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gremlins in the stereo system (long story) 900

posted by  TwoFortyWagon on  Wed Sep 27 14:28 CST 2006
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last visit: Thu Apr 10 00:10 CST 2014
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Strangest thing... I was out in the driveway firing up the BBQ for dinner tonight, when I heard noises coming from the 944, sounded like someone in the trunk thumping on the inside of the car! I told my girlfriend and grabbed a flashlight and the keys, and we went out to investigate. Sure enough, the noise happened again -- thump, thump, in quick succession, like someone knocking on a door. I tapped my kunckles on the trunk lid, expecting to hear movement, but nothing. Then, a few seconds later, the knocking happened again!

I had replaced the fuel pump (Regina, in tank) this summer, and hadn't gotten around to putting the cover panel back on the access hatch to the fuel tank, so I thought a squirrel might have gotten into the trunk and was bumping around in there or something. So I opened the trunk and stepped back... and nothing. The trunk was empty! Then, while we were looking in the trunk... thump-thump, the noise happened agian.

Holy moley, I thought, the squirrel is in the car!

After searching the car thoroughly, and finding nothing, I realized that the sound was actually a staticy pop coming intermittently from the speakers. But the stereo wasn't on. In fact, the car, wasn't on -- the keys were in my pocket!

Pulling the fuse for the audio system stopped the noise. Putting the fuse back in made it start again. And with the fuse in, the stereo works fine. The car starts and runs fine. I've had the car for months and never noticed this before. The only relevant items I can think of are:

1) The battery is old and needs replacement
2) I just finished putting the center console back together last week after giving the interior a very thorough cleaning.

Any ideas?
--
'92 245 5-speed, '92 944 GL auto








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    gremlins in the stereo system (long story) 900

    posted by  drewb on  Thu Sep 28 05:11 CST 2006
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    last visit: Sat Jan 18 12:44 CST 2014
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    I have some ideas that might get you looking into the right direction. I think the key here is your work on the center console.

    Your car has a separate amplifier located under the steering wheel. It is turned on with the radio by a signal wire connected between the radio and amp. The amp always has power to it from another wire. Sort of like a remote control. It sounds to me like the amp is coming on by itself. The thump you hear is the amp turning on and off.

    Does the radio light up when you hear the thump? The amp does not power the dash speakers, I'll bet that only the door and rear speakers thump. If there is no noise from the dash speakers and the radio does not come on than the amp is the problem. The "turn on" signal wire is in a grey cable with "DIN" connectors on each end. It may have gotten pinched or cut when you where working on the console.

    Check all of your radio wires for good connection. Something may have come loose or be cross wired. After this I would conclude that either the amp or radio has gone bad internally.








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      gremlins in the stereo system (long story) 900

      posted by  TwoFortyWagon on  Thu Sep 28 05:56 CST 2006
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      last visit: Thu Apr 10 00:10 CST 2014
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      Drew,

      Thanks for the advice. Your theory on the amplifier is probably correct. The stereo itself did not appear to come on while the static was being produced. It was hard to tell if the dash speakers were unaffected, but it's very possible. I'll check out the wiring to the amplifier, which may have been bumped while I was putting the driver's seat back in.
      --
      '92 245 5-speed, '92 944 GL auto







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