# Kenwood DNX892 & Maestro Constantly Freezing?



## cornerbax (Dec 6, 2015)

Hi, let me start by saying I used to be a member here for a couple of years about 5 years ago but couldn't remember my login info so created a new account. Anyway, long story short, I upgraded the 730N RHR high speed canbus head unit in my 2015 Jeep Wrangler with the DNX892 and have had constant freezing issues. I've swapped the unit out with a brand new one and it's the same thing. I am using it with an idatalink Maestro RR (to maintain steering wheel controls) so I am not sure if it's the DNX892 with the issues or the Maestro. I've also had the Maestro replaced with a brand new module, and still the same. I wouldn't think 2 Kenwood DNX892 H/U's would be defective, but the same with the Maestro units. I have tried to test when the freezing occurs and it's mostly when changing stations on the steering wheel controls. Usually within 15-30 minutes the DNX892 locks up, the steering wheel controls completely stop working and no buttons on the head unit work. In some cases the volume up/down buttons will still work on the head unit but everything is completely frozen. This has happened about 20 times within two weeks, and again, with different DNX892/Maestro modules. 

I typically only listen to Sirius Satellite Radio so I don't know if there's any chance it's something to do with the Sirius module I have or not but I've also noticed even when changing channels with the Steering Wheel, sometimes the current station continues to play even though the screen shows the next pre-set I've turned to. It takes a few seconds to update sometimes. I figure that's just the Sirius Signal and could live with that...but the freezing is a huge problem. I should also mention, every single time the unit has frozen it's always continued to play Sirius with no interruptions at all. Just no matter how long I wait, the unit never "unfreezes"...unless I turn the Jeep off, then restart the Jeep/Head Unit. I am going to start listening to FM to just see if by chance it makes ANY difference at all on freezing. The unit freezes whether I'm using the NAV or NOT so that doesn't hurt or help any worse. 

Anyone have ANY idea what the cause for the freezing is likely to be? It happens so often i'd rather return the DNX892 and Maestro for a refund before 30 days is up if this can't be rectified. It's a shame because I really like the DNX892...features/functions and sound quality, it's the best head unit I've ever owned. I just can't deal with it freezing every single day like this. Any ideas?


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## Coppertone (Oct 4, 2011)

I used to run the higher end Excelon Kenwoods in my car and always had the freezing problem. So much till I completely gave up and swapped to Alpine. Have not had any issues with the exception of me personally not liking the Alpine. But it does what it's supposed to and to me that is all that matters. I wish you the best of luck towards resolving your current situation.


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## cornerbax (Dec 6, 2015)

Thank you for your reply. Just curious....have you used any of the newer Kenwood units over the last year? The reason I ask is when I searched google I found a lot more freezing issues with Kenwood's prior to the 892/992 units. Also, did you use the Kenwood unit with Maestro or another module to allow for retaining Steering Wheel Controls? 

I'm definitely concerned you mentioned you had the Excelon units in many other vehicles and had the freezing issues. If this were once in a blue moon than I wouldn't be as concerned but it's literally EVERY DAY, multiple times daily. 

Anyone else think this is the Excelon DNX892 and Not the Maestro?


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## cornerbax (Dec 6, 2015)

Anybody have any idea if this is more likely the Maestro Module or the DNX892? What is interesting is I listened to FM channels only whole driving yesterday and everything worked perfectly. I probably listened to the Radio about 40 minutes yesterday without any freezing. Usually when I'm listening to Sirius the unit freezes within the first 5-30 minutes. 

Assuming the freezing only occurs while listening to Sirius is it more likely an issue with Maestro or the DNX892? Any suggestions?


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## cornerbax (Dec 6, 2015)

I have a little more info to add here and i'm really hoping someone with some insight can shed light as to what the likely cause for this Freezing is. I have now isolated the Freezing issue of the Kenwood DNX892 when ONLY using Sirius as the source. I have listened to FM/CD and streamed from my phone for the last 3 days and have TRIED to make the unit freeze and it won't. When the source is set to Sirius it WILL Completely lock-up/freeze the DNX892 usually within an hour but in many cases as quick as 5-15 minutes. 

idatalink is adamant it isn't their product because they've stated the commands the Maestro sends are the same regardless of the source so if it were an issue with their product then the freezing would occur on ANY source and not just when listening to Sirius. My vehicle is a 2015 2dr Wrangler that came factory equipped with a 730N RHR High Speed CanBus head unit if that helps. 

I've had the Maestro Module replaced with a new module as well as have had the DNX892 replaced with a new unit...same issue....freezes when listening to Sirius but not FM/CD or any other source. I also have the Sirius SXV300v1. Any ideas or suggestions on what the cause of this may be? I have searched google 20 pages deep and have found a few posts when searching "Sirius Satellite Freezing". Interestingly enough, the few posts I've found over the last 3 years were on older KENWOOD head units. I don't know if that's a coincidence or if Kenwood is the problem here but I can't find any post on Sirius Freezing on the DNX892. I'm going to have the Sirius Module replaced later this week as well so at least I will of replaced all 3 hardware pieces and can rule the Sirius Module out completely assuming the issue persists when replacing the tuner. 

Anyone have any suggestions on what else might be causing this Freezing when Sirius is the source?


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## cornerbax (Dec 6, 2015)

anyone have any suggestions or input at all?


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## Onyx1136 (Mar 15, 2009)

It sounds to me like you've already answered your own question. You've swapped a new deck and new steering wheel controls, and it only happens when you use Sirius as a source. It's obviously the Sirius module causing the freezing. Swap out for a new Sirius module and see what happens.


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## cornerbax (Dec 6, 2015)

> It sounds to me like you've already answered your own question. You've swapped a new deck and new steering wheel controls, and it only happens when you use Sirius as a source. It's obviously the Sirius module causing the freezing. Swap out for a new Sirius module and see what happens.


 I hope you are right and it is the Sirius Module. That's the only hardware device left to replace so I'll get it swapped and report back with the results. Thanks.


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## cornerbax (Dec 6, 2015)

Just wanted to update this thread. It looks like it was the Sirius Tuner (sxv300). I had the Tuner replaced and for more than 3 days now I have had no issues with freezing! One thing that did occur on the other tuner and which also occurs on this tuner is often times when I change a preset with the Steering Wheel Controls via Maestro, often times (every day at some point this occurs) when I change the preset, I can clearly see the preset i'm changing to light up on the DNX892 but the station that is currently playing continues to play and the preset doesn't actually change. 

The Pre-set changes on the DNX892, meaning if I am listening to preset 1 and use the steering wheel Controls to go to say preset 4 or any other preset, I can see the Kenwood Head unit change to the correct preset that I've changed to with the Steering Wheel Controls but the current station I am listening to prior to changing the preset does NOT change...and the music continues to play for the same preset. 

I am wondering if this is a Maestro issue specifically because every time this issue occurs, any time I actually PRESS a different preset on the head unit itself it IMMEDIATELY changes completely and works fine. This is why i'm thinking it may have something to do with Maestro, but maybe it's another issue with the Sirius Tuner. I'm just glad i'm not having any more issues where the DNX892 Completely freezes and the only way to correct it is by turning off and restarting my Jeep.


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## cornerbax (Dec 6, 2015)

UPDATE: I replaced the Sirius Tuner Module (SXV300) and i'm happy to report I've had NO FREEZING at all! I have no clue why a Sirius Tuner that always played properly and seemed to perform properly, would cause this type of freezing but I guess it did as I haven't had any kind of freezing issues since it's been replaced in a week and the freezing would occur virtually every day before. 

Unfortunately, I have had another issue and it once again pertains to SIRIUS only as the source. Often times when I use the Maestro Steering Wheel controls to change presets, sometimes (at some point daily) the preset I am currently listening to will continue to play even though I can see the preset i'm trying to change to highlight on the DNX892. When this happens, the channel i'm currently listening to also shows on the screen in most cases, meaning if i'm listening to say 80s on 8 and I seek up or down a few presets to classic vinyl, I will clearly see the DNX892 highlight the preset I'm tuning to, however, 80s on 8 will still display on the screen and 80s on 8 will still be playing on the screen. In some cases if I wait long enough, eventually the correct station will play but often times the current station keeps playing and doesn't change. 

What I've noticed when this happens is anytime I press the highlighted preset button i'm trying to tune to (or any other preset for that matter) the DNX892 IMMEDIATELY displays and plays the correct preset! So somehow there is some kind of congestion/bottleneck/lag when changing presets with the Maestro Steering wheel controls. Again, this happens daily, and again, ONLY while listening to Sirius. I've spoken to idatalink technical support and they are adamant this is a Kenwood technical issue. idatalink states that their steering wheel controls operate the same way regardless of the source and that they are doing exactly as they are supposed to in this situation. I can say they are definitely seeking correctly, however, there is definitely an issue with a command somewhere in the process as even though the correct preset i'm trying to tune to is actually highlighted on the DNX892, it often times doesn't display or play properly unless I physically press the preset on the DNX892 directly. 

So in short, pressing the preset on the head unit directly is doing something differently and correctly (on the times this issue occurs) that isn't occurring when using the Steering Wheel controls. I'd say 80% of the time, everything tunes just fine and quickly, but the 20% it doesn't is definitely very annoying. Any suggestions on the most likely cause for this issue?


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## cornerbax (Dec 6, 2015)

I was hoping i'd get some advice here or suggestions on what might be causing this issue but I guess not. That sucks for me. I'll try one more time and if I get no help then at least someone else that searches experiencing the same problem will at least see they aren't alone. 

Unfortunately, the DNX892 has started to once again FREEZE. Interestingly enough, since the Sirius Tuner was replaced it's only frozen 2 times within the last 10 days whereas it would CONSTANTLY freeze before. I don't know if that's a coincidence but the Freezing STILL does occur. What I also noticed (since i'm paying much closer attention now) is the last time the unit froze I wasn't even changing presets. I happened to be listening to the same Sirius station for a while and after a while went to increase the volume with the Steering Wheel controls and I noticed the volume hadn't changed at all. I looked at the screen while trying again and sure enough, NOTHING. So while listening to Sirius and not even touching the presets, at some point the unit just froze. The NAV froze up again as usual (street I was on three streets prior continued to display as the Nav display was completely frozen as it always is when the unit freezes) but the volume up and down button and even the power button directly on the unit worked. Most of the times when the freezing occurs no buttons work, and every single time the unit freezes the steering wheel controls NEVER work...but on some rare instances the DNX892 Freezes, a couple of buttons on the head unit (volume, power) still work even though everything else is frozen. I turned the unit off waited a minute and turned it back on.

Something pertaining to Sirius is causing these issues as I've tried Pandora, CD and streaming and have never had a single issue with freezing or otherwise. With Sirius there is major congestion often times when changing presets with the Steering Wheel Controls and most of the time when the DNX892 freezes it COMPLETELY freezes. Once in a while, as mentioned, when the unit freezes some functions on the unit itself still work, but usually nothing on the head unit itself works, the music just keeps playing on the Sirius station the unit was on before it froze. 

So in short/summary I now am back to square 1 and have changed every single piece of hardware....DNX892, MAESTRO MRR and the Sirius Tuner Module. I even replaced the Maestro Satellite Cable....all of that has been completely replaced and I'm still having issues with Freezing while listening to Sirius as well as the preset congestion I mentioned. Any idea what could be the primary cause of the issues at this point? This is extremely frustrating to say the least.


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## cornerbax (Dec 6, 2015)

*Multiple Kenwood DNX892 Units Freezing when Sirius is the Source!*

I've changed the title of this thread to reflect the issue is NOT with Maestro but with the Kenwood DNX892.

This FREEZING issue is actually occurring with Sirius more regularly and WITHOUT using steering wheel controls. The last couple of times the KENWOOD DNX892 Froze I went from Pandora to Sirius and CD to Sirius by simply selecting the home button on the DNX892 and selecting CD or Pandora. In 2 instances the deck went black and none of the steering wheel controls and most buttons on the deck itself would work. I was able to power down the deck by holding the home button for a couple of seconds. Usually when the deck freezes (whether the screen is blacked out or not) none of the buttons work, especially the home/power button. The last couple of times the deck froze nothing worked except the volume up/down buttons (on the deck itself) and the power button on the deck itself. 

I have a few days left where I can completely return this deck and at this point I think I've had enough. I love the sound quality the deck produces and a lot of the features it has but at this point this is just ridiculous. Clearly the DNX892 is having some complication with the SXV300 and to freeze a couple dozen times in just under a month is ridiculous.


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## pcwilson (Mar 31, 2017)

cornerbax said:


> *Multiple Kenwood DNX892 Units Freezing when Sirius is the Source!*
> 
> I've changed the title of this thread to reflect the issue is NOT with Maestro but with the Kenwood DNX892.
> 
> ...


Hi,

I'm having a similar issue with a DNX996XR unit but I'm primarily using the SD card as a source and don't have a Sirius tuner installed. Also, my screen sometimes jumps around - the widgets change and jitter as if it is "possessed". I returned it once for warranty and they could find no issue but stated they replaced the main CCT board, whatever that is. It was fine for a couple of weeks and then started again. Kenwood stated it could be the Maestro unit so I replaced that but the issue still persists. I've reset both the head unit and Maestro unit several times and have had this thing in and out of the dash so many times I'm considering using velcro to secure it in place 

In my recent conversation with Kenwood support they asked me to install the unit without the Maestro and so I'm going to build a new harness to install without the Maestro but I'm getting the feeling that regardless of the outcome I'm going to be stuck with a boat anchor in the end as I have no intention of using it without the Maestro.

Has anyone else had this experience and resolved it?

Thanks in advance.


Has anyone experienced and resolved this


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