[lurker18]

I have a 2010 Equinox, with the factory installed XM. First problem was when it gets cold the AM/FM does not work. Everything else was great. After SEVERAL visits to the dealer, they finally changed out the radio. Now AM/FM work fine, but I am dropping the XM signal all the time. It goes from static for a few second (up to 5 seconds of static) to as bad as NO XM SIGNAL message for several blocks. This wouldn't bother me as much if this was a problem right from the start, but as I said, my XM never lost signal or had static before the AM/FM changeout. It is winter now, so leaves are not a problem. From what I have read, clouds really don't affect XM signal that much. And it only happens since the dealer played around with the radio.
Does anyone else have XM trouble?
With all the problems I have had with this vehicle, if I had more cash, this thing would be on another dealers lot and I would never buy another. The radio is ths smallest problem so far. 40, 000 km and it has been back to the dealer at least 10 times in just over a year and a half.

 

[Terrain]

And it only happens since the dealer played around with the radio.

Can you elaborate on this? Seems like a likely root cause for your troubles....

 

[lurker18]

I am thinking that they must have done something also, but they keep giving me the can't recreate the problem and no code show up story.

The radio problem was when it gets cold outside, and this was right from day one, the XM, CD player, USB all worked, but the AM/FM would show the presets, but no sound. No static, no nothing, just dead like it was turned off. After running for a few minutes, is you shut off the motor and restarted, all was well. This was into the dealer probably 6 times for this and other problems, but because of the heated shop, they couldn't recreate the problem. I convinced them to keep it for a weekend and get the head shop guy to go and start it Monday morning, and the problem was found. Radio ordered and replaced. Now I have crystal clear AM/FM, but the XM cuts out all the time. Sometime it is static for a few seconds, sometimes it is just quiet, sometimes the NO SIGNAL message comes up for several seconds, up to several minutes. This never happened before the changeout, even driving through heavily wooded areas, I would not lose signal. Again, I am getting the can't recreate and no code story, so there is no problem. I have driven the car for maybe 5 drives since picking it up, and have had various degrees of trouble every time.

 

[CWGrizzwold]

My wife's 2010 Terrain is exhibiting this exact problem... it usually happens when the vehicle sits in temperatures at or below freezing for an extended period of time. If it does, the speakers don't work until the vehicle gets warm (which means no music, no turn signal audio, etc.). The dealership started by updating the software in the radio as it somewhat matched symptoms described in a TSB. A week later, when the ambient temps dropped, the problem occurred again so it was back to the dealer. We have been back three times since as they first radio the ordered came in damaged. They called us this week and told us that they now need to hold the car while they order a new radio, so we are currently driving a 2011 Acadia rental. Problem is that since spring / summer are fast approaching we probably won't see the issue until next winter. Good thing we bought the extended warranty!

***Update****

Turns out it wasn't the radio (or so we hope) but there were issues with the USB port and software. Seems as though the USB would override the normal boot up of the radio / nav system and prevent certain things from loading (like when your computer does this). In the case of my wife's the speaker out wouldn't work but would come one once the radio cycled through its boot cycle (which can take 5 minutes or more). This seems to be a common solution to a variety of radio / hvac / nav issues that I have seen people report in this forum. GM won't let you replace a radio unless you try out the new USB flash file first. So don't expect to get a new radio at the first sign of any issues.