Problems with Jensen audio system

[ladderman]

Hello all. Ordered a new 2013 Sierra 365SAQ and received it within the last two months. The camper has been fantastic for the three times that we have already used it. There have been some minor warranty issues that have been addressed by my dealer. Overall, my family loves this camper and the space that it provides. I am running into one issue. The Jensen cd/dvd/surround system in the main living area has been giving me some problems when we try to play a dvd. When the tv or radio is playing, the surround sound works fantastic and the sound is very clear whether we are using the interior or the exterior speakers. There is a major problem when we try to use the dvd function of the system. The sound becomes very muffled and you have to turn the volume all the way up on the system and the tv just to hear it. Even at that you cannot still hear it with the volume up on everything. The camper is currently at my dealer having some warranty work done on it and this is one thing I had them check. The service rep calls me today and states that they tested the system and that there is nothing wrong with it. His explanation was that Forest River puts the lower end surround sound units in these campers and that is the way that it is set up. I told him that I was not satisfied with this and that I wanted it addressed through Forest River so we are waiting to hear back from them. Has anyone else or is someone currently having this problem? Hopefully someone can give me some feedback on how they handled it. Any help would be appreciated.

[Rsgtivr6]

We don't have surround sound, but have the AWM965 unit and the volume works great on all channels, all inputs, and volume ranges. This sounds like maybe a bad audio converter in the DVD part? All of the inputs should convert their data to sound to be used by the amplifier. Ask them to swap it with a new one, if they have it in house, and test to see if it is fixed.

[slipf18]

Originally Posted by Rsgtivr6

We don't have surround sound, but have the AWM965 unit and the volume works great on all channels, all inputs, and volume ranges. This sounds like maybe a bad audio converter in the DVD part? All of the inputs should convert their data to sound to be used by the amplifier. Ask them to swap it with a new one, if they have it in house, and test to see if it is fixed.

Attention owners of the Jensen AWM 965 radio/cd/dvd player...because of the way this unit is designed, it keeps itself in a powered standby mode, unlike the radio in your car which only keeps internal memory functioning when the ignition is off. Because of this, the unit is able to turn itself on when it experiences a fluctuation in voltage...if you're not aware of this issue, you'll end up banging your head against a bulkhead in the camper after futilely searching for a solution to the problem and swearing that there must be ghosts in the machine...especially when the radio chooses to switch itself on at 3 am. There is only one fix that can deal with this issue, but fortunately it is a relatively simple and inexpensive one...make a trip to Radio Shack and purchase a 12v toggle on/off switch and install it on the 12v power lead. This is the RED wire coming into the radio. You'll see that Jensen has conveniently tagged and labeled all the wire leads of the unit, so you'll have no problem finding it. Now you'll be able to bypass the volatile standby mode without losing any of your presets or disabling the clock function...no more wondering why the radio is playing when you go out to check on your TT when in storage. Hope this helps.

[Rsgtivr6]

Never had this happen, but thanks for the heads up.

[cmptrkd]

We have a 2012 Sierra 365SAQ and we are not experiencing the same problem you are. In DVD mode, we have plenty of sound, in fact DW told kids and myself last weekend, "that's up pretty loud don't you think" and I remembered as we turned volume down, it said we were at "30" for volume level. I think you have a bad unit. If dealer wants to tell you no, then go in and out of every unit on the lot until you find another with the same Jensen, should be easy, ask them to supply power and put in DVD... show them the unit is bad and request they swap it with that one since they wasted your time. I am getting tired of the Stealerships. I bought local for about 2K more then Wholesale, because both dealerships around told me they would not service me if I bought out of state and still I think they both suck for service work. Funny all my camping buddies think if someone would come in and start up a service shop only, and do quality work, they'd be in business forever.

[BigTJohn]

A great idea. You could even bring a battery with you in the form of a booster used to start you vehicle - not too heavy of a unit and easy to connect with the jumper clamps. As long as the dealer allows it, and have one of the sales staff (the mechs are usually pretty busy) accompany you as you try the different Jensens. The Jensen I had in my previous TT was great. Better than the Touch Audio I now have.

[Bob Fields]

Originally Posted by ladderman

... The service rep calls me today and states that they tested the system and that there is nothing wrong with it. His explanation was that Forest River puts the lower end surround sound units in these campers and that is the way that it is set up...

ladderman, this is not directed at you, your camper, your camper brand or your radio brand! I hope you get it resolved asap!

I cant believe a dealer would state that his manufacturing partner uses cheap components! Doesn't he realize that means he is saying he sells cheap components? We are all in this together and by and large, almost all of our stuff works almost all of the time under almost all conditions.

[JENSENRVDirect]

I represent ASA Electronics, the producer of the JENSEN brand of televisions, stereos, and speakers, Voyager brand of observation monitors and cameras and the Advent brand of appliances. At ASA, we strive to provide excellent customer service and product satisfaction and would like to offer some assistance in this matter.

The issue you are experiencing is definitely abnormal. While volume levels can and usually do vary somewhat between source material, the description you provided for DVD playback would indicate that there is an issue with the DVD's audio signal. I would recommend you have your dealer call our Technical Services department at 877-845-8750 (M-F 8:00AM - 6:00PM EDT) to process the warranty claim. We will be glad to assist in replacing the stereo.

Please let me know if you need any further assistance.

Originally Posted by ladderman

Hello all. Ordered a new 2013 Sierra 365SAQ and received it within the last two months. The camper has been fantastic for the three times that we have already used it. There have been some minor warranty issues that have been addressed by my dealer. Overall, my family loves this camper and the space that it provides. I am running into one issue. The Jensen cd/dvd/surround system in the main living area has been giving me some problems when we try to play a dvd. When the tv or radio is playing, the surround sound works fantastic and the sound is very clear whether we are using the interior or the exterior speakers. There is a major problem when we try to use the dvd function of the system. The sound becomes very muffled and you have to turn the volume all the way up on the system and the tv just to hear it. Even at that you cannot still hear it with the volume up on everything. The camper is currently at my dealer having some warranty work done on it and this is one thing I had them check. The service rep calls me today and states that they tested the system and that there is nothing wrong with it. His explanation was that Forest River puts the lower end surround sound units in these campers and that is the way that it is set up. I told him that I was not satisfied with this and that I wanted it addressed through Forest River so we are waiting to hear back from them. Has anyone else or is someone currently having this problem? Hopefully someone can give me some feedback on how they handled it. Any help would be appreciated.

[JENSENRVDirect]

Hi slipf18,

You are correct in adding an in-line switch to the ACC+ wire will prevent the radio from being able to be turned ON (just as the ignition switch controls a dash radio). However, the radio should not turn ON by itself from the STANDBY position. We would like to do some further troubleshooting, and possible warranty replacement, if needed. It would be best for you or your dealer to call us for some troubleshooting to help find a solution. You can reach us on our toll free technical support line at (877) 845-8750. We are available M-F 8:00 AM till 6:00 PM EDT.

We look forward to hearing back from you.

Originally Posted by slipf18

Attention owners of the Jensen AWM 965 radio/cd/dvd player...because of the way this unit is designed, it keeps itself in a powered standby mode, unlike the radio in your car which only keeps internal memory functioning when the ignition is off. Because of this, the unit is able to turn itself on when it experiences a fluctuation in voltage...if you're not aware of this issue, you'll end up banging your head against a bulkhead in the camper after futilely searching for a solution to the problem and swearing that there must be ghosts in the machine...especially when the radio chooses to switch itself on at 3 am. There is only one fix that can deal with this issue, but fortunately it is a relatively simple and inexpensive one...make a trip to Radio Shack and purchase a 12v toggle on/off switch and install it on the 12v power lead. This is the RED wire coming into the radio. You'll see that Jensen has conveniently tagged and labeled all the wire leads of the unit, so you'll have no problem finding it. Now you'll be able to bypass the volatile standby mode without losing any of your presets or disabling the clock function...no more wondering why the radio is playing when you go out to check on your TT when in storage. Hope this helps.

[sdagro]

Originally Posted by JENSENRVDirect

Hi slipf18,

You are correct in adding an in-line switch to the ACC+ wire will prevent the radio from being able to be turned ON (just as the ignition switch controls a dash radio). However, the radio should not turn ON by itself from the STANDBY position. We would like to do some further troubleshooting, and possible warranty replacement, if needed. It would be best for you or your dealer to call us for some troubleshooting to help find a solution. You can reach us on our toll free technical support line at (877) 845-8750. We are available M-F 8:00 AM till 6:00 PM EDT.

Edit: Unit is an AWM970

Update: Spoke to tech support for Jensen and was told to reset the radio using paper clip on the lower left corner just above the Dolby icon. Did that now will wait and see if it comes back on by itself again. If this doesn't work he told me to contact my nearest Forest River dealer for warranty replacement. Will keep everyone up-to-date. Steve

We look forward to hearing back from you.

I've been having the same problem since taking delivery of my Cedar Creek 36RL. This weekend, about as fast as I turn mine off it pops back on. Finally turned down the volume and said hell with it. Thought about reading the manual but decided the forum would be more entertaining than reading the manual. was hoping i wasn't the only one experiencing this problem. About to go in unit(now that I have waited for the hottest part of the day)and see if I can get the model# and call the toll free#. Will keep everyone posted. Steve

[tromler]

Hello All

So my brand new 2014 Sandpiper 365-SAQ is experiencing this same problem. It makes me think it isnt in the Jensen Units, but in the connections by Forest River in the units

I contacted Jensen Techs and they said my model is the newest AWM368 and have not heard of this.

Any solution? It comes on sporadically. But even if I turn it to AUX before I turn it off, it will come back on later on the radio function.

Annoying.

[Rtazz17]

Originally Posted by tromler

Hello All

So my brand new 2014 Sandpiper 365-SAQ is experiencing this same problem. It makes me think it isnt in the Jensen Units, but in the connections by Forest River in the units

I contacted Jensen Techs and they said my model is the newest AWM368 and have not heard of this.

Any solution? It comes on sporadically. But even if I turn it to AUX before I turn it off, it will come back on later on the radio function.

Annoying.

Let us know if the replacement fixes this.. Thanks

[raydee66]

We have a 3051S class C, I need help on the 7" touch screen monitor. On the frame of this it has SiriusXM ready. Sirius is not shown on the main menu, has every thing you want on it. How do I get Sirius XM on it? It comes with a 6 Month to use.
Thank you, raydee66

[JENSENRVDirect]

Originally Posted by raydee66

We have a 3051S class C, I need help on the 7" touch screen monitor. On the frame of this it has SiriusXM ready. Sirius is not shown on the main menu, has every thing you want on it. How do I get Sirius XM on it? It comes with a 6 Month to use.
Thank you, raydee66

Hi raydee66,

Which model JENSEN dash stereo do you have? Typically, if the Satellite Radio option is not shown as an available mode selection, it would indicate the optional Satellite Radio tuner is not connected to the dash radio or may be experiencing a communications error.

If you would like, feel free to call our Tech Services department at 877-845-8750 M-F 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM EDT and we can assist you with this.

Let me know if you need further assistance.

[jiggs322]

I have a 2012 Wildwood 30 bh2q with the Jensen system. I would agree with the dealer stating that they put low end systems in rvs. Mine has terrible sound and drains the battery since it really never completely shuts off. On the way home the day I bought my new rv the speaker bezel on one of the the outside speakers fell off. The dealer mailed me an entire replacement speaker. I looked it over and could see that it was NOT a quality item. The outside speakers sound a little better than the inside. Those little white surround sound speakers remind me of the old string and tin can toy communicators we made as a kid. I tried a better quality speaker, and there was some improvement, but I will likely just choose to not really use it. The slide prevents me from replacing one of the speakers as it slides past it when retracted. I have an old small portable radio and cd player that was just under $20 that sounds fine. I also find my unit turning itself on from time to time. I will have to put the radio shack switch in like everyone else. Very disappointing.

[camper8732]

have a 2014 dutchman aerolite 288rlss new to me camper. it has the jensen awm 965 everything works fine except the dvd/cd player. put a disc in it says loading then says no disc. will not play either one. anyone had this problem

[Thurman]

Wow, I'm glad I read this article. I have a 2015 Coachmen Freedom Express with a Jensen system in it. I have not, luckily, had a problem with this unit just starting up on it's own. The Jensen system I have has three (3) different speaker selections: "A" for the front bedroom, "B" for the main living/dining area, and "C" for the outside speakers. ALL of these sound really good and I'm one to crank it up a bit with all the selections on. BUT- -when we play DVD's there is no sound available from the Jensen system. We have to rely on the TV which certainly does not have the quality sound as from the Jensen system. Should I contact the selling dealer, who is about 90 miles away, about this? Or should I contact the Jensen techy department? Thanks

[JENSENRVDirect]

Originally Posted by camper8732

have a 2014 dutchman aerolite 288rlss new to me camper. it has the jensen awm 965 everything works fine except the dvd/cd player. put a disc in it says loading then says no disc. will not play either one. anyone had this problem

Hi camper8732. First, press the reset button, located below and to the left of the disc slot using a toothpick or ballpoint pen. Next, turn the system back ON and then press and hold the EJECT button for 3-5 seconds (until you hear the DVD deck make noise). This will reset both the system software and the deck mechanism. Re-test using good, scratch-free discs and see if the system will play.

If the trouble persists, contact your dealer for warranty assistance. If you would like, feel free to call our Tech Services department at 877-845-8750 M-F 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM EDT and we can assist you with this.

[JENSENRVDirect]

Originally Posted by Thurman

Wow, I'm glad I read this article. I have a 2015 Coachmen Freedom Express with a Jensen system in it. I have not, luckily, had a problem with this unit just starting up on it's own. The Jensen system I have has three (3) different speaker selections: "A" for the front bedroom, "B" for the main living/dining area, and "C" for the outside speakers. ALL of these sound really good and I'm one to crank it up a bit with all the selections on. BUT- -when we play DVD's there is no sound available from the Jensen system. We have to rely on the TV which certainly does not have the quality sound as from the Jensen system. Should I contact the selling dealer, who is about 90 miles away, about this? Or should I contact the Jensen techy department? Thanks

Hi Thurman. The description of the issue you are experiencing is unusual. To clarify, you are not able to hear any sound through the A, B or C channel speakers only when playing a DVD? And you are able to hear the DVD sound from the TV's built-in speakers?

Or are you just unable to hear the TV's sound when watching over-the-air (OTA) antenna programming through the JENSEN audio system (A, B & C channel speakers)?

It might be best to call in to help get this properly diagnosed. If you would like, feel free to call our Tech Services department at 877-845-8750 M-F 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM EDT and we can assist you with this.

[camper8732]

tried that still same problem. have always liked jensen products have bought them for years. but instead of paying deductible plus 140 mile round trip. will just replace with another brand. thanks for the help