Acura RL. Manual - part 181

Fig. 2: Identifying Audio System Component Location (2 Of 2) 
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC. 

SYMPTOM TROUBLESHOOTING INDEX 

SYMPTOM TROUBLESHOOTING INDEX 

Symptom

Diagnostic procedure

Also check for

Poor AM or FM radio 
reception or interference

Symptom Troubleshooting (see POOR AM OR 
FM RADIO RECEPTION OR 
INTERFERENCE )



AM/FM antenna 
lead and/or sublead 
short or open in the 
wire  



Antenna module 
unit  

Power switch will not turn Symptom Troubleshooting (see POWER 

 

2007 Acura RL 

2005-08 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Audio System - RL

  

me 

 

Friday, June 05, 2009 3:53:06 PM

Page 2 

© 2005 Mitchell Repair Information Company, LLC. 

ON (No information 
display and no sound)

SWITCH WILL NOT TURN ON (NO 
INFORMATION DISPLAY AND NO 
SOUND) )

 

Radio stays powered with 
the ignition switch OFF

Symptom Troubleshooting (see RADIO 
STAYS POWERED WITH THE IGNITION 
SWITCH OFF )

 

No sound is heard from 
speaker(s) (display is 
normal)

Symptom Troubleshooting (see NO SOUND IS 
HEARD FROM SPEAKER(S) (DISPLAY IS 
NORMAL) )

 

Poor or no sound with XM 
radio (Audio unit does 
display XM channels)

Symptom Troubleshooting (see POOR OR NO 
SOUND WITH XM RADIO (AUDIO UNIT 
DOES DISPLAY XM CHANNELS) )

 

XM radio display is blank 
and no station information 
is displayed (with 
AcuraLink)

Symptom Troubleshooting (see XM RADIO 
DISPLAY IS BLANK AND NO STATION 
INFORMATION IS DISPLAYED (WITH 
ACURALINK) )

 

XM radio display is blank 
and no station information 
is displayed (without 
AcuraLink)

Symptom Troubleshooting (see XM RADIO 
DISPLAY IS BLANK AND NO STATION 
INFORMATION IS DISPLAYED 
(WITHOUT ACURALINK) )

 

Audio system sound is 
weak or distorted (display 
is normal)

Symptom Troubleshooting (see AUDIO 
SYSTEM SOUND IS WEAK OR 
DISTORTED (DISPLAY IS NORMAL) )

 

XM radio preset memory 
is lost (with AcuraLink)

Symptom Troubleshooting (see XM RADIO 
PRESET MEMORY IS LOST (WITH 
ACURALINK) )

 

XM radio preset memory 
is lost (without 
AcuraLink)

Symptom Troubleshooting (see XM RADIO 
PRESET MEMORY IS LOST (WITHOUT 
ACURALINK) )

 

Audio disc does not eject

Symptom Troubleshooting (see AUDIO DISC 
DOES NOT EJECT )

 

Radio preset memory is 
lost

Symptom Troubleshooting (see RADIO 
PRESET MEMORY IS LOST )



Battery condition  



Battery cable 
condition  

Audio unit button 
illumination does not 
work

Symptom Troubleshooting (see AUDIO UNIT 
BUTTON ILLUMINATION DOES NOT 
WORK )

 

Audio disc changer does 
not load all six discs

Symptom Troubleshooting (see AUDIO DISC 
CHANGER DOES NOT LOAD ALL SIX 
DISCS )

Tire pressure (over-
inflated), disc smudged, 
dirty, or scratched

Audio disc changer does 
not move between discs

Symptom Troubleshooting (see AUDIO DISC 
CHANGER DOES NOT MOVE BETWEEN 
DISCS )

 

Volume does not change

Symptom Troubleshooting (see VOLUME 
DOES NOT CHANGE )

 

Radio tuner does not 
change stations

Symptom Troubleshooting (see RADIO 
TUNER DOES NOT CHANGE STATIONS )

 

Symptom Troubleshooting (see AUDIO DISC 

 

2007 Acura RL 

2005-08 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Audio System - RL

  

me 

 

Friday, June 05, 2009 3:53:06 PM

Page 3 

© 2005 Mitchell Repair Information Company, LLC. 

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION 

OVERVIEW 

The audio unit acts as the "processor" for all audio functions. You can select of the audio functions from the 
front panel, the audio remote (on steering wheel), or by using the navigation voice control system. The audio 
display provides the current front and rear audio status. For vehicles with the navigation option, additional 
audio information is available by touching the audio button. (See owner's manual for more details.) 

Each audio component passes its audio signal to the audio unit. In addition, it communicates with the audio 
unit via the GA-Net bus. Any open connection in this circuit will cause audio and navigation functions to 
appear inoperative. 

With the premium sound system, an audio amplifier unit powers the speakers, otherwise the speakers are 
powered directly by the audio unit. 

The system includes an active noise control system to cancel some of the vehicle noise. It use a sine-wave-
shaped sound output to cancel low frequency noise. Two microphones detect the low frequency sound, and 
the system outputs a canceling sound through the audio speakers. 

Fig. 3: Identifying Sound Wave 
Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.

Audio disc does not load

DOES NOT LOAD )

 

Audio disc does not play

Symptom Troubleshooting (see AUDIO DISC 
DOES NOT PLAY )

 

Audio disc skips

Symptom Troubleshooting (see AUDIO DISC 
SKIPS )

Tire pressure (over-
inflated)

Audio remote switch does 
not work properly

Symptom Troubleshooting (see AUDIO 
REMOTE SWITCH DOES NOT WORK 
PROPERLY )

 

Error code: XM NO 
SIGNAL is displayed

Symptom Troubleshooting (see ERROR 
CODE: XM NO SIGNAL IS DISPLAYED )

 

Error code: XM 
ANTENNA is displayed

Symptom Troubleshooting (see ERROR 
CODE: XM ANTENNA IS DISPLAYED )

 

Booming sound while 
driving with audio unit on 
or off

Symptom Troubleshooting (see BOOMING 
SOUND WHILE DRIVING WITH AUDIO 
UNIT ON OR OFF )

 

 

2007 Acura RL 

2005-08 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Audio System - RL

  

me 

 

Friday, June 05, 2009 3:53:06 PM

Page 4 

© 2005 Mitchell Repair Information Company, LLC. 

The 6CD changer output can be directed to the audio unit.

The XM radio plays through the audio unit. 

A security signal is daisy-chained between the audio and navigation components for integration into the 
vehicle's alarm system. 

The optional navigation system provides voice control for front/rear audio, XM, and CD player. Voice 
control commands are communicated on the GA-Net (audio unit). When using the TALK/BACK or route 
guidance (RG), only the center speaker is muted and the front speakers give the navigation instructions. 
When using OnStar/HFL/AcuraLink, the center speaker, the rear speakers, and the subwoofer are muted and 
the front speakers give the telephone sound. When using OnStar/HFL/AcuraLink and RG or TALK/BACK, 
the center speaker, the rear speakers, and the subwoofer are muted and the front speakers give the telephone 
sound and the navigation instructions. Muting commands are passed on the GA-Net bus. For more 
information, see NAVIGATION SYSTEM article . The outline of the audio interruption function is shown 
in the following table. 

AUDIO INTERRUPTION FUNCTION 

System Diagram  

Contents

Audio output

Center 

CH

Left front CH Right front CH

Right 

rear 

CH

Left 

rear 

CH

Subwoofer 

CH

TALK/BACK

MUTE

Navigation 

sound

Navigation 

sound

Audio

Audio

Audio

Route guidance

MUTE

Navigation 

sound

Navigation 

sound

Audio

Audio

Audio

OnStar/HFL/AcuraLink

MUTE

Telephone 

sound

Telephone 

sound

MUTE MUTE

MUTE

OnStar/HFL/AcuraLink and 

RG or TALK/BACK

MUTE

Telephone 

sound and 

navigation 

sound

Telephone 

sound and 

navigation 

sound

MUTE MUTE

MUTE

 

2007 Acura RL 

2005-08 ACCESSORIES AND EQUIPMENT Audio System - RL

  

me 

 

Friday, June 05, 2009 3:53:06 PM

Page 5 

© 2005 Mitchell Repair Information Company, LLC.