| Author | Message | ||
     Brian (Bthaxton) New Member Username: Bthaxton Post Number: 29 Registered: 02-2003 |
I'm afraid to ask. Recently I began hearing a noise coming through the radio/speakers on my '97 D1 (101K mi). It sounds like a high-pitched hum (or even squeal). I tried to track it down at idle while sitting in the garage. Here's what I found: noise is at a medium level when radio is on. Radio volume makes no difference, noise is the same with almost no sound coming through as it is with radio turned up. Sound gets louder as I press the gas pedal and the RPMs increase (again, at idle). When I turn the radio off, sound dies. Here's the kicker: When I plug in my radar detector in the lighter socket, the sound gets louder, and it actually comes through the detector(!?). Once again, as I turn off the radio and unplug the radar detector, the 'hum' stops. Is it a bad ground? It is worth mentioning that I had a very slight fender-bender a week ago, and I am about to take it to the body shop to get fixed. The damage was done on the front driver side corner. The bumper cap was pushed in and the turn signal bulb housing was broken, as well as the bumper was shifted slightly. Long story short, I had this minor accident, and now I begin hearing this 'hum'. Did I knock a ground loose? Or is it coincidently something else, like the alternator? BTW, the tach needle is steady and the idle is fine. | ||
| andrew adia (Drew) New Member Username: Drew Post Number: 32 Registered: 03-2003 |
Brian, Is the radio stock or aftermarket? | ||
| Tony Zuniga (Tony23007) Member Username: Tony23007 Post Number: 167 Registered: 05-2003 |
I had a similar problem with my 95 Disco, I traked it down to some wires coming down from the steering wheel. When you hear the sound, open up the panel where the fuses are, jiggle the big cables coming down from the steering wheel to see if the noise goes away. I hooked my cables to one side of the column and the noise has not come back. Hope this helps!!! | ||
| Randall Smith (Mr_smith) Member Username: Mr_smith Post Number: 47 Registered: 04-2003 |
Drew Check to see if there is a grounding strap going from the engine block to the fender which is damaged. When my fender got replaced it took me three agonizing days to find out the strap was not reconnected and causing the EFI to have nervous breakdown. Could also be the battery cables are loose or alternator had a concussion. If you look at the wiring diagram, you will see that the radio and cig lighter are on the same general circuit. Look at every device which is on the same fusable link as your radio. Randall | ||
| Craig (Cabzjam1) Member Username: Cabzjam1 Post Number: 41 Registered: 03-2003 |
Definately a ground problem. Happy hunting. Start in the engine compartment from battery back to radio. Look for loose, broken or corroded cables. Probably to body maybe engine. I put a new bat in my DII and had to remove a cable from the fender because it was too short. Even though it is still connected to the same spot via another (smaller) wire. I picked up some noise. Sometimes you can pull the connection from the body and sand it with sandpaper and reconnect. Ground problems can be very hard to find. A last resort is a ground loop isolator sold at audio installators and maybe Wal-Mart. This sometimes does not work either. Hope it's obvious when you start looking! | ||
| Brian (Bthaxton) New Member Username: Bthaxton Post Number: 30 Registered: 02-2003 |
Would this problem be picked up by an OBD2 reader, or at least narrowed down? | ||
| Peter J Blatt (Peteb) Member Username: Peteb Post Number: 215 Registered: 10-2002 |
Yes, it sounds like a batt problem, i have the same noise after driving in the rain for a few hours, my noise comes from a weak connection to the + batt terminal, if i tap it gently the noise goes away for a bit! If i clean the posts and connectors, the noise goes away for a month or so! Also a cell phone charger can cause annoying interferance! Good luck! Peter. |
