2004 SC430 Mark Levinson System - no Sound
07-21-15, 03:24 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
2004 SC430 Mark Levinson System - no Sound
Had this car for 1 year, 63k miles.....no problems until July 3rd. All of a sudden the sound to my Mark Levinson system started being intermittent....all power worked just not sound. Totally stopped 2 days later. 3 days later, July 6 car wouldn't start. Towed to lexus dealer. Battery replaced and amp identified as the sound culprit. They also replaced the airbag that was recalled and lubricated the roof.
Picked up car yesterday- turned radio on 3 minutes into driving home when all of a sudden the car started sounding like the roof was getting pelted with baseball size hail......sunny day no rain. My husband said it sounded like the roof was wanting to open and was banging.... It sounded like we were in a war zone. Shut radio off.
Stopped car to visually inspect roof....no damage to outside and inside never appeared to be straining to open.
Went back to dealer after having car in my possession for total of 10 minutes. Turning radio back on was followed by 3 really loud booms overhead. Shut radio off. Turned back on for service...no sound - no banging or booms.
Car DID NOT have this problem or symptom when brought to dealer 14 days prior. Service is still out on the what is wrong.
Anyone know of this problem and what it is and how it happened? My husband and I fell like we have PTSD with this experience.
Sorry for making another thread I felt this was a little different. We are not car aficionados so do not not know all the intricacies.
Picked up car yesterday- turned radio on 3 minutes into driving home when all of a sudden the car started sounding like the roof was getting pelted with baseball size hail......sunny day no rain. My husband said it sounded like the roof was wanting to open and was banging.... It sounded like we were in a war zone. Shut radio off.
Stopped car to visually inspect roof....no damage to outside and inside never appeared to be straining to open.
Went back to dealer after having car in my possession for total of 10 minutes. Turning radio back on was followed by 3 really loud booms overhead. Shut radio off. Turned back on for service...no sound - no banging or booms.
Car DID NOT have this problem or symptom when brought to dealer 14 days prior. Service is still out on the what is wrong.
Anyone know of this problem and what it is and how it happened? My husband and I fell like we have PTSD with this experience.
Sorry for making another thread I felt this was a little different. We are not car aficionados so do not not know all the intricacies.
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ThomasD94 (06-03-20)
07-21-15, 05:23 PM
#2
Lexus Test Driver
Interesting description. Should we conclude the banging roof was showing up when you turned the stereo on?
If so, that is the problem and the dealer should fix the stereo again.
You said the stereo does not come on anymore so if you go drive it, does it sound like the roof is opening, as you described before?
If not, continue to focus on the stereo problem.
If so, that is the problem and the dealer should fix the stereo again.
You said the stereo does not come on anymore so if you go drive it, does it sound like the roof is opening, as you described before?
If not, continue to focus on the stereo problem.
Last edited by Bgw70; 07-21-15 at 05:26 PM.
07-21-15, 07:37 PM
#3
Lead Lap
First of all, welcome to the forum. I wish that it were under better circumstances.
A wild guess here is that there are still problems with the AMP and probably the AMP is driving some noise into the subwoofer, then again, it could be driving all the speakers making it more difficult to determine where the sound is coming from. This is definitely a new problem to me and I've been hovering around the forum for 9 years.
One thing that we have seen is when the set key (on the steering wheel) is pressed, sometimes it gets off in the wrong region. A lot of members use that key as a mute button by setting it to a very low volume. Certain unexplained circumstances can cause it to go full volume resulting in certain members needing a change of clothing. So if it does it again, try turning down the volume very quickly and as much as possible to see if that has any effect.
OTOH, it could be a bad headunit feeding the AMP a bad signal.
A wild guess here is that there are still problems with the AMP and probably the AMP is driving some noise into the subwoofer, then again, it could be driving all the speakers making it more difficult to determine where the sound is coming from. This is definitely a new problem to me and I've been hovering around the forum for 9 years.
One thing that we have seen is when the set key (on the steering wheel) is pressed, sometimes it gets off in the wrong region. A lot of members use that key as a mute button by setting it to a very low volume. Certain unexplained circumstances can cause it to go full volume resulting in certain members needing a change of clothing. So if it does it again, try turning down the volume very quickly and as much as possible to see if that has any effect.
OTOH, it could be a bad headunit feeding the AMP a bad signal.
Last edited by Harold57; 07-21-15 at 08:01 PM.
07-22-15, 04:56 AM
#4
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Thank you both for your responses.
When we first turned on the radio the volume was low....like background music so my husband and I could talk.......he's 68 and has difficulty hearing. We never changed the volume setting and I always use the dial on the stereo unit itself............embarrassed to say that we're still a bit old school and actually I don't even remember if there are volume controls on the steering column.
The only SET key I know of is the one on the door panels for the seat adjustments.
When the car was returned to us all of the settings I had on the panel above the stereo system were changed and/or gone from what I had so whatever got changed vis a vis the volume using the SET key on steering column was done by Lexus. The previous owner who had this car for 8 years and is a friend set them and I just kept them except for periodically changing the inside temps.
Like I said.....we are not car aficionados and I'm still learning how to use/set this car.
When the car was first brought in......I specifically expressed concern that somehow the drained/dead battery and the SS were connected and was it electrical......I was told it wasn't by both the Service Advisor and the Tech who personally called me. In my mind that says they checked all possibilities but perhaps not.
I guess what I'm hearing from both of you is the problem is with the SS .......somewhere and the explosive banging overhead was part of it?
Back at the dealer when asked to turn the SS on....again all the power came on but no sound....he even asked me if I had the sound turned up......I turned the **** all the way but still no sound and YES - it no longer was banging. Now I'm concerned that the speakers are blown.
Another concern I have is - is this a problem that was caused at dealers during initial repair or was it pre-existing? It NEVER did that before my initial issue and YES it was extremely frightening since neither of us had ever experienced this with any vehicles we have owned.
When we first turned on the radio the volume was low....like background music so my husband and I could talk.......he's 68 and has difficulty hearing. We never changed the volume setting and I always use the dial on the stereo unit itself............embarrassed to say that we're still a bit old school and actually I don't even remember if there are volume controls on the steering column.
The only SET key I know of is the one on the door panels for the seat adjustments.
When the car was returned to us all of the settings I had on the panel above the stereo system were changed and/or gone from what I had so whatever got changed vis a vis the volume using the SET key on steering column was done by Lexus. The previous owner who had this car for 8 years and is a friend set them and I just kept them except for periodically changing the inside temps.
Like I said.....we are not car aficionados and I'm still learning how to use/set this car.
When the car was first brought in......I specifically expressed concern that somehow the drained/dead battery and the SS were connected and was it electrical......I was told it wasn't by both the Service Advisor and the Tech who personally called me. In my mind that says they checked all possibilities but perhaps not.
I guess what I'm hearing from both of you is the problem is with the SS .......somewhere and the explosive banging overhead was part of it?
Back at the dealer when asked to turn the SS on....again all the power came on but no sound....he even asked me if I had the sound turned up......I turned the **** all the way but still no sound and YES - it no longer was banging. Now I'm concerned that the speakers are blown.
Another concern I have is - is this a problem that was caused at dealers during initial repair or was it pre-existing? It NEVER did that before my initial issue and YES it was extremely frightening since neither of us had ever experienced this with any vehicles we have owned.
07-22-15, 05:27 AM
#5
Lexus Test Driver
take it back to the dealer and ask them to checkout the stereo. They will be able to tell you the problem.
I would be more than happy to make suggestions on checking fuses etc. would you like to proceed or would you prefer to have the dealer correct the issue?
I would be more than happy to make suggestions on checking fuses etc. would you like to proceed or would you prefer to have the dealer correct the issue?
07-22-15, 07:16 AM
#7
Lexus Test Driver
That is probably the best thing to do at this point. I just hope they do not try to charge you hundreds of more dollars to the fix the new problem.
Be sure to let us know what happens...and good luck!
Be sure to let us know what happens...and good luck!
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07-22-15, 02:24 PM
#9
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Update:
Service tech has had radio playing away all day yesterday and today waiting for it to fail to retrieve the failure code. Until they have that they don't know what caused it to what it did.....the only good thing is the Service Asst. Manager saw with his own eyes and ears that the radio wasn't working when we brought it back.
Service tech has had radio playing away all day yesterday and today waiting for it to fail to retrieve the failure code. Until they have that they don't know what caused it to what it did.....the only good thing is the Service Asst. Manager saw with his own eyes and ears that the radio wasn't working when we brought it back.
07-22-15, 03:06 PM
#10
Lead Lap
Oh I hate it when that happens! So annoying.
Yes, there are stereo controls on the steering wheel on the left hand side. Some are for volume and others are for the modes (AM/FM/CD, etc.).
I don't remember us ever figuring out what caused the insane set volume button but suspect that it could have happened if they disconnected the battery. (The service department might have disconnected the battery when they changed your air bag.)
Basically, the set volume button works by setting the stereo volume where you prefer it and then holding the set button down until you hear a beep (IIRC). After that, all you have to do is to press that button and it will bring the radio to your preferred volume. (The button is easy to hit by accident, so just be aware of it even if you don't intend to use it.)
I have to admit that you have an unusual problem. I hope that they can get to the bottom of it. One thing that will help them is if you can remember everything that you did preceding those attacks on your hearing. There may be something that will help them recreate it or determine what the cause is.
Yes, there are stereo controls on the steering wheel on the left hand side. Some are for volume and others are for the modes (AM/FM/CD, etc.).
I don't remember us ever figuring out what caused the insane set volume button but suspect that it could have happened if they disconnected the battery. (The service department might have disconnected the battery when they changed your air bag.)
Basically, the set volume button works by setting the stereo volume where you prefer it and then holding the set button down until you hear a beep (IIRC). After that, all you have to do is to press that button and it will bring the radio to your preferred volume. (The button is easy to hit by accident, so just be aware of it even if you don't intend to use it.)
I have to admit that you have an unusual problem. I hope that they can get to the bottom of it. One thing that will help them is if you can remember everything that you did preceding those attacks on your hearing. There may be something that will help them recreate it or determine what the cause is.
07-22-15, 03:12 PM
#11
I have '07 SC430, for the first time last week, the sound on stereo just completely went out while I was driving. All power were good and different stereo functions (tape, cd and radio) seemed to be fine but just no sound coming out. My first instinct was the amp gone bad. But after a couple of days not using the car, the sound on Mark Levinson's came back and like nothing has happened.
07-22-15, 04:04 PM
#12
Lead Lap
Any chance that either of you have had moisture intrusions in the past? I'm wondering if you may have an intermittent connection somewhere between the radio and the amp. Either corrosion or a partially disconnected connection that comes and goes.
If you've had work done, especially the air bag, it is possible that the technician may have bumped a connector or two and made it to where it is only partially connected now, such that it comes and goes. Just a thought.
Let us know what you two find out and good luck!
If you've had work done, especially the air bag, it is possible that the technician may have bumped a connector or two and made it to where it is only partially connected now, such that it comes and goes. Just a thought.
Let us know what you two find out and good luck!
07-22-15, 04:42 PM
#13
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Harold...everything I did after I picked the car up is just as I said earlier....and it is documented. I've been racking my brain to think what's different from our experience and the current tech's experience of the radio playing fine for 2 days in the service bay.
The only things I can think of are last 2 days it's been in an air-conditioned bay inside and no one is driving. We were driving at the time of our assault albeit 5 -10 minutes. Also the car sat on their locked yard for a week in TX heat since we were in NE on vacation.
The battery was actually replaced the same time the amp was and yes they did the recall air bag replacement at the same time.....so all good suggestions but for life of me I don't know why they can't or haven't considered their previous steps....instead of relying on s fail code........which brings me to - if computers and printers have fail logs why don't these cars do the tech's can pull them and work off of that instead of hoping the problem will replicate itself.
The only other thing they did was re-lubricate the roof assembly. This was my first thought as a culprit for the noise ....but what do I know��
As far as moisture intrusion......other than recent Texas rains spraying under the undercarriage ...... Not that I experienced in my year of ownership. My friend who had it for 8 years did not have problems and the dealer has all those records cuz it was serviced there.
The only things I can think of are last 2 days it's been in an air-conditioned bay inside and no one is driving. We were driving at the time of our assault albeit 5 -10 minutes. Also the car sat on their locked yard for a week in TX heat since we were in NE on vacation.
The battery was actually replaced the same time the amp was and yes they did the recall air bag replacement at the same time.....so all good suggestions but for life of me I don't know why they can't or haven't considered their previous steps....instead of relying on s fail code........which brings me to - if computers and printers have fail logs why don't these cars do the tech's can pull them and work off of that instead of hoping the problem will replicate itself.
The only other thing they did was re-lubricate the roof assembly. This was my first thought as a culprit for the noise ....but what do I know��
As far as moisture intrusion......other than recent Texas rains spraying under the undercarriage ...... Not that I experienced in my year of ownership. My friend who had it for 8 years did not have problems and the dealer has all those records cuz it was serviced there.
Last edited by Nalismom; 07-22-15 at 04:47 PM.
07-22-15, 04:51 PM
#14
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
NovaRnder....mine did the same thing initially and played for couple more days then became more intermittent and then stopped altogether....right about now I'd take that rather than worrying about what caused the loud booms and bangs after pick up.
