Keeping the radio on

I've just taken ownership of a 2005 Symbol, and I am puzzled as to why I can't have the radio on without the engine running. 
When the van is parked, engine off, the radio displays 'CODE' when switched on, and it will not play until the engine is started and the correct code is inserted. 
When the engine is stopped, the radio switches off, and will not switch back on again until the engine is restarted.
The days of listening to the radio when parked on site would seem to be over. Very unsatisfactory.
Any suggestions.

Normally the radio switches off after 20 minutes. This is a manufacturing fitment not Auto-sleeper but Peugeot,  its to stop white van man letting his engine battery get too low to start the engine. Is yours the original radio as the code is not normally  required unless it came out of another vehicle?
You could have it rewired to connect to the leisure battery instead but if not original radio you may still need the code to be entered.

Justin Case wrote:and it will not play until the engine is started and the correct code is inserted.

Are you sure that the engine has to be started? It would be quite unusual on a radio/headunit of that age for it to have any way of knowing whether the engine is running or not.

I'm not familiar with the Boxer ignition switch - does it not have an Accessory position?

Hi,
Thanks for the replies. It appears to be the original Boxer radio. I've not had this problem on any of my previous 'vans, or had to enter a code every time. I've tried the ignition switch in all positions, but no change. More 'thinking outside the box' required.

Roopert - The Boxer does not have accessory position.

If it’s asking for the radio code every time it’s switched on, it sounds like either the radio is faulty, or the permanent live feed is disconnected, or perhaps a blown fuse on the permanent live feed. The permanent live is there just to keep the code memory. You’d still need the ignition switched feed to turn the radio on, I think.

Paulmold wrote:Roopert - The Boxer does not have accessory position.

I guess that's Peugeot not thinking through their design properly. VW don't either, but all you have to do on a T5 is switch the ignition on, and then off, and the accessory circuits stay live until you remove the key. But I guess that's too complicated for Peugeot to deal with...

Even so - do you really have to start the engine? I know having to have the ignition on is not great (not as bad as on a petrol engine with conventional ignition) but does the engine really have to be running?

As V8oholic says, there must be a fault if you have to put the code in each time - that should normally only be true if you disconnect the battery, surely?

If I was trying to diagnose this on my own van, the first thing I would do is to slide the headunit out and test exactly when the permanent and switched supplies are actually live. I'd guess that, as v8oholic says, the permanent isn't.

v8oholic wrote:If it’s asking for the radio code every time it’s switched on, it sounds like either the radio is faulty, or the permanent live feed is disconnected, or perhaps a blown fuse on the permanent live feed. The permanent live is there just to keep the code memory. You’d still need the ignition switched feed to turn the radio on, I think.

The radio is not faulty - it's Canbus induced bug. After a period of a few minutes with the ignition off the on board computers start to shut down. Boxer radios store their code in one of the computers if the radio is switched on while the appropriate computer is slumbering the radio can't retrieve the code and it complains. You can same it from its slumber by opting a door or turning hazards on.

inspiredron wrote:The radio is not faulty - it's Canbus induced bug.

Ah Ok - I didn't realise that a 2005 Boxer has a CAN-operated headunit, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised, as they were relatively common by then in cars.

I guess this would have been one of the earliest types of CANBUS connected radios, so it must have taken a bit of time for Peugeot to get to grips with the technology. Unfortunately it rules out connecting the factory headunit to the leisure battery, as it won't have an ignition-switched power input at all if it uses CAN.

In that situation I'd be tempted to take it out and bin it, and put a decent aftermarket headunit in - though of course that will mean wiring an ignition-switched supply to it, as there almost certainly won't be one in the multi-way connector behind the factory one.

Having said that, it does sound like there is still a fault of some kind. If turning the ignition on doesn't wake the relevant Body Control Module from its slumber then there would seem to be something awry?

Roopert wrote:

inspiredron wrote:The radio is not faulty - it's Canbus induced bug.

I guess this would have been one of the earliest types of CANBUS connected radios, so it must have taken a bit of time for Peugeot to get to grips with the technology. Unfortunately it rules out connecting the factory headunit to the leisure battery, as it won't have an ignition-switched power input at all if it uses CAN.

The other day every thread on another forum (might have been motorhomefun) about keeping the radio on, on this age of Boxer, says there is both a permanent live and a switched live, and bridging them together at the connector will allow the radio to run permanently, and many people claim to have done it. There are also threads about successfully wiring the radio to the leisure battery, preferably with a switch, so it can operate as intended in normal use, but can be switched over at night. Not one mention of CANBUS in those threads.

Previous owner of my 2014 WXL fitted aftermarket radio, and fitted a on/off switch to dash. As far as I can work out it is wired to leisure battery so I can have it on for long periods. However canbus detects the radio is missing and my odometer flashes constantly. Haven't managed to find a way to resolve this but has been reported by others on other fora

That must be annoying!

Initially yes but soon learn to ignore it. Apparently flashing odometer indicates canbus error in a non critical system.

Many thanks to all respondents. I will try all the suggested solutions, and if any solve the problem I will update my post.
Let music commence.....

v8oholic wrote:Not one mention of CANBUS in those threads.

The OP can check this very easily - simply look at the wiring at the back. If it has a pair of wires labelled CAN high and CAN low then it is CANbus controlled. If not then there are a whole load of options available. If there is no label, it should be pretty easy to identify the headunit model and Google the specs and pin connections.

I don't think it would be wise to bridge together the permanent and switched wires (I know you're just saying what the threads on the other forum said and are not recommending this yourself!). If you were to do this, you should expect unwanted side effects, because you would bridge together two circuits which are not designed to be connected together. That sort of action can easily lead to an unexpected flat battery...

I wired the radio on my 2000 Boxer through a cheap relay so that the radio runs off the leisure battery when the ignition is switched off and from the engine battery/alternator when the ignition is switched on.

I was concerned that I may loose the pre-sets when switching over but I don't and I am guessing that there is enough residual charge stored in the radio to keep them whilst the relay operates.

It was a bit of a faff to do but it all works fine. Definitely no CANBUS on my model - thank god!

Thanks to all who replied to my query. 
I appear to have made the mistake of thinking that the ignition key accessory position activated all the ignition systems.
In fact all systems switch off except the charge warning and oil pressure warning lights stay on.
I am assured that this is normal, and will not cause any damage to the engine.
The charge warning and oil pressure lights extinguish when the engine is started.
All appears to be in order.