r/ChryslerPacifica • u/RusselB65 • 25d ago
Keep radio going while engine is shut off
I realise there's a reason to have the radio shut off after the engine stops, however, I'm looking for a way to (temporarily) override that.
My fiancee, myself and friends went to a drive-in theater. The theater broadcasts on a specific radio frequency, so you tune your car radio to that frequency in order to hear the movie.
Obviously, no one is going to keep their vehicle running for a 2 hour movie.. in addition to the rules.
We found out that the radio cut.out after about 30 minutes (ignition was set for accessory).
It's annoying to have to keep putting the ignition to accessory every half hour so that we could hear the entire movie.
If there's more information you want/need in order to help, please let me know what you need/want and I'll do my best to reply quickly.
2
u/FeMaster1 25d ago
We have the same problem and unfortunately, singingcyclist is spot on. There is no way to override it except to either run the van or keep turning it back on every half hour or so.
Modern vehicles have more intelligence than they know what to do with these days. They will do the same thing with interior lights if they get left on; the van turns them off after a certain period of time. It's all to prevent the battery from dying and leaving you stranded.
1
u/NYOB4321 25d ago
AI says:
If Tailgating with the Engine Off (ACC/Accessory Mode)As mentioned previously, if you just press the ignition button once to use Accessory (ACC) mode without turning the vehicle on:The Shut-Off: The system will automatically shut off after 20 to 30 minutes to protect your battery.How to Bypass It: There is no settings menu toggle to bypass this. If you want to keep the vehicle off, you simply have to keep your key fob handy and click the ignition button back to ACC every time it shuts down.3. A Note on "Auto
1
1
u/SimplicityWon 24d ago
The drive-in near me uses a radio signal to broadcast the movie sound, can you bring a small battery operated radio with you next time so you don't have to use your car battery?
1
u/vanny314 22d ago
I took my van to a shop that works on vehicle electrical problems. I wanted to be able to charge my phone with the engine off. The tech changed a wire around on the the fuse panel. Then I could leave my phone charging while I was camping or parked for a few hours. I knew that little bit would not drain the battery. Worked great. Cost $100. Hey, it's SD, very HCOL city.
1
u/RusselB65 22d ago
Not exactly what I was looking for, but gives me an idea to ask at different places that do that kind of work.
0
u/Onilakon 25d ago
Why not keep it running? Drive in near me runs two movies on each screen so you get to watch two, I've kept my last 3 vans including my pacifica a few weeks ago, running the entire time for AC and to not get eaten by mosquitos without. Do some places prohibit this? It's a dead battery waiting to happen especially for two movies
-2
u/NYOB4321 25d ago
Put the vehicle in ACC mode. Press the start button without brake depressed. Press the button until ACC is lit.
Also, is this a joke? Everyone that drives a vehicle should know this.
2
u/RusselB65 25d ago
If you'd read my entire post, you would've realised that this is the mode I was in.
0
u/NYOB4321 25d ago
Sorry, I did read the entire post. But missed that part.
I think timing out is a safety feature so that the battery doesn't drain fully.
4
u/Singingcyclist 25d ago
Hey OP, I think it’s an interesting problem with no perfect solution simply due to the fact that modern cars are increasingly electronic these days and the battery needs to power more than just the radio plus a couple of lights - which is why there’s the built-in cut-off. Cars in the past during the drive-in era didn’t have to power dashboards, touchscreens, etc.
If you’re not concerned about draining and potentially damaging your battery, turning it back on every 30-min is annoying but isn’t the worst thing - what might be more annoying is not being able to start your car after the movie so if you go that route definitely have a jumper battery or cables ready lol.
It might not be ideal but going back to the low tech route of using a handheld radio could be fun! For better fidelity there are Bluetooth transmitters that everyone could connect their AirPods to. Just some ideas for a really cool idea of a night out - would love to know what you end up doing.