MngreLMatt

Howdy all, 1999 220K,

Fired it up today and there is hardly any sound coming out of the speakers. With everything turned up all the way, you can barely hear a whisper of what is playing. Tried tape adapter, radio AM/FM, nothing works. Even turning the EQ settings all the way up all you can hear is a whisper of what is playing. I have zilcho knowledge about sound systems, what does this sound like to you gurus?

Thanks

Matt

dicer

The amplifier needs attention.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

Could be either the headunit or the amp.

MngreLMatt

Idk if this changes anything , but coincidentally or not, it started right after I was dinking around with the dome lights to try and look at the moon roof motor. Anything I can do to test the amp or head before I start tearing it down?

MngreLMatt

Come to think of it, I do remember thinking a couple of days ago that the **** was turned too far for the amount of sound it was putting out. Could have just been me though.

Thank you

Matt

Kansas

My standard question when there is low sound level in both channels is ... does your car now have or has it ever had a dealer installed Lexus phone system. A fault in the phone ECU under the floor on the right side of the trunk can cause the auto system mute on the phone ECU to ground.

If your 99 LS does not have or has never had a Lexus phone system, it is a defect in the Nakamichi head unit that usually causes low sound but usually it happens in only one channel - usually the right channel like in my case. I don't think I remember anyone reporting a defective Nakamichi amplifier in a 98-00 LS400.

MngreLMatt

Kansas, that could be the culprit. Yes the car did have a phone system installed in it. Water gets in my trunk when it rains and it has been rainy recently. Maybe water getting on the phone ecu? Anyway, the audio works just fine today. Go figure

Kansas

If your LS had a dealer installed Lexus phone system, unplug all the connectors from the phone ECU in the trunk, plug the two large ones together and tuck all the cables up out of the way so they don't get wet. On cars without a dealer installed Lexus phone system, the two large connectors are "plugged through" a plastic bracket on the bottom of the tool box receptacle.

A coworker of mine had very low volume in his Nakamichi (1999 LS400) for something like a year and his Nak audio system worked perfectly after we performed the actions I described above.

MngreLMatt

Thanks Kansas, did that and now all is working well.