Radio is possessed...

I got one for ya.

Driving home today listening to some tunes I tried to adjust the levels on the radio (stock) only to have the radio spazz out on me by dying, cutting in and out, changing the time on its own, and just generally acting possessed. It acts perfectly normal as long as I don't touch the levels adjustment or the fade/balance adjustment. But touch those and some kind of demon is unleashed that takes control of the radio.

My thoughts: the factory radio has had enough of the summer heat and is about to give up the ghost. Gonna pull it out and check the connections at the back for fun tomorrow but it never cuts out while driving like it would with a loose connection or short so I'm thinking it's something internal.

I agree with your thoughts and also agree it wouldn't hurt to pull out and have a good look anyway.

I think maybe they do get old, tired and maybe just too darn hot for too many summers. I have the 6 CD in dash version. I didn't listen to any CDs for many years and decided to write some songs on blank CD-Rs to listen to in the Jeep. WELL ... the dang CD changer wouldn't work. Couldn't load any CDs at all. Just kept working the buttons and controls until the dang CD changer woke up and started working again. I could hear the changer moving around as I cycled through the 1-6 selections and I guess it just needed a good fiddling with after so many years of non-use.

Anyway, I wonder if while you have your radio out and if you find there are no apparent wiring problems ... maybe try some silicone spray or something on all the buttons, knobs and sliders and wiring contacts on the back and in the harness. Contacts could have become corroded maybe and just need some cleaning and working. Not sure if silicone spray is right stuff (prolly not, dunno) and if not, some kind of spray for electrical contacts.

That's the problem with posessions, exorcisms, and infernal problems.