When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Turned on my 2014 Lexus is350 f sport today and heard a decent sounding pop. Of course, checked the sound system and I have no sound coming out whatsoever from any source. Pulled the three fuses underneath the driver's footwell. The two 30s for amp 1 & 2 and the 15 radio fuse. The fuses were not blown and leads me to believe my Mark Levinson amp is blown. Finding it really frustrating considering I just bought this around a month ago from someone. I am attaching the service code below that was thrown at the time the car started up. I believe the amp is blown but just want to make sure. If anyone can verify that the amp is blown or help point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it. And if anyone knows of a place to find a replacement amp that is a decent price that would also be great because I am not about to drop $2,000 for a brand new mark levinson amplifier from Lexus.
The code is for a short in the speaker output circuit.
The problem areas are the Amp, wiring between the Amp and speakers, and the speakers.
While it's not common for the 2014 ML Amps to go, it's entirely possible.
Unless you want to get into a lengthy diagnosis checking all the wiring between the Amp and speakers, the most likely cause is the Amp.
I suggest accessing it in the trunk (right and floor area), find the part number for it, and go hunting online for one. Start with eBay.
Yeah, I saw your comment on another post with the same code thrown. Seems like I will take out the amp check it out and maybe just unplug it and plug it back in and see if the cables are all connected. While that's likely not the issue since I heard something like a capacitor or a MOSFET blow when I started the car I'm guessing an electrical component blew up inside the amp. I scoured some other clublexus forums and found a company that mark levinson recommended to repair their amps. The company is called United Radio, A simple google search brings up there website cant link it here for some reason. No Idea how reputable this company is but they have free shipping for a free estimate so its worth a shot to be honest. Ebay seems to be out of the amps for these specific models anyways so this seems to be my best chance at getting my sound system up and running and probably cheaper than buying a whole other unit.
Last edited by TophersGRG; Jul 24, 2020 at 06:03 PM.
Reason: edit link
Just throwing out an update on this. As of this morning when I started up the car again to drive over to a friends house I was happily surprised to see the radio turn on and music playing on startup. I have no idea what happened or why the car threw that code but I am glad to not be shelling out $1000.
Just throwing out an update on this. As of this morning when I started up the car again to drive over to a friends house I was happily surprised to see the radio turn on and music playing on startup. I have no idea what happened or why the car threw that code but I am glad to not be shelling out $1000.
It's possible the amp could have been wet and it dried out.
11/19/2024 - Update on ML Amplifier in My 2014 Lexus IS350 F Sport
Since writing my original post over four years ago, I’ve had no issues with the audio in my car—almost as if things were going too well. However, as with most things, this streak didn’t last forever. Over the past few months, I started experiencing intermittent problems with my audio cutting off randomly or becoming completely unresponsive. Running diagnostics revealed the now-infamous B15C3 code once again.
This time, I was determined to get to the root cause of the issue. To provide some context, I am the fourth owner of this vehicle and take extreme care to avoid having liquids in the trunk area. Despite my precautions, I suspected something deeper was at play.
Investigation
I decided to pull out the amplifier to see what was going on. Upon removing it, I noticed it was coated in a sticky, greasy residue that resembled aged Coca-Cola. Although I know that Sasnuke and others have warned about the vents near the amplifier potentially breaking and letting water in, this seemed more like someone had spilled something in the trunk at some point.
Further inspection revealed that the residue had seeped into the power connector, which I suspected was the source of the problem. However, none of the 30-amp fuses for the amplifier were blown, ruling out certain power-related issues.
Curious to dig deeper, I carefully opened the amplifier case to examine the circuit board. Sure enough, I found signs of residue intrusion and what appeared to be fried components. This confirmed that I would need to either replace the amplifier or get it repaired.
Attempted Fixes
Before committing to a repair, I made one last attempt by using an electronic car cleaner to spray the connections on both the wiring harness and the amplifier itself. Unfortunately, this did not resolve the issue. At that point, I knew a professional repair was my only option.
Repair Process
I ultimately decided against using a random shop or eBay store for the repair, as I wanted to ensure the issue was resolved properly. Through my previous research, I learned about United Radio, which is one of the few reputable companies specializing in ML amplifier repairs. I shipped out my unit last week to have it diagnosed.
As expected, the amplifier was confirmed to be broken, and the repair cost came to $679 + $47 in tax. While this expense was disappointing, I felt reassured by United Radio’s professionalism and their one-year warranty on repairs.
The technician who repaired my unit even called to explain the problem: a power circuit failure. When I asked for more details, he clarified that this is a common issue with these amplifiers, but there isn’t a single definitive cause. He reiterated Sasnuke’s advice to check the 30-amp fuses, which I had already confirmed were intact.
Regarding water intrusion, the technician mentioned that while it’s possible for it to cause issues if it reaches the power connector, the units are designed with robust failsafes to shut down when such problems are detected.
Final Thoughts
Reflecting on this experience, I believe this issue likely stems from a previous owner spilling something in the trunk. While I’m $700 poorer, I’m relieved to have the amplifier repaired and functioning properly. This car has otherwise been incredibly reliable during my ownership, and I hope this write-up helps others who might face similar issues.
Code Error Power Cable Connector with Residue Removed Amplifier with residue on top
11/19/2024 - Update on ML Amplifier in My 2014 Lexus IS350 F Sport
Since writing my original post over four years ago, I’ve had no issues with the audio in my car—almost as if things were going too well. However, as with most things, this streak didn’t last forever. Over the past few months, I started experiencing intermittent problems with my audio cutting off randomly or becoming completely unresponsive. Running diagnostics revealed the now-infamous B15C3 code once again.
This time, I was determined to get to the root cause of the issue. To provide some context, I am the fourth owner of this vehicle and take extreme care to avoid having liquids in the trunk area. Despite my precautions, I suspected something deeper was at play.
Investigation
I decided to pull out the amplifier to see what was going on. Upon removing it, I noticed it was coated in a sticky, greasy residue that resembled aged Coca-Cola. Although I know that Sasnuke and others have warned about the vents near the amplifier potentially breaking and letting water in, this seemed more like someone had spilled something in the trunk at some point.
Further inspection revealed that the residue had seeped into the power connector, which I suspected was the source of the problem. However, none of the 30-amp fuses for the amplifier were blown, ruling out certain power-related issues.
Curious to dig deeper, I carefully opened the amplifier case to examine the circuit board. Sure enough, I found signs of residue intrusion and what appeared to be fried components. This confirmed that I would need to either replace the amplifier or get it repaired.
Attempted Fixes
Before committing to a repair, I made one last attempt by using an electronic car cleaner to spray the connections on both the wiring harness and the amplifier itself. Unfortunately, this did not resolve the issue. At that point, I knew a professional repair was my only option.
Repair Process
I ultimately decided against using a random shop or eBay store for the repair, as I wanted to ensure the issue was resolved properly. Through my previous research, I learned about United Radio, which is one of the few reputable companies specializing in ML amplifier repairs. I shipped out my unit last week to have it diagnosed.
As expected, the amplifier was confirmed to be broken, and the repair cost came to $679 + $47 in tax. While this expense was disappointing, I felt reassured by United Radio’s professionalism and their one-year warranty on repairs.
The technician who repaired my unit even called to explain the problem: a power circuit failure. When I asked for more details, he clarified that this is a common issue with these amplifiers, but there isn’t a single definitive cause. He reiterated Sasnuke’s advice to check the 30-amp fuses, which I had already confirmed were intact.
Regarding water intrusion, the technician mentioned that while it’s possible for it to cause issues if it reaches the power connector, the units are designed with robust failsafes to shut down when such problems are detected.
Final Thoughts
Reflecting on this experience, I believe this issue likely stems from a previous owner spilling something in the trunk. While I’m $700 poorer, I’m relieved to have the amplifier repaired and functioning properly. This car has otherwise been incredibly reliable during my ownership, and I hope this write-up helps others who might face similar issues.
Code Error Power Cable Connector with Residue Removed Amplifier with residue on top
Pour Coke on any amp, it’s gonna have a problem.
Water intrusion into the pocket where the amp lives, will adversely affect any amp in there.
Sure, but is this liquid intrusion problem or an electrical component failure problem in those amps?
In this specific case, it might be, but what about other such cases?
Sure, but is this liquid intrusion problem or an electrical component failure problem in those amps?
In this specific case, it might be, but what about other such cases?
From all the threads and post I’ve seen about amp problems, water intrusion seems to be a fairly common theme. I have some rust around the bolts holding mine in place, but so far not enough water has entered to tank the amp yet. I need to proactively seal that compartment to save myself some grief down the road.
From all the threads and post I’ve seen about amp problems, water intrusion seems to be a fairly common theme. I have some rust around the bolts holding mine in place, but so far not enough water has entered to tank the amp yet. I need to proactively seal that compartment to save myself some grief down the road.
Hm.. do you have any idea where the water might be entering? I haven't looked where the box is located... yet. But if you say it is a factor, I need to investigate it. I don't have a ML amp, but still, I would rather prevent the headache.
Hm.. do you have any idea where the water might be entering? I haven't looked where the box is located... yet. But if you say it is a factor, I need to investigate it. I don't have a ML amp, but still, I would rather prevent the headache.
Have you read this thread in the stickies: Amp Sticky
Post #44 has a link to a (too long) video, where the guy has a lot of water in that amp compartment. Right hand side of the trunk, under a floor panel. (ML or regular amp, same location.)
Possible water sources include sunroof drain, bad seal between metal panels, and the big vent to the outside.
Possible blown amp? Help?
