There are many ways to switch radio stations in the Infiniti FX50. But for some reason, all of the buttons, knobs, and dials skip through the presets only.
See that big dial in the middle? Turn it and it advances you through the presets. Try the arrows. They don't help. Push the AM-FM-SAT button, it sitches between the presets on the screen, jumping between bands.
Push the SEEK-CAT arrow. It seeks through the presets. Try the scan button. It scans through the presets.
Turn the tuning knob. It moves through the presets. Push the numbered buttons. As expected, they choose the specific preeset stations.
Shouldn't the tuning knob at least allow you to go station by station so you can set the presets to your liking? I'm sure it is possible to change the settings but looking in the manual while driving? Not a possibility.
Give up and listen to the classic rock station? My only choice.
Look in the manual after you get home? No longer care.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor @ 27,778 miles
k2rm says:
02:36 PM, 12/15/09
Try the knob that says "tune" on the right of the clock. It work just fine in mine and is no different than practically every car I have ever driven.
k2rm says:
02:45 PM, 12/15/09
Now I see, you are in the "preset" mode and you got there by by pushing the "Preset A,B,C" button. The tuning knob will work when in the navigation screen, "status" menu, or by hitting the "AM FM SAT" button.
wizard8873 says:
03:07 PM, 12/15/09
Correct. If you are in preset mode, it will switch between the presets and not stations. Select the radio, press status, and then try using the tune. that or use to voice option: Tune (radio frequency)
carguy622 says:
03:36 PM, 12/15/09
Maybe it's just me, but shouldn't the Tune knob always be a tuning knob?
vt8919 says:
03:52 PM, 12/15/09
Eight ways to do the same thing... it's the epitome of redundancy!
mjp16 says:
03:55 PM, 12/15/09
The fact that the radio tuning mechanism on a vehicle needs to be discussed here shows that this interface is flawed and over-engineered.
k2rm says:
04:42 PM, 12/15/09
Nope, some people seem to grasp at straws to criticize vehicles. Donna is clearly not a fan of this vehicle from all of her negative posts.
I doubt anyone who actually owns this vehicle would have trouble with tuning stations. It is also the same interface in most infiniti and Nissan vehicles. I don't recall Edmunds having any issues in their G35.
pyo_s65 says:
04:54 PM, 12/15/09
Donna: I suggest you provide comments as if you were an actual owner of the car. Clearly your distaste of the electronic redundancy was based on the thought that this engagement as being only temporary. The ownership is not limited to just one evening or one weekend for real people. And if long term ownership is what you folks are all about, this finding will get you flames.
Sorry to be harsh, but next time RTFM before you review.
porschecarrera says:
05:13 PM, 12/15/09
What mjp16 said.
Personally, not a fan of overly-complex ergonomics because it encourages distracted driving.
billt9 says:
05:21 PM, 12/15/09
There's no reason preset mode would lock all buttons to cycle presets.
You only need one set of keys to cycle the presets. you don't need _all_ the buttons to be cycling the presets.
That is a stupid interface.
k2rm says:
05:47 PM, 12/15/09
I double checked mine on the way home. I wanted to give Donna the benefit of doubt, but the tuning knob DOES work under all instances when the radio is playing. Either Donna didn't turn the tubing knob, or the radio isn't working correctly. I am guessing it is the latter.
k2rm says:
05:56 PM, 12/15/09
Edit: Either Donna didn't turn the tuning knob, or the radio isn't working correctly. I am guessing the former.
majin_ssj_eric says:
06:23 PM, 12/15/09
I have the same interface on my G37 and the "tune" knob always works fine for me...
ufctm says:
06:46 PM, 12/15/09
C'mon, Donna! Please don't waste Edmunds readers' time with posts like this.
yellowmiata says:
07:10 PM, 12/15/09
Somehow the "tune" knob that I have on my 370z, which looks similar to the "tune" knob in your photo, works just fine. This is a sad post.
mikes12 says:
08:14 PM, 12/15/09
I hate this expression......but this post is an epic fail.
I have the same setup in my G37.
Guess what my tune button does...it TUNES stations...lol....101.1...101.3....101.5...etc.
Guess what the scan button does.....it SCANS stations..NOT PRESETS...101.1.....102.5...103.3...etc.
Its a great interface. Not over engineered, easy to use, up/down arrows and center knob scrolls through presets.
Donna...whats the problem? Make a video and post it.
frazier500 says:
01:13 AM, 12/16/09
My mother's '09 Maxima has the same setup and the tune knob always works. Try a little bit harder next time. Quality over quantity.
yellowmiata says:
06:04 AM, 12/16/09
Now I'm looking for the answer to this myriad of comments:
1) is the radio interface broken?
2) is there some mode that the radio is in (a preset mode from the "Preset A-B-C" button) that disables the tuning knob?
3) is this an operator error?
IL - what's the end result?
yellowmiata says:
06:07 AM, 12/16/09
I forgot an obvious one:
4) the radio interface is flawed and Infiniti needs to reconsider
+1 on mikes12 - Donna lets have a video of what's going on here.
da_mayor says:
07:52 AM, 12/16/09
The 2010 Interface they changed back so people will not be confused... now for 2010 it is FM1, FM2, AM, XM1, XM2, XM3... so 36 preset stations you can have.
bkochuk says:
11:39 AM, 12/16/09
tough crowd today...
Merry Christmas, everybody!
cwmoo740 says:
11:06 PM, 12/16/09
No, I've had the same problem as she experienced. I guess you guys don't live with multiple people driving the same car.
Anyway, I was driving my friend's G35 and he only listens to rap, so I definitely had to change the station. He left it in this stupid "view preset" mode so that it would only alternate between the preset stations, and by the time I realized I was already driving around on the road. The tuning knob, as Donna said, just cycled through the presets.
I'm sure you would learn this about your car and press the radio button or not leave it in the preset ABC mode or whatever, but I was already driving and I just started pressing all of the buttons. It really is frustrating, especially coming from an older honda that has a simple and faultless tune knob.