Hey everyone,
A few hours ago, we got hit by a pretty bad thunderstorm (lots of lightning). After it passed I went outside to check on my Pathfinder...
When I turn the key to ignition, or start the car, the front-left tweeter and low/mid-range speaker make erratic static popping noises, along with a whirring electrical noise. This happens regardless if the radio is on or off - if the car is on, it will make that noise.
I called my local dealership and they had no idea what it could be. And, I'm out of warranty...
Do you guys have any idea what this could be? I've never had lightning damage a car stereo before...
Specs:
2008 Nissan Pathfinder LE, w/ Bose stereo, w/ Nav[/img]
Lightning and Bose stereo
Moderator: volvite
I'd suspect water intrusion or something more than lightning...
If you're hearing whirring noises that roughly correspond to what the alternator might be doing (revs up and down with rpm) then that cable or it's connectors have a short to another cable or to the chassis, or an inducted signal from something else that's having issues near that cable. If it's coming from both the tweeter and woofer on the front left then that narrows it down a bit to "probably" something in the cable from the stereo to the woofer.
Here's where I would start. Try disconnecting the front left speakers. Take the plastic door paneling off (see the service manual in this forum) and unplug the woofer. Then see if the noise is still there.
If the noise is still gone, it may be either in the wiring from the woofer to the stereo or a circuit in the stereo.
If the noise is still present but in the tweeter (unlikely, but weird stuff happens) then it's the wire from the woofer to the tweeter.
If you can narrow it down this far, I'd start tracing the wires through the door jam in particular and look for places where the insulation might be broken. Also try moving the wires around and see if the noise changes or moves with it.
Oh, one more thing. If you don't find anything but the signal is gone in a day or two, definitely a moisture issue...
If you're hearing whirring noises that roughly correspond to what the alternator might be doing (revs up and down with rpm) then that cable or it's connectors have a short to another cable or to the chassis, or an inducted signal from something else that's having issues near that cable. If it's coming from both the tweeter and woofer on the front left then that narrows it down a bit to "probably" something in the cable from the stereo to the woofer.
Here's where I would start. Try disconnecting the front left speakers. Take the plastic door paneling off (see the service manual in this forum) and unplug the woofer. Then see if the noise is still there.
If the noise is still gone, it may be either in the wiring from the woofer to the stereo or a circuit in the stereo.
If the noise is still present but in the tweeter (unlikely, but weird stuff happens) then it's the wire from the woofer to the tweeter.
If you can narrow it down this far, I'd start tracing the wires through the door jam in particular and look for places where the insulation might be broken. Also try moving the wires around and see if the noise changes or moves with it.
Oh, one more thing. If you don't find anything but the signal is gone in a day or two, definitely a moisture issue...
I went out and plugged the negative back in... still got all the noise. I did notice, however, that there are three distinctive noises.
When the ignition is on, car not started, with the radio either on or off:
-Intermittent static/popping noise coming from *both* the front-left tweeter and door woofer.
-Constant "hum" - I wouldn't say it's an electrical whirring noise. It's a constant note and does not change
When the ignition is on, car started, with the radio either on or off:
-Both of the two noises mentioned above
-A whirring, electrical noise that goes higher/lower as the engine revs up/down, respectively.
Does that shed any more light on what could be the problem?
When the ignition is on, car not started, with the radio either on or off:
-Intermittent static/popping noise coming from *both* the front-left tweeter and door woofer.
-Constant "hum" - I wouldn't say it's an electrical whirring noise. It's a constant note and does not change
When the ignition is on, car started, with the radio either on or off:
-Both of the two noises mentioned above
-A whirring, electrical noise that goes higher/lower as the engine revs up/down, respectively.
Does that shed any more light on what could be the problem?
I still think its a grounding or short in that speaker's cable, or the head unit itself. The stereo still gets power when the key is on so things can be live.
Can you take the door panels off, or at least inspect the wiring at the door jam? Does the noise change if you wiggle or move the wires? (Try following them under the dash too.)
Could also pull the fuse for the radio. I wouldn't say that tells you anything but it would make the sound go away temporarily. Of course, if the noise sticks around, then its definitely a shorted cable for the speaker!
Can you take the door panels off, or at least inspect the wiring at the door jam? Does the noise change if you wiggle or move the wires? (Try following them under the dash too.)
Could also pull the fuse for the radio. I wouldn't say that tells you anything but it would make the sound go away temporarily. Of course, if the noise sticks around, then its definitely a shorted cable for the speaker!
I'm down at school so I have absolutely no tools down here aside from a hammer (which would probably make things worse...), and with finals coming up, I unfortunately have no time to go hunting down electrical issues.
The door jam cables look fine - still completely sealed in the rubber tube (there's probably a better technical term for that). Wiggling them around didn't cause any change in the sound.
I pulled the power to the amplifier under the driver seat, which successfully made the sound go away, so I could get it to the dealership without going insane.
I'll keep everyone updated on what they say - I'm at the dealership now.
Really appreciate your help ShipFixer!
The door jam cables look fine - still completely sealed in the rubber tube (there's probably a better technical term for that). Wiggling them around didn't cause any change in the sound.
I pulled the power to the amplifier under the driver seat, which successfully made the sound go away, so I could get it to the dealership without going insane.
I'll keep everyone updated on what they say - I'm at the dealership now.
Really appreciate your help ShipFixer!
So, they said it was a blown tweeter that was causing the noise. I didn't quite buy that excuse but they persistently reassured me that it was the problem. I asked them to leave it disconnected.
I pull out of the building and I immediately still hear the noise in the woofer (what a shock, they were wrong). Although, in their defense, it was a bit hard to hear over the noise on the job. I turned around and brought it back in. They're now saying that there's a bad channel in the amplifier (which makes more sense); I looked at the wiring schematic and it is either that or the "audio unit" which sends that channel to the amplifier.
They quoted the price of the amp + labor to be ~$500. I can get it on CourtesyParts for $462.69, so they're charging me about half an hour of labor to install it. I asked if they replaced the amp and it's not the problem, do I still have to pay for the new amp, and they said no, so I'm thinking that I'll take the $40-50 labor hit so I won't get stuck with something I don't need in the case that the amplifier is fine and something else is wrong.
I pull out of the building and I immediately still hear the noise in the woofer (what a shock, they were wrong). Although, in their defense, it was a bit hard to hear over the noise on the job. I turned around and brought it back in. They're now saying that there's a bad channel in the amplifier (which makes more sense); I looked at the wiring schematic and it is either that or the "audio unit" which sends that channel to the amplifier.
They quoted the price of the amp + labor to be ~$500. I can get it on CourtesyParts for $462.69, so they're charging me about half an hour of labor to install it. I asked if they replaced the amp and it's not the problem, do I still have to pay for the new amp, and they said no, so I'm thinking that I'll take the $40-50 labor hit so I won't get stuck with something I don't need in the case that the amplifier is fine and something else is wrong.
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jtorres186
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 12:23 am
- Location: Winnipeg
Was your car struck by lightning or close to a lightning stirke? Maybe the lightning induced a voltage somehow into your amp and fried a filter? Sounds wierd. If the amp was unplugged and it didn't come on then you definitely have the culprit( I think). The tweeter was probably just an effect from it, not a cause. . I have seen some wierder problems with electronics though.
Well, after the dealership at school indicated they were only interested in playing a guessing game, I gave up with them and drove home to bring it to my local dealership (who are some of the most respectable people I've ever encountered in a service department).
They did some checking on the inputs from the audio unit and outputs from the amp using the C-III, and concluded that the front left channel was fried in the amplifier.
$500 for a new amp, but at least it wasn't the $3,400 AV Control Unit.
They did some checking on the inputs from the audio unit and outputs from the amp using the C-III, and concluded that the front left channel was fried in the amplifier.
$500 for a new amp, but at least it wasn't the $3,400 AV Control Unit.
I tend to agree that there was a strike very close by. I recall a TV customer telling me his GM(?) car computer was zapped in such a way. I suppose manufacturers smartened up in the following years and made modifications. You sure you didn’t hear a loud bang in the back yard?valenburg wrote:Was your car struck by lightning or close to a lightning stirke? Maybe the lightning induced a voltage somehow into your amp and fried a filter?
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