Static in front speakers

[kkachnic]

Hi all- been reading a lot of great info here, just joined.

I have a 2016 XLT with the 8" LCD, 9-speaker, non-sony ACM. I am experiencing an awful static sound in the front speakers. It sounds like a blown speaker and is audible with just the chimes and alerts, not just music.

I replaced the stock front speakers with a pair of JL Audios, no improvement.

I am about to upgrade to an aftermarket amp and subwoofer, but I'm concerned that the if the static is from the ACM, I'll just be amplifying the static sound.

Has anyone experienced this? Some of the other forums say it could a ground issue, but that usually changes with engine speed...

Lastly, if the ACM is bad and I go to eBay to buy a used ACM, is the internal amp in the Touchscreen unit or in the CD module?

Thanks!

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum.
Is this something that just started to happen? If so, I wonder if it might be a bad ground or an electrical component break down.

Peter

 

[Explorer XLT 17]

On occasion, my 17 XLT will also produce a distorted sound (I'm not sure static is right terminology) when the chimes begin, & this can occur even without an engine start but just by pressing the start/stop button.

My front & rear door speakers have been upgraded (not center speaker, not yet anyway) & I have added an underseat amp which greatly improved the stock audio system.

 

[kkachnic]

Welcome to the Forum.
Is this something that just started to happen? If so, I wonder if it might be a bad ground or an electrical component break down.

Peter

Hello Peter, thanks for the welcome.

I bought the vehicle with 31K miles about 2 years ago and it was slight but present. No one else seemed to notice, though, and it mostly seemed to come from the driver's front speaker. I recently replaced the stock 6x9s with the new JL's, which not only didn't fix it, but with the better mids and high, it's WAY more prevalent.

In a subsequent post, XLT 17 called it more of distortion than static, which is spot on. I am getting ready to lay out some serious cash for a JL Fix86 and amps, but if the source is crap, that's all moot.

I can barely stand to listen to the system at this point. Thanks

 

[kkachnic]

On occasion, my 17 XLT will also produce a distorted sound (I'm not sure static is right terminology) when the chimes begin, & this can occur even without an engine start but just by pressing the start/stop button.

My front & rear door speakers have been upgraded (not center speaker, not yet anyway) & I have added an underseat amp which greatly improved the stock audio system.

Distortion is the better word for it. Similar symptoms as yours.

 

[08EddieCA]

Check your grounds. I have an aftermarket set up and my installer didn’t ground the amps well enough and I had a lot of distortion but also loud static.

 

[kkachnic]

It's all stock except the front speakers, which are JLs with the stock wiring and Metra speaker wire adapters.

Here is another wrinkle that leads me away from a ground issue- I put the system into diagnostics by holding eject and the "advance song" arrow. There is a speaker diagnostic test that walks high and low tones across each speaker. There is no distortion during the test, but it is immediately obvious when it reverts back to music.

I hear it during every source, including the chimes. But not when in test mode.

What gives? Scratchin' my head...

PS: As soon as my UPS driver quits fartin' around down the block, he'll bring me a shiny new Forscan adapter, so I can run any other diagnostics anyone else suggests.

 

[Explorer XLT 17]

Any update on this 'distortion' issue? My Explo goes in tomorrow for the seat recall issue and also the front door handles appear to be pitting.