[petehammer]

Hello all, 2013 Volt owner here with the Bose sound system. I was driving to work a few weeks back, listening to music, and as I was going up the parking garage I heard a loud POP. So loud I thought I had hit something. I looked around, nothing. Huh.

I've been riding my motorcycle mostly, so I haven't drive it a ton since. Today I take it out. The speakers have LOUD crackling, popping, static. I mean loud. Must be my iPod cable, I though. So I unplugged my ipod through USB and switch to radio. No change. Happens with radio as well. Have you ever unplugged a microphone from a live amp? It's like that kind of popping.

Interestingly, if I turn the sound system off it ceases but then anything which makes noise (turn signal, the power down sound) will fire up LOUD popping and crackling through the speakers for a few seconds.

I suspect 1) all car sounds, including turn signals, are routed through the sound system and 2) that there's something up with the amplifier. Has anyone had this issue before? I assume it would be the amp going out since the radio still works fine (just with the terrible interference).

Thanks in advance for any and all help you can provide.

-Pete

 

[Steverino]

I have not seen that issue posted here before. I'm wondering if your radio has lost it's EMF shielding somehow, that's it's picking up errant EMF burst form other electronics? If reproducible at will, take it to the dealer for warranty repair.

 

[llninja]

At first I was thinking maybe you have a loose ground wire to the infotainment system causing the ground to float, but when you describe all the electronics causing the popping noises, maybe you have a short that is sending signals to ground. Or it could be something really wrong in the innards of the audio system. Does it come out of all the speakers including the Bose subwoofer?

 

[petehammer]

Thanks for the replies so far. I'm not sure the Volt would still be under warranty for "warranty repair" as I believe a 2013 Volt actually came out in 2012 and so that 3/36,000 is up. It's a really weird phenomenon. Today the turn signal and bootup sound/shutdown sound are so faint as to be almost inaudible (as well as touching the touchscreen buttons). The stereo is also about 1/2 its normal volume (with, of course, pops and crackles) which makes me think something regarding the wiring to the amp is causing this. I don't know how I'd check out the Bose subwoofer... I'd assume that's in the back? I just ordered a deep socket set so I can actually get to the amp and see if there's a visible wire problem.

Do you guys think a normal auto shop could handle this or do I have to take it to the dreaded dealer?

(Also, perhaps related - I got in a small fender bender which required replacing the front right fender, front bumper, and painting the front right (passenger) door. There was supposedly no damage to the structure/wiring but I wonder if in removing the door panel they botched something? I'm not sure if the wiring even works that way).