Sound System issue (Battery, Alternator, or what?) feedback wanted
02-08-14, 06:29 PM
#1
Sound System issue (Battery, Alternator, or what?) feedback wanted
Hello everyone. So, I had the system in my RX330 with 60,000 miles upgraded 7 months ago (see my other posts) and also got a new battery from NTB at the same time. I had no issues with my vehicle until these recent events:
1-One day, my card wouldnt start, it would crank, but not start. NO PROBLEM, I had my buddy jump me and it ran fine. Two days later, it died again. I got it jumped again and immediately took it to NTB and they said the battery was fine, maybe it was the alternator. I take it to Lexus to have them check it out (my service was due anyway at the time) and told them what NTB said about the alternator. Lexus did their service and told me the alternator was fine but that the ODBii Scanner device I had plugged in to my ODB port was what was causing the issue according to their tests, as the failure would only happen with the ODB tool plugged in. I said, ok, easy, we can just unplug it and move on. I don't need that thing plugged in all the time and I hardly use it anyway. I moved on thinking that was that.
-MY SOUND WAS NOT AFFECTED UP TO THIS POINT AT ALL
-I DIDN'T CONNECT THE ODB TOOL AFTER THIS POINT AT ALL.
2-I use the car for about a month WITH NO PROBLEM and then one night, I leave the center inside lights on like a moron and don't notice for two days and drain my battery. I call AAA this time, they come out and jump me but tell me the battery is done because my lights were flickering. They suggest I warranty exchange it with NTB. I take it to NTB, they change the battery and I head out. I listen to the radio on the way back to my place without a problem and park the car. Thirty minutes later, I start heading out to a friend's place and my sound just goes off after a couple of minutes, my headunit works fine, but there is no sound from any source. I also notice that there is a humming radioey noise that changes with my acceleration that is heard over the speakers. It sounds very faint, but I can sense it and it know it wasn't there before as I would've gone crazy by now if it had been there. I get to my friend's place, and after a meal, go back to check the car. SOUND WORKS! I play the music at a high levels for about 5 minutes and think it is fixed. I go back into the house and then when I'm leaving, I start playing music as I leave and the sound dies again, this time after like 30 seconds. I go back home and leave it alone for a while, come back and no sound.
3- I call Crutchfield to see what they think (audioshop is closed today) and they basically tell me that they don't think NTB did anything wrong, as they just swapped the battery and think that the alternator might not be working as well as it should. They say that even if I didn't have my two amps in the back (which Crutchfield say drew not that much power anyway) eventually something else would fail, not just my sound. I'm going to take it to my installer on Monday before taking it to Lexus. I just wonder what Lexus will say since they supposedly already tested the alternator and since I have a custom sound system.
Any thoughts? Did my battery issues cause a sound issue? Is my alternator messed up?
Thanks for any feedback.
Soundless RX330
1-One day, my card wouldnt start, it would crank, but not start. NO PROBLEM, I had my buddy jump me and it ran fine. Two days later, it died again. I got it jumped again and immediately took it to NTB and they said the battery was fine, maybe it was the alternator. I take it to Lexus to have them check it out (my service was due anyway at the time) and told them what NTB said about the alternator. Lexus did their service and told me the alternator was fine but that the ODBii Scanner device I had plugged in to my ODB port was what was causing the issue according to their tests, as the failure would only happen with the ODB tool plugged in. I said, ok, easy, we can just unplug it and move on. I don't need that thing plugged in all the time and I hardly use it anyway. I moved on thinking that was that.
-MY SOUND WAS NOT AFFECTED UP TO THIS POINT AT ALL
-I DIDN'T CONNECT THE ODB TOOL AFTER THIS POINT AT ALL.
2-I use the car for about a month WITH NO PROBLEM and then one night, I leave the center inside lights on like a moron and don't notice for two days and drain my battery. I call AAA this time, they come out and jump me but tell me the battery is done because my lights were flickering. They suggest I warranty exchange it with NTB. I take it to NTB, they change the battery and I head out. I listen to the radio on the way back to my place without a problem and park the car. Thirty minutes later, I start heading out to a friend's place and my sound just goes off after a couple of minutes, my headunit works fine, but there is no sound from any source. I also notice that there is a humming radioey noise that changes with my acceleration that is heard over the speakers. It sounds very faint, but I can sense it and it know it wasn't there before as I would've gone crazy by now if it had been there. I get to my friend's place, and after a meal, go back to check the car. SOUND WORKS! I play the music at a high levels for about 5 minutes and think it is fixed. I go back into the house and then when I'm leaving, I start playing music as I leave and the sound dies again, this time after like 30 seconds. I go back home and leave it alone for a while, come back and no sound.
3- I call Crutchfield to see what they think (audioshop is closed today) and they basically tell me that they don't think NTB did anything wrong, as they just swapped the battery and think that the alternator might not be working as well as it should. They say that even if I didn't have my two amps in the back (which Crutchfield say drew not that much power anyway) eventually something else would fail, not just my sound. I'm going to take it to my installer on Monday before taking it to Lexus. I just wonder what Lexus will say since they supposedly already tested the alternator and since I have a custom sound system.
Any thoughts? Did my battery issues cause a sound issue? Is my alternator messed up?
Thanks for any feedback.
Soundless RX330
02-09-14, 04:56 PM
#2
Weird, after leaving the car alone overnight, I was able to use it all today without a single sound issue. I'm not sure what happened, it's like the car needed to charge up before it could take the load of the sound after the battery swap. I'm still concerned that something is off, so I'm going to keep an eye on it.
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