Installed an aftermarket head unit a few months ago in our 2012. Recently, the car has been causing the head unit to reboot when you turn the steering wheel a certain amount. Like when turning left or right, not just adjusting heading or driving on a curved section of road. The head unit will be playing music just fine, then it turns off and does its reboot routine, just like when you start the engine.



I understand these cars have some kind of electric power steering. Is the PS system on the same circuit as the radio? Any other thoughts as to what might be going on?

 

There’s also a spiral wiring harness called a clockspring that usually connects all the buttons and levers on the steering wheel to the wiring harness down the steering column. If you got something in there shorting out or breaking open it can do odd things like that. I’m assuming that you’ve got some of the steering wheel volume and select buttons in the wheel connected to your head unit.
If not, you can ignore this post.
I had a car that the wipers would do a sweep whenever I made a left turn. My daughter thought it was hysterical. Me, not so much.

 

Interesting thought. How would I check the clockspring functionality? Is there a way to just disable the steering wheel controls without losing the center dash display?

 

I don’t have any experience with your model, my answer was of a generic nature. I’m sure there’s a connector either on the column or into the head unit that can be pulled to disable any inputs from the wheel buttons. If you can get hold of a column exploded diagram, it should make it easier than randomly pulling this plug then that one; though that’s always an option. 😁