Radio Question

[Ryan B]

I just traded in my Class C Redhawk for a 2021 Alante 29F. I just got home and turned it off for the first time. I went back out a couple hours later and the radio is still on. I am able to turn the screen off and the input, but the lights on the radio stay on.

Is this intentional, or is there a way I can turn off the radio to prevent a power draw from the baterry.

[RetiredOne]

It might be your main power switch for the 12 volt to the house is still turned on, which is sending power to the radio. Which radio do you have?

[Ryan B]

It is a Sony XAV-AX3000. I did turn off the master power to the house portion and the radio remained on. It must be getting power from the engine battery.

[Rice1951]

Mine is a different system but result is similar. I have to hold in the power/volume knob for about 3 seconds to shut it off. When I tow my Jeep I usually keep the rear view camera display on continuously but have to depress the power button for 1 second to mute the radio.
On another note my Jeep is a 2018 Cherokee Trailhawk and the radio automatically comes on when the engine is started so I have to turn it off if I don’t want to listen to it. This happens every single time and there is no way to disable this function. I went to my local Jeep dealer to see if this program function could be changed and was told that’s the way it is. It is very, very annoying. So it’s not just the RV industry that has designers/engineers who think they know what’s best for the consumer.

[Wandrin]

Hello Ryan,


My 2020 Alante came with a Soundstream radio. Yours is a much better system. I replaced the Soundstream in mine with a Sony AX-XAV-5000, which is almost identical to your unit.


The Sony XAV radios do not have power switches. They are intended to come on automatically when you power up your vehicle. This is done via 1 Amp line from the acc switch on your vehicle to the radio. When that line is on, the radio powers up.


The rub with our Alante motorhome is that when the house power is on, that activates the acc line too - so you can enjoy music via the house battery instead of the coach battery.


Since the radio itself has no power button, that means that if the coach battery is online, your radio will be on, and draining your battery. I got around this by putting an on-off switch on the acc line - a rocker switch I installed on the panel. Now I can manually turn it off when I want to, on either battery.


I am certainly not an expert. This is just an old Montana cowboy's solution after doing my own research, so please do your research on it and/or get your tech involved. All the best with your new coach!

[Ryan B]

Thanks! I will investigate this option.