Audio Dramas - 2008 Liberty GT
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2022 4:39 pmHi all, I'll prefeace this with the fact that I'm not car audio literate. I can solder, but don't have a huge amount of electrical experience.
So about 18 months ago, I installed a Pioneer DMH-Z6350BT HU in place of an older double din Pioneer unit, as I was looking for wireless carplay etc. A PO had done the initial removal of the McIntosh HU, and adapted the factory loom as well as fitting the steering wheel control receiver (unsure of proper term). After I swapped HUs, the system worked flawlessly for about 18 months, but in the last couple of weeks, the issues began. I was on the freeway, listening to a podcast (not loud music, driving the system hard) when out of nowhere, all the speakers just peaked really loudly and the HU powered off. I keyed off, and then on, and it came back on and worked as normal, until Victoria's roads struck and I hit a bump, which again caused a similar issue. Loud peak of speakers/really loud, distorted signal, but the unit didn't power off. Turning the vol. down on the HU had no effect on the loud peaking sound (like, blew front left speaker loud), nor did powering the unit off. It was only killing ignition power that would make it stop.
I pulled the HU and checked for any obviously bad connections. I didn't find any, and re-installed. Now the symptoms have changed, and I get relatively normal use, but probably 50% of the time, I'm getting a 'drone' of very low-end noise, which happens whether I have audio playing or not. It will just start and stop randomly. Absolutely terrifies the dog when she's aboard. Again, this sound doesn't respond to volume inputs on the HU.
I pulled the unit and took it to where I bought it to have them bench test it. They're maintaining that there is no problem with the unit, and that it's more likely with the wiring/amp in the car. The car still has the McIntosh amp under the pass. seat, and it looks like the PO has spliced in coax to the factory loom to make it work with the (then) new HU/McIntosh amp.
So, my question is: where am I best to start with diagnosing this? Are they symptoms of a cooked amp? More likely to be wiring? I'm hoping these are issues somebody has had before that makes it obvious to them...
Thanks all,
Angus
So about 18 months ago, I installed a Pioneer DMH-Z6350BT HU in place of an older double din Pioneer unit, as I was looking for wireless carplay etc. A PO had done the initial removal of the McIntosh HU, and adapted the factory loom as well as fitting the steering wheel control receiver (unsure of proper term). After I swapped HUs, the system worked flawlessly for about 18 months, but in the last couple of weeks, the issues began. I was on the freeway, listening to a podcast (not loud music, driving the system hard) when out of nowhere, all the speakers just peaked really loudly and the HU powered off. I keyed off, and then on, and it came back on and worked as normal, until Victoria's roads struck and I hit a bump, which again caused a similar issue. Loud peak of speakers/really loud, distorted signal, but the unit didn't power off. Turning the vol. down on the HU had no effect on the loud peaking sound (like, blew front left speaker loud), nor did powering the unit off. It was only killing ignition power that would make it stop.
I pulled the HU and checked for any obviously bad connections. I didn't find any, and re-installed. Now the symptoms have changed, and I get relatively normal use, but probably 50% of the time, I'm getting a 'drone' of very low-end noise, which happens whether I have audio playing or not. It will just start and stop randomly. Absolutely terrifies the dog when she's aboard. Again, this sound doesn't respond to volume inputs on the HU.
I pulled the unit and took it to where I bought it to have them bench test it. They're maintaining that there is no problem with the unit, and that it's more likely with the wiring/amp in the car. The car still has the McIntosh amp under the pass. seat, and it looks like the PO has spliced in coax to the factory loom to make it work with the (then) new HU/McIntosh amp.
So, my question is: where am I best to start with diagnosing this? Are they symptoms of a cooked amp? More likely to be wiring? I'm hoping these are issues somebody has had before that makes it obvious to them...
Thanks all,
Angus