Why Is My Chevy Tahoe Radio Display Blank?

by Spork Marketing

Has the radio display in your Chevy Tahoe suddenly gone blank? Before you go out and replace your entire radio unit, let’s troubleshoot the issue first. It may be a simple issue that’s easy to fix.

Is Your Tahoe’s Radio Not Producing Sound?

Yukon radio display

Is your Tahoe's radio display blank and you're not hearing any sound? Chances are there's something wrong with the entire unit. If your Tahoe's display is fine, but the radio isn't producing any sound, refer to this troubleshooting guide.

If the entire radio unit isn't working, there may be an issue with:

  • The radio fuse
  • The wiring or connections
  • The radio unit

The first thing you want to do is to check the fuse. The fuse may be blown. If the fuse looks fine, then the next thing you want to do is to check the wiring and connections. There may be a short somewhere in the radio system wiring. If the wiring looks fine, there may be loose connections. Check all the wiring and connections associated with the radio, speakers, and antenna.

If there seems to be no issue with the fuse and the wiring, the radio unit may be broken. It’s most likely a hardware issue within the radio. For example, the on/off switch may not be working.

If you’re in this situation, you have two options:

  1. Have your radio repaired by professionals
  2. Replace your radio

Skip ahead to the last section for more information on repairing or replacing your radio.

Is Your Tahoe’s Radio Working But The Display Is Blank?

If your answer is yes, then you can be certain that the radio display is the issue here. To find out why it’s blank and whether you can fix it, you have a few things to try.

1. Check The Ambient Light Sensor

It’s possible that the radio display is fine, but the ambient light sensor isn’t working. The ambient light sensor is located on the top part of your dash. It registers the lightness outside of the vehicle (sun, night, cloudy weather, dark parking garages, etc.). The vehicle uses that information to automatically dim or brighten up your radio display.

The ambient light sensor on your Tahoe may be broken. If that’s the case, the vehicle will think that it’s dark outside, so it’ll dim your radio display. It may be so dim that it appears to be off, but it’s really not.

If you can, adjust the brightness level on your display. Also, check the ambient light sensor and see if it’s broken.

2. Pull Diagnostic Trouble Codes

Some newer Chevy Tahoe models have issues with the Serial Data Gateway Module connectors. If your Tahoe has those issues, you’ll experience some electrical problems, including:

  • Trouble starting the engine
  • Steering wheel controls not being illuminated
  • No audible feedback for the turn signals
  • Inoperative HVAC controls
  • Blank radio display

GM issued a TSB about this. Have a technician pull diagnostic trouble codes from your vehicle. If they find any of these codes, they’ll know how to repair this issue:

B1011   U0102  
B1370   U0104  
B3980   U0140  
U0020   U0151  
U0029   U0155  
U007D   U0164  
U0073   U0184  
U0078   U0186  
U0100   U0198  
U0101   U0422  

The Problem May Be The Radio Display Itself

In some cases, the display may be the issue. It may have burned out, for example. Or maybe there’s a short in the wiring within the radio. In that case, you would need to repair or replace your radio.

ISS Automotive Can Repair Your Radio Or Send You A Replacement

Yukon radil replacement

If you’ve determined that the radio unit is the issue, we can help. We offer Chevy Tahoe radio and screen repair services. Our team of experienced techs will find all the issues with your radio and repair them, if necessary. If you’d rather get a new radio, we offer OEM replacement radios, as well. Here are our best sellers for Chevy Tahoe vehicles:

Do you have any questions about our Tahoe radio repair and replacement services? Please contact us.

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