When I use my radio, it seems like the volume knob has a mind of its own, It continue to get louder when i turn it softer or it gets softer when i turn it louder. Sometimes it just switches directions on me and gets louder in the direction it should be getting softer and vise versa.

Why is it doing this? Any way to fix it besides getting a new radio?

Why it is doing is wear/tear and dust. dust plays a big factor in electronics and how they work not to mention the millions of turns that knob makes. you can try a can of airisol spray.. like the stuff you use to spray off the stuff in your computer and keyboard. Spray around the knob really good to loosen the particles.

If that dont work only other suggestion is to get a new stereo OR rebuild your own.. Sorry for the bad news. All I got unless someone else has a suggestion.

mine does the exact same thing. You can turn it up but to turn it down you have to use the steering wheel control. Sometimes it gets even louder when you try to turn it down with the knob. I don't think dirt/dust is a factor in mine anyway. It just feels like a cheap knob to start with & someone probably cranked on it too hard. I'm gonna try to fix this weekend.

well I decided to see if I could fix today but no luck. pita to get all apart, there's some screws that have a hex head & are like 1mm. smallest socket I have is 4mm so used wirecutters as pliers (pliers too big). Anyway it's not stripped put, you can feel it when you turn it up or down. I think it's in the module that the shaft goes into. It's a little black box about 1/4 inch x 1 inch. I pulled 2 #'s off it, 9901 MAL & almost unreadable 16209722. I called around but no one would have a replacement. No one really wanted to take the time to try & cross reference though. I'm not an electronics guru or I might actually know the name of that little black module & then someone would know what I need when I call! Delco/GM looks like they just replace the unit, not individual parts. So I guess it's going to be using the steering wheel controls until I decide to upgrade the stereo system. Not too big a deal as I usually use them anyway.
Lots of useless pics below







You can see the black module I'm talking about on the opposite side of board where volume knob goes in.



wire cutter pliers?


oh yeah & when you seprate the 2 boards all your buttons fall out if your not careful.



close up of black module. A little blurry but it's the R 12 module on the right.

Yeah, mine does it too. Aggrivates the crap out of me along with the display going crazy when it gets heated.
I want a new aftermarket radio but looks like it is going to cost me at least $200. And that's only if I use a cheap $100 radio. Install kit is just ridiculous. Proper din size adapter plate, wiring harness, then a control module for the steering wheel remote is $75 alone. THANKS A LOT GM!!!

Just do what I did. Couple of adapters, some Dremeling on the radio bezel and a Subaru WRX 6 disc in dash changer. Sounds sweet too

I know this is an old post, but hopefully I can help someone out in the future with my reply. I've already repaired this issue twice over the years in my 12-year old 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix. The fix for me was replacing the volume control in the stereo. This control is an "encoder", not a standard potentiometer. That is, it contains a pair of on/off switches, not a variable resistor strip. The part number for mine was printed on the side in hard-to-read lettering, and was 16209722. I'd suggest calling GM car radio repair shops to see if they'd sell you one (that's what I successfully did). As of 2011, the company at www.rivetech.com would sell that part to end users like me. I'd only suggest replacing it yourself if you have such soldering experience. Otherwise, take it apart and pay a TV repair shop or techie friend to solder it for you. Good luck!