the issues and brought this up to the dealer. They proceeded to tell me I had to pay $170 diagnostic fee (just hit my warranty mark @ 36K) and pay whatever it needs to be fixed either software or radio replacement due to a short.. I told them that this was ridiculous its a known issue and there are multiple service bulletins regarding the issue and you still want to charge me?
Long story short I didn't want to pay obviously but felt forced. Did some more research online and found this website: Nissan Publications
They sell the flash drive with the update file already on it. I ordered this and received it 3 days after, following the service bulletin I was able to update my radio from 0810 to 0912.
Instantly my volume knob was fixed, my Android Audio over CarPlay or Bluetooth doesn't skip anymore, etc..
This was my 3rd new Nissan and I'll never buy another with the disrespect I received and the audacity not to honor their cars.
Here is the service bulletin: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2021/MC-10186847-0001.pdf
Long story short I didn't want to pay obviously but felt forced. Did some more research online and found this website: Nissan Publications
They sell the flash drive with the update file already on it. I ordered this and received it 3 days after, following the service bulletin I was able to update my radio from 0810 to 0912.
Instantly my volume knob was fixed, my Android Audio over CarPlay or Bluetooth doesn't skip anymore, etc..
This was my 3rd new Nissan and I'll never buy another with the disrespect I received and the audacity not to honor their cars.
Here is the service bulletin: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2021/MC-10186847-0001.pdf
I’m having this issue also. How hard do you have to pull on the volume knob? I’m tugging it with quite a bit of force and it’s not budging. How is it mounted on the post? What makes it stay on if you can just pull it off. Thought there’d be a small set screw or something to loosen. I’m afraid to pull any harder and break it.I also have an altima sl and the radio has been doing the same thing, i fixed it myself in about 30 seconds. get some wd40 with the spray straw attachment, a rag, now with the car and radio off.
- gently pull the volume knob straight out from radio, it will just slide off with your fingers
- hold rag against radio under the knob hole, make sure the foam ring behind the knob is out with the knob.
- spray WD40 with the straw inside the knob hole, dont be afraid to flood it out. you want it cleaned out.
- work the knob post with your fingers turning it back and forth and all around in circles and push it on and off several times.
- spray again and clean up any drips and runs, dont worry WD40 does not conduct electricity and is not combustible. if anyone remembers back in the old days it was used to clean and displace water or moisture inside the cars distributor cap.
- replace knob by just pushing it back on easily with the foam replaced the way it was removed.
- give it a try, you radio should function like new, let me know if this works for you or not, if your radio hasnt been damager in another way this will work for you.
The radio knobs are all splined and just held on by press-fit. The only thing that sometimes makes them stick is if something has been spilled on the radio. The HVAC control knobs can be a different story; the ones with a rotating ring around a fixed center are impossible to remove without disassembling the unit. For a gen6 Altima radio knob, if it's being stubborn get a thin plastic prybar behind it.
Bike tool wasn’t needed. WD40 did the trick, thanks!
The wonder-chemical of the 20th century, and still the champ after all these years.Bike tool wasn’t needed. WD40 did the trick, thanks!
I am having the exact same issue with my volume knob. I have decided to switch to an after market stereo. Does anyone know what wires in the factory loom are for the steering wheel buttons? I have a ket 1 and key 2 wire on the radio, but I am not sure what to hook them up to.
If it’s under warranty get it done asap. My first yr with the 19 was a nightmare. Still haven’t replaced the radio but whatever software update they did, make a huge improvement.Hello
what was the update? I actually just recently purchased a 2019 Nissan Altima S and I am taking it to the dealer tomorrow to have it looked at for the exact same issue. It is still under factory warranty but I though it was odd to be happening this early. Did they replace the entire radio?
take the knob off and put little wd40 and press it hard and turn .it worked for me .thanks
Hi, I am having the same problem and don't know why it's doing that. Any adviseHey everybody. I recently bought a 2019 Altima S and my volume knob is malfunctioning. When I turn the volume knob the volume level rapidly skips around. The way I have to actually adjust the volume is by using the volume buttons on the steering wheel. Going to the dealership in a few days to have this issue looked at. Has anyone experienced this?
21 - 37 of 37 Posts
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