No Sound after Rainy day
06-06-17, 07:32 PM
#31
I just wanted to comment again on this...
Yesterday, October 12th 2016, it was another RAINY day. Of course, when I went out to my car on my lunch break I assumed the audio would not work. Of course I was right.
So when I got home after work, it was still raining outside and my audio didn't work the entire ride home. I removed my amp (2X 10MM nuts), and noticed that there was, in fact, moisture on the bottom of it. However, there was nowhere for the water to come from, nothing was damp, there were no leaks. I have no idea how it happened.
Anyway, I went and used my wife's blow dryer and dried it. Plugged it back in and wallah, it worked agian. I have now stuffed a dish clothe down underneath it and so far it is working good.
I'd really love to know where that water is coming from...it's a mystery.
Yesterday, October 12th 2016, it was another RAINY day. Of course, when I went out to my car on my lunch break I assumed the audio would not work. Of course I was right.
So when I got home after work, it was still raining outside and my audio didn't work the entire ride home. I removed my amp (2X 10MM nuts), and noticed that there was, in fact, moisture on the bottom of it. However, there was nowhere for the water to come from, nothing was damp, there were no leaks. I have no idea how it happened.
Anyway, I went and used my wife's blow dryer and dried it. Plugged it back in and wallah, it worked agian. I have now stuffed a dish clothe down underneath it and so far it is working good.
I'd really love to know where that water is coming from...it's a mystery.
06-07-17, 04:47 AM
#32
I would also check or have someone check your speakers. There's a slight chance that water got into those as well. If they feel very hard, there's a good chance they are ruined. That's what happened to me at least and I had to replace all my speakers with aftermarket speakers.
06-07-17, 06:51 AM
#33
Alternatives
While I have a 2012 250C, I've read this topic and others about the trunk leaking and the amp ceasing to work. I work in the electronics industry where we make emergency telephones for outdoor use (college campus blue-light phones). Water is our nemesis. As many have noted, they cannot see a water leak, but obviously water is getting on the amp. This is due to condensation. The metal enclosure of the amp will tend to condense water as it cools more quickly than the surrounding humid air, this will cause water to condense inside and outside the amplifier and especially places where there is no air circulation. We have battled this many years. There are a couple of ways to alleviate this problem knowing that the water may be condensing in one of two places.
1. Water condensing on the board (PCBA).
The trick it to clean and coat the board inside the amp. To clean, remove the board and clean it with a high concentration alcohol and tooth brush. Do not be afraid to flush the board with alcohol as it will evaporate, but be sure and keep clean alcohol as you do not want to spread any contaminants on the board. After you have cleaned, let the board dry for a couple of hours. Then coat the board with an acrylic or urethane coating. Once such coating can be found here. https://www.grainger.com/product/4YP...170607133813:s. Follow the instructions and let the coating cure. Several coats are advisable. Reinstall the amp and go. Be careful not to get the coating on the pins of the connectors as it may wick into the the contact points and prevent proper connection. If so, scrape and clean the pins inside the connector to allow good electrical contact.
2. Water condensing inside the connector.
There are possible two causes. One, the water condenses on the cabling and drips/runs down into the connector. To correct this, try to put a drip loop so that if water runs down the cable it will reach a point on the harness that is lower than the connector plug. This will keep water condensing on the cable from entering the connectors. Two, water condenses inside the connector. The solution for this will work for either of these two cases. Get some electrical grease such as http://www.alliedelec.com/gc-electro...FceCswodZFAM-A. Follow instructions, reinstall and go.
Hope this helps someone.
1. Water condensing on the board (PCBA).
The trick it to clean and coat the board inside the amp. To clean, remove the board and clean it with a high concentration alcohol and tooth brush. Do not be afraid to flush the board with alcohol as it will evaporate, but be sure and keep clean alcohol as you do not want to spread any contaminants on the board. After you have cleaned, let the board dry for a couple of hours. Then coat the board with an acrylic or urethane coating. Once such coating can be found here. https://www.grainger.com/product/4YP...170607133813:s. Follow the instructions and let the coating cure. Several coats are advisable. Reinstall the amp and go. Be careful not to get the coating on the pins of the connectors as it may wick into the the contact points and prevent proper connection. If so, scrape and clean the pins inside the connector to allow good electrical contact.
2. Water condensing inside the connector.
There are possible two causes. One, the water condenses on the cabling and drips/runs down into the connector. To correct this, try to put a drip loop so that if water runs down the cable it will reach a point on the harness that is lower than the connector plug. This will keep water condensing on the cable from entering the connectors. Two, water condenses inside the connector. The solution for this will work for either of these two cases. Get some electrical grease such as http://www.alliedelec.com/gc-electro...FceCswodZFAM-A. Follow instructions, reinstall and go.
Hope this helps someone.
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Soledad (06-07-17)
06-07-17, 09:44 PM
#34
Update. So I plugged my amp up after work. Worked the 1st time and not the 2nd. I hit it with a blow dryer again. Works now! 
I've turned the car off 3 times this time. If it works tomorrow morning then I think I'm set. I've added a towel underneath to try to prevent condensation again.
It's strange that it took 10 years to develop condensation tho....
I've turned the car off 3 times this time. If it works tomorrow morning then I think I'm set. I've added a towel underneath to try to prevent condensation again. It's strange that it took 10 years to develop condensation tho....
06-11-17, 10:31 AM
#36
Driver School Candidate
Hmmm. About to buy a 2007 IS350 ML/Nav with no sound. I'll check out the solutions in this thread before buying anything. I just might get a $1500 lower price for something I can easily fix myself. Even if the amp is fried, it's only $300-$500 to get an OEM one. Win all the way around. Thanks folks!
06-29-17, 07:08 PM
#37
Well my amp hair dryer fix only lasted a couple of weeks. It died again and the dryer trick no longer brought it back to life. I've ordered a used one on ebay from a 2008. FYI the 2011-2013 amps are a different design and the plugs won't fit. I believe it's only a matter of time before the replacement amp dies too.
06-18-18, 11:00 AM
#38
Tried it..Works!!
I Found a Solution to this problem.If your amp makes a static popping noise every time you turn it on. then the amp is fine. just needs to "Warm up". you can expedite this process by applying hot air from a hair dryer to the amp if you like but if you want a permanent solution here is what you do. Now you guys are going to laugh at me but I took out the amp from the trunk of the car. wrapped it with a thick kitchen towel and placed it back in without applying the screws. . When you place it back. make sure that no metal from the Amplifier is touching the metal from the base where the amp sits.. do that and plug in the cables after . and make sure the bottom of the amp, the sides and the top is fully covered with the towel after connecting all the wires. Now sit back and watch it work like a charm . I have no logical explanation for this excepts. it either needs to warm up or something with the ground wire is finicky. I did it after a member from this forum inboxed me and I laughed but did it out of desperation. Hope this works for everyone.
04-19-19, 03:08 PM
#39
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Real solution!
Hi guy's!
First time here!
I found that the air vent at the right of the amp is used and broken.
So I remove it, clean it up and put duck tape inside and outside the hole.
No more water will get in!
Hope this will help! 😉✌️
Last edited by Lexys; 04-19-19 at 05:59 PM.
04-20-19, 08:16 AM
#41
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04-23-19, 10:31 AM
#44
The openings are on both on the drivers and passenger sides behind the rear wheels behind the rear bumper cover. One can access the other side from inside the trunk obviously if you pull up the trunk carpet liner.
I don't know if duct tape is a good solution, as those are there to elevate cabin pressure when closing the doors.
I don't know if duct tape is a good solution, as those are there to elevate cabin pressure when closing the doors.
05-06-19, 05:24 PM
#45
Real solution
I faced same problem when some water spill inside rear trunk above amplifier side.
Disconnect amplifier and let it dry for some time (half a day), connect again, it will work...
Disconnect amplifier and let it dry for some time (half a day), connect again, it will work...