Audio system cut out

I have recently purchased a 2018 Fairford.  When stationary the audio system cuts out after about 15/20 minutes which is hugely irritating and negates the benefit of the speakers at the back of the van.  I asked my local Peugeot dealer if anything could be done and they told me although it was technically possible they don't do this work because it would invalidate the warranty.  I smell bullshit.  Has anybody any suggestions on this one?  Assume this applies to the Warwick and other similar models too.

I'm afraid they are correct, radios after 2017 cannot be altered. I have read that there is a way that dealers can do it but it involves altering the ECU settings and most dealers are reluctant to go down that route. Earlier models could alter time via the radio menu but not any more. Apparently leaving ignition switched on without starting the engine will not do any harm for a hour or so. That was confirmed by one of the experts in Practical Motorhome magazine in a recent issue.

Bob, if you’re at all interested in how others have faired, do a search “radio cut off” and you will see plenty of failed attempts and one or two solutions, which include replacing the radio or downloading computer magical things that allow the competent to change the original settings.

This has been discussed on this forum quite a few times. 

The best solution is to feed the radio from the leisure battery. That way you can run the radio for as long as you like, without worrying about flattening the vehicle battery enough to prevent starting.

The radio will no longer turn on and off with the ignition, so you have to do it manually, but that is what you are after.

If you don't feel up to getting a feed from the leisure battery to the radio and disconnecting the original 2 feeds (one for continued power to keep the memory alive and one for switching it on and off with the ignition) get your local auto electrician to do it. 

You can connect the switched feed wire going into the radio to the constant feed, but then you have the chance of flattening the main battery if the radio is on for a long time.

Can you wire the newer canbus radios to an alternative power source?

If you have a smartphone, a Bluetooth speaker for about £25 sounds great and has also been covered on here as a great alternative to the vans audio system and it’s obvious limitations.
Internet radio (all the usual stations are available if you have a decent signal) or just listening to your music library on the phone works great.

Thank you.  I've been doing that but it seemed a pity that I couldn't use the audio system and sometimes you can get radio reception when there is no phone reception.  We are inclined to overnight in some very remote spots.

Indeed, phone reception is also poor in many of our favourite spots.
Downloading music in advance and a good supply of DVD’s has proved invaluable at times as I hate to chance using the vehicle battery for power.

Yes this has been a bugbear since Peugeot removed the option of the 180 minute timeout (2015 I believe).
Before 2015 I understand there was a 180 as well as 20 minutes timeout.

I don't think there is any solution except leaving the ignition on. I mean a solution known to the public that a home mechanic can do.
Not even a fix that uses computer magical things.
I don't know of anyone who has overcome this problem.

AS should either
a) bluetooth enable the speakers in the back, or
b) get Peugeot to change this in the vehicles they buy from Peugeot as motorhomes (and stop buying them if they won't)
because the rear speakers have a very limited use at present. Would be better off as cupboards.

I contacted Peugeot and asked the question about removing/adjusting the auto cut off. They referred me to my local dealer who said they didn’t know if there was a way but for £45 they'd have a look at the ECU to see if it was possible. If there wasn't a way, it would still cost me £45. Guess what? I haven’t bothered.

Tinwheeler wrote:I contacted Peugeot and asked the question about removing/adjusting the auto cut off. They referred me to my local dealer who said they didn’t know if there was a way but for £45 they'd have a look at the ECU to see if it was possible. If there wasn't a way, it would still cost me £45. Guess what? I haven’t bothered.

There is another version of this story where someone says the dealer wouldn't make any changes because it would affect the warranty.
Bottom line is that I have not met anyone with anything other than the 20 minute timeout.

We should all let AS know we are not content.

AutoSleepy_Don wrote:Yes this has been a bugbear since Peugeot removed the option of the 180 minute timeout (2015 I believe).
Before 2015 I understand there was a 180 as well as 20 minutes timeout.

In fact the limits were that all the X250 Euro 5 'vans (Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen) could alter the radio run time with the ignition off from 0 mins, to 20 mins, to 180 mins.

X250 'vans built to Euro 4 could not alter the timing, nor could any of the earlier X244 models (I am not sure what the Euro status of X244 and earlier models is).