Sorry if there's a post about this somewhere already, I can't find it if there is.

2003 Cooper S with Harmon Kardon, never a problem before. Yesterday, while driving and listening (iPod, the little add-on jack that connects to the back of the head unit, not controlled from the steering wheel, installed ~3 years ago, never a problem either), the sound just quit coming out of the speakers... no static, no nothing. There was no "pop" as if something broke, nothing.

The radio/CD player seems to be working perfectly... the display lights up as always, and responds to button-pushing to change stations, switch to CD to Radio, etc., Volume, Bass, Treble, Fader, etc.... everything looks like its working correctly just from observing the display... BUT, there's no sound at all coming from the speakers.

Anyone else ever have this happen? Ideas?

Where is the amp? Is it inside the head unit (radio)? or is it a separate piece? Best way to get to it?

I've disconnected and reconnected the battery, as a way of "rebooting" the amp, just in case that might work... didn't help.

I've pulled and checked every fuse in the fuse box in the driver's side footwell... they were all fine.

Any ideas/guesses/solutions would be much appreciated.

 

Your amp is toast. Common problem. It is located in the right rear of your boot.

 

Thanks JAB... you're pretty sure, it sounds like. Ah, now that you say that, I know exactly where it is... never had to look for it before.

Suggestions? This is my daughter's car now, would like to keep it in decent shape for another 3-4 years 'til she's out of school. Replace with MINI OEM? Replace with something from Best Buy? Other? Is it something a moderately-experienced DIY-er can do? (replacing an amp)

Thanks for the quick help.

 

There are many threads on this topic, and I'm not the expert, but as I understand it your choices are limited. There is no simple non-OE substitute. Best bet is to keep your eye out for a used HK amp in the market section, on eBay, etc.

 

Thanks, much appreciated.

 

Same thing happened to me last Friday. I have a R52 (MCSc) and suddenly no sound.
These Harman Kardon amp's seem to be pretty crappy. I've never had an amp or stereo go out in other other vehicle I've owned.
Why isn't there a class action suit started about this yet?

 

I'm really bummed! I just bought mine, a 2004 S; and no radio. Geez, there's gotta be some way to get around this without having to spend $1000 on a new amp or another sound system!
Nothing???

 

All of a sudden, mine worked for about a minute, then nothing. Could it be a loose wire?

 

I've had this problem with my '05 MCS for about a year now. Crank the car and no sound at all. Head unit works fine. A day or two later, system work normally and will for a month or two then out if the blue, no sound again. May last a week then everything works fine again. Obviously something in the amp, but it is not terminal since it recovers after a period of time.
I do have a new one though that started Saturday. My son was driving the car and came in and told me that you could only listen to one FM station and that the head unit did not respond to button pushes. Sure enough when I checked, the HU will only play the one station and will not respond to any other button push for stations, mode, eject CD, anything except the volume. Works through the steering wheel and on the HU, but nothing else. I have not tried disconnecting the battery to reboot the system. Probably my next step.

 

Since the steering wheel buttons work...wonder if a drink splashed on the radio buttons...and got them to stick....with the downtube mounted cupholder, it happens lots. One bump is all it takes.
Some plastic safe electronic contact cleaner worked on mine.....a tiny bit of water...contact cleaner to dry...used a tiny paint brush to try to get a drop of water behind the buttons...then sprayed 2 or 3 times....all was fine. Same has happened on the climate switches...they get gummed up from a soda or cofffe....will not solve the amp issue....but when it works...you should have a working radio.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll give it a shot this evening!

 

You were right. Stuck button. Fixed it at lunch.

Thanks for the help!

 

Great call Zippy.