jayhawk711 Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 Hey, has anyone, besides me, noticed that the RDS feature in the 2007 Caddy CTS does not work properly? I've been to two dealerships and they agree, but GM won't do anything about it. I only get 6 seconds of a few letters, then it goes back to time. Then I get nothing on the screen. I've been told I'm the only one to complain about this feature not working properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 That makes no sense at all. If the dealer agrees that it is not working properly... then the dealer should either fix it or replace the radio. Simple as that. Being a 2007, I would assume it is still under warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 RDS, radio data system, requires that the broadcast FM station broadcast the additional program information as well as you having an RDS receiver to receive the information. Do you have some 'control' RDS receiver you are using with a local FM station so that you know what RDS information they are broadcasting? Sometimes the RDS info is just a few characters, so that a radio station might for example send their callsign, Kxxx, then their frequency, 90.5, then the artist/song title. Meanwhile, the Cadillac radio may have switched back from RDS mode to clock mode. In the CTS, XM radio gives additional program information similar to the RDS concept. When I push the programmable button I have linked to 'info' it will display the channel info and then with an additional push the artist and song information. After a short delay it automatically switches back to clock, which is not what I would prefer it to do but is the design behavior. I noted on the 2009 model this has been changed, so that the radio display stays on the artist/song information all the time. Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 Bruce, Thanks for the explanation of how the CTS RDS system works. Looks like jayhawk711's system may be working as designed and there is no problem. I just assumed, and obviously assumed INCORRECTLY, thst it worked like mine does. Evidently not. That is what I get for ASSUMING. (I know what THAT does) On the DTS ... the Radio Data System stays on all the time and displays whatever info the station is broadcasting. I like it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 That does seem like the desirable operation. The point I was trying to make also is that for RDS you have to be on FM and the broadcast has to contain the info. Then we can get to the part where the radio does not display it as long as we prefer, defaulting to clock instead. Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan Posted August 6, 2008 Report Share Posted August 6, 2008 The radio may be equipped with the Radio Data System (RDS). The RDS feature is available only on FM stations that broadcast RDS information. This system relies upon receiving specific information from these stations and only works when the information is available. While the radio is tuned to an FM-RDS station, the station name or call letters display. RDS data is carried in what is known as a "subcarrier". A subcarrier is a frequency that the FM broadcaster is authorized to use to send data that is not audible in the main audio program. • RDS functions will only work with FM broadcast stations that are broadcasting RDS data. • Not all FM Broadcast stations broadcast RDS data or offer all of the RDS services. • The information displayed is dependent upon the information broadcast by the particular station. The information may vary greatly between stations. • RDS functions may not work properly when reception is weak, reception is of poor quality, or RDS is not implemented properly by the FM Broadcaster. • In some cases, a radio station broadcasting incorrect information may cause the RDS features of the radio to appear to work improperly. With RDS, the radio can do the following: • Seek to stations broadcasting the selected type of programming • Receive announcements concerning local and national emergencies • Display messages from radio stations RDS may display text information such as: • The name of the station. • The type of program. • General information such as artist and song title, call in phone numbers, etc. RDS Messages • ALERT!: Alert warns of local or national emergencies. When an alert announcement comes on the current radio station, ALERT! displays. You will hear the announcement, even if the volume is low or a CD is playing. If a CD is playing, play stops during the announcement. Alert announcements cannot be turned off. ALERT! is not affected by tests of the emergency broadcast system. This feature is not supported by all RDS stations. • INFO (Information): If the current station has a message, the information symbol or INFO displays. Press this button to see the message. The message can display the artist, song title, call in phone numbers, etc. If the entire message can not be displayed, parts of the message appear every three seconds. To scroll through the message, press and release the INFO button. A new group of words displays after every press of this button. Once the complete message has displayed, the information symbol or INFO disappears from the display until another new message is received. The last message is displayed by pressing the INFO button. View the last message until a new message is received or you tune to a different station. Logan Diagnostic LLC www.airbagcrash.com www.logandieselusa.com www.ledfix.com www.ledfix.com/yukontaillightrepair.html www.ledfix.com/ledreplacements.html www.ledfix.com/j42385toolrental.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawk711 Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 That makes no sense at all. If the dealer agrees that it is not working properly... then the dealer should either fix it or replace the radio. Simple as that. Being a 2007, I would assume it is still under warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawk711 Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 I do have a "control RDS system radio", my Lincoln Navigator. They can sit side by side in the drive. The dealership has replaced the radio with a refurbished one under warranty. It does the same thing. Yes, I know only certain FM stations provide RDS information to channels. In every other car that I have been in, the RDS works as it is supposed to. In the 4 07 CTS' that I've been in, they all do the same thing. I hit the "info" button, I will get "ta" then if flashes back to time. I hit it again and get nothing. If I hit "info" and get "ome" (or some other random letters), then play with the volumne knob for awhile, it will just stay blank. I can NEVER get an entire name or an entire song title. This has been in all 4 CTS' that I've checked out. I'm thinking the manufacurer has a faulty RDS receiver in the radio. But I cannot get Cadillac to pursue it. I haven't heard back from "Cadillac Cares" since they said they were going to talk to the service manager after I picked my car back up. Any other suggestions? Thanks for your comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawk711 Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 I do have a "control RDS system radio", my Lincoln Navigator. They can sit side by side in the drive. The dealership has replaced the radio with a refurbished one under warranty. It does the same thing. Yes, I know only certain FM stations provide RDS information to channels. In every other car that I have been in, the RDS works as it is supposed to. In the 4 07 CTS' that I've been in, they all do the same thing. I hit the "info" button, I will get "ta" then if flashes back to time. I hit it again and get nothing. If I hit "info" and get "ome" (or some other random letters), then play with the volumne knob for awhile, it will just stay blank. I can NEVER get an entire name or an entire song title. This has been in all 4 CTS' that I've checked out. I'm thinking the manufacurer has a faulty RDS receiver in the radio. But I cannot get Cadillac to pursue it. I haven't heard back from "Cadillac Cares" since they said they were going to talk to the service manager after I picked my car back up. Any other suggestions? Thanks for your comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 jayhawk, I don't know what to tell you. I haven't heard of this problem in the CTS at all. On mine, (a DTS..not a CTS) it displays TWO LINES of info. Usually the song title on one line... the artist on the other line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawk711 Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 jayhawk, I don't know what to tell you. I haven't heard of this problem in the CTS at all. On mine, (a DTS..not a CTS) it displays TWO LINES of info. Usually the song title on one line... the artist on the other line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawk711 Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 What year is your DTS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted August 13, 2008 Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 What year is your DTS? 2006 DTS Performance Sedan, with BOSE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawk711 Posted August 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2008 It looks like it's a problem with only 2007's, and possibly just Bose in CTS'. So much for Cadillac Customer support Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawk711 Posted September 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 Has anyone noticed the RDS feature in your 2007 CTS not working properly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Nunnally Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 hi; anything new on this topic or ? Bruce 2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing Follow me on: Twitter Instagram Youtube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterset Posted September 16, 2008 Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 Yep, I noticed the RDS did not work on a 2007 CTS I had. I thought it was just because I didn't know how to work it. I drove a 2008 CTS, and RDS was much more user friendly. I have RDS in my '96, and it stays on scrolling the song & artist across the screen. when I press info, it displays for ex: a contest phone number, or the morning show I'm listening to with the hosts names. seems the newer the radio's are getting, the less they are including for RDS. my 2002 chevy has less characters on the screen, so the song titles are cut off more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmhJimmy Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Has anyone noticed the RDS feature in your 2007 CTS not working properly? I've noticed the same thing. (2007, Bose, 6 Disc, w/XM) I just wrote it off as old firmware that doesn't match the latest RDS spec that radio stations are using. I say "old firmware" because of the following example: A radio station in town recently changed their call letters (format change). My wife's Saturn Aura and a loaner 2008 CTS that I had one day both displayed the new call letters as well as Artist and Song Title. My 2007 CTS still displays the old call letters, and I never see the Artist or Title. It seems like the radio is just not seeing the correct sub-carrier info, and in fact seems to see some old out of date sub-carrier info. That's minor compared to the other things that bother me about the radio: Doesn't play MP3 CDs No AUX input jack The "switch back to time" annoyance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyG Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 I gave up on RDS long ago. I contributed most of the problems to where I live, which is not exactly FM Central. However driving near Pittsburgh was not much better, and I was covering ground, so FM stations stayed around for a matter of seconds, not minutes. This was in my '99 STS. The new car has XM of course, which can display some useful info about the song, but not much more. I like the idea of local info being displayed while driving around town.....the contest phone number is a prime example. I suppose the new car has the capability to display RDS info, but I've never tried it. For my driving style, I'd rather have the XM/Sirius Never underestimate the amount of a persons greed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 That's minor compared to the other things that bother me about the radio: Doesn't play MP3 CDs I didn't know there was ANY 2007 that wouldn't play MP3's. My 2006 DTS with BOSE does. Are you closing your sessions on the cd? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmhJimmy Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 I didn't know there was ANY 2007 that wouldn't play MP3's. My 2006 DTS with BOSE does. Are you closing your sessions on the cd? Yeah, they're closed. They play in my DVD Player and my wife's Aura. The fail with a "CD Error" when loaded in the CTS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Jim Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Yeah, they're closed. They play in my DVD Player and my wife's Aura. The fail with a "CD Error" when loaded in the CTS. I am almost (but not 100 percent) certain that it SHOULD play MP3's. I can't believe that a 2007 with BOSE won't play MP3's. It should say in your manual, if it is supposed to play them or not. There may be something broken IN the radio that keeps it from reading them. The laser may be out of alignment. The radio may need to be replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawk711 Posted October 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 I have finally started being heard at Cadillac. The dealership is awesome, John K. Fisher, El Dorado, Ks. The case has finally elevated to higher levels as they recognize that their is a problem. They think it is in the modem of the receiver with the RDS. I did find an owner of a 2006 CTS that has had the same problem. Her radio replaced, problem still present. Her dealership, Joe Self, Wichita, KS, told her, that no problem existed. Cadillac said I was the only one ever to complain of this problem. Obviously, they lie. They just don't want to recognize a big problem with many radios (dealerships have confirmed same problem with many 2007 CTS). Most owners don't recognize the feature, let alone know how it works, or they listen to XM and don't see the problem. I will keep you posted. My car is back at dealership as we speak. (Phone tag is a continuous game with GM/Cadillac) They keep closing the case, then open it, then close it. I keep getting the run around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steffenm Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 I have just purchased a 2004 CTS, and the RDS has the same issue! I have not yet contacted the dealer, but it doesn't cound like I am likely to get any satisfaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcirobin Posted August 28, 2009 Report Share Posted August 28, 2009 I have just purchased a 2004 CTS, and the RDS has the same issue! I have not yet contacted the dealer, but it doesn't cound like I am likely to get any satisfaction. Same RDS problem with my 2007 CTS from day one. Dealer claims he never heard of the problem before! 2009 Chevy Malibu loaner worked just fine. Don't know what to do. Other than this issue the CTS has been a great problem free car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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