Weird Glitch

[hmp10]

This evening four of us got into the Air to drive to dinner. Shortly after the right rear passenger was seated, but before she had buckled her seatbelt, the speaker above her right ear emitted an ear-splitting burst of static. The burst lasted no more than a couple of seconds, but it kept repeating at 15-20 second intervals. The bursts continued after her seatbelt was fastened, so this didn't seem to be a fault triggered by the seatbelt warning. After about five minutes of sitting in the car before the bursts stopped, we finally drove off. About 15 minutes into the drive we got another static burst. Upon the return home, none of this repeated. We were not streaming any media while this was happening. In fact, we were out of range of an LTE signal (as we always are at home).

When I say ear-splitting, I mean ear-splitting. It's as if the audio system was turned up to full volume. It never is, but I turned the volume all the way down during this episode, and the bursts continued at the same blast level.

I have called Customer Service, and they are at a loss. They want to send out a mobile team to check the car, but if the situation doesn't repeat, I don't know what they can do.

Has anyone else had a similar occurrence?

 

[hydbob]

This evening four of us got into the Air to drive to dinner. Shortly after the right rear passenger was seated, but before she had buckled her seatbelt, the speaker above her right ear emitted an ear-splitting burst of static. The burst lasted no more than a couple of seconds, but it kept repeating at 15-20 second intervals. The bursts continued after her seatbelt was fastened, so this didn't seem to be a fault triggered by the seatbelt warning. After about five minutes of sitting in the car before the bursts stopped, we finally drove off. About 15 minutes into the drive we got another static burst. Upon the return home, none of this repeated. We were not streaming any media while this was happening. In fact, we were out of range of an LTE signal (as we always are at home).

When I say ear-splitting, I mean ear-splitting. It's as if the audio system was turned up to full volume. It never is, but I turned the volume all the way down during this episode, and the bursts continued at the same blast level.

I have called Customer Service, and they are at a loss. They want to send out a mobile team to check the car, but if the situation doesn't repeat, I don't know what they can do.

Has anyone else had a similar occurrence?

You are, as always, blessed with a unique experience @hmp10 !

 

[hellolucid]

Did you take a video of the situation for the team to diagnose?

 

[hmp10]

Did you take a video of the situation for the team to diagnose?

It was just bursts of very loud static from a single speaker. Nothing odd was showing on any screens. There was nothing to record that would tell anyone anything more.

 

[CLTGT]

I had that happen in a BMW 7 series years ago. It turned out that I needed an amp replaced. Probably doesn’t help.

 

[hmp10]

I had that happen in a BMW 7 series years ago. It turned out that I needed an amp replaced. Probably doesn’t help.

Actually, it gives me a starting point for a discussion with the Service Team. Thanks.

 

[hydbob]

Actually, it gives me a starting point for a discussion with the Service Team. Thanks.

Didn't your amp get replaced already?

 

[experiment458]

Wow that is weird! Haven’t experienced this either. I’m at a loss too. Very strange.

 

[hmp10]

Didn't your amp get replaced already?

They replaced what they called a "main control unit", which I assume was the computer CPU. The audio amp is probably a separate unit. I'm wondering if this might be connected to the bass drop-outs I've had periodically (although infrequently)?

 

[copper]

They replaced what they called a "main control unit", which I assume was the computer CPU. The audio amp is probably a separate unit. I'm wondering if this might be connected to the bass drop-outs I've had periodically (although infrequently)?

I forgot you had that issue. It would make a lot of sense actually - the DSP could be erroneously sending signal to the channel for that speaker.

I have had this happen on my own speaker designs before where I’m using DSP to make crossovers. Usually an indicator of a faulty component.

 

[borski]

Yeah, this is almost certainly a broken amp (or something inside it), which would explain the bass loss too. I've never had that happen.

I did have the bass drop out *once*, but it was at the beginning of the ride, and then a reset fixed it. It's never been intermittent.

 

[hmp10]

I did have the bass drop out *once*, but it was at the beginning of the ride, and then a reset fixed it. It's never been intermittent.

That's how my bass dropouts work: when I first start the car, persisting until I either reset it or park it for a while.

It was the static bursts on Saturday that were intermittent.

 

[borski]

Ah. I've only ever had the bass dropout once over 4600mi. Never had the static issue. Will keep an ear out!

 

[CLTGT]

I had the "static blasts" in the 7 series that I referred to above. It presented exactly like what you described.