buzz from tape player

mattmonsour · 02-03-2007, 11:03 PM

I've had my 2005 Prius for a little over 2 years and for the past year or so have used a tape adapter to listen to my ipod. It was working fine last Sat. Then, Sun evening when I tried to use it I just got a loud, fairly high pitched, buzzing sound! I've tried with 2 different tape adapters and a regular tape (they're hard to come across these days:-) All with the same result.

The buzz does not happen when I use the fm radio or CD changer. It also only comes from the left speakers (I think, may have been right). I had an engineer friend who designed car radios and cd changers (up until 6 or 8 months ago) take a look. He seems to think it's a bad head on the tape player.

I'm going to try cleaning the tape player once I can get to the store to get one of those cleaning tapes. Does anyone have any other ideas/suggestions? Has anyone else experienced a similar problem and if so what did you do about it?

I think I'm going to buy some sort of aux input and use that (better sound quality I hear) but it would be nice to just cheaply fix the radio. I quit my job and went back to school full time recently and don't have tons of money to spend on this so I'm all for a cheap fix!

Thanks for any suggestions!

PS, I swear the parts of the car read the odometer and break just after the warranty runs out (just a couple months ago for me) :-)

Juice · 02-04-2007, 12:05 AM

I had a similar thing happen in my Nissan (before I got my classic Prius). Does the buzzing stop when you touch the iPod? Mine did. That made me think it was some kind of a grounding issue? I'm not sure on that, but it turned to be a dirty head, if I remember correctly.

mattmonsour · 02-04-2007, 12:13 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Juice @ Feb 3 2007, 11:05 PM) [snapback]385035[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I had a similar thing happen in my Nissan (before I got my classic Prius). Does the buzzing stop when you touch the iPod? Mine did. That made me think it was some kind of a grounding issue? I'm not sure on that, but it turned to be a dirty head, if I remember correctly.
[/b]

No, the buzzing happens any time the tape player is in play mode. Stops for fast forward, rewind etc. I've tried messing w/ mp3 player controls and unplugging the adapter from the ipod, all to no avail.

Thanks, I will definitely try cleaning the head.

bredekamp · 03-11-2007, 05:45 PM

If there is sound mixed with a buzz, you're probably looking at interference. If it's JUST buzzing, the head may be damaged somehow. I don't think cleaning will help.

Is the buzz continueous? Does it change depending on what the car is doing?

aaf709 · 03-11-2007, 06:12 PM

There's a very cheap aux input you can install for the 2005, but it's a bit tricky. IIRC narf came up with it. It's possible to cut a wire on the JBL unit under the passenger's seat and install an AUX connector. The problem is that it only works when the CD is playing so you have to put in a CD with nothing recorded on it.

Since it's a iPod you might want to consider either a VAIS or a DICE.

mattmonsour · 03-11-2007, 10:28 PM

Thanks for the advice. I ended up buying a DICE. When it initializes the ipod properly it works great. Unfortunately the times it initializes properly seem to be the exception:-( At least it still plays the rest of the time, I just can't control the ipod w/ the steering wheel controls.

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02-03-2007, 11:03 PM	#1
mattmonsour Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 7 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I've had my 2005 Prius for a little over 2 years and for the past year or so have used a tape adapter to listen to my ipod. It was working fine last Sat. Then, Sun evening when I tried to use it I just got a loud, fairly high pitched, buzzing sound! I've tried with 2 different tape adapters and a regular tape (they're hard to come across these days:-) All with the same result. The buzz does not happen when I use the fm radio or CD changer. It also only comes from the left speakers (I think, may have been right). I had an engineer friend who designed car radios and cd changers (up until 6 or 8 months ago) take a look. He seems to think it's a bad head on the tape player. I'm going to try cleaning the tape player once I can get to the store to get one of those cleaning tapes. Does anyone have any other ideas/suggestions? Has anyone else experienced a similar problem and if so what did you do about it? I think I'm going to buy some sort of aux input and use that (better sound quality I hear) but it would be nice to just cheaply fix the radio. I quit my job and went back to school full time recently and don't have tons of money to spend on this so I'm all for a cheap fix! Thanks for any suggestions! PS, I swear the parts of the car read the odometer and break just after the warranty runs out (just a couple months ago for me) :-)

02-04-2007, 12:05 AM	#2
Juice Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I had a similar thing happen in my Nissan (before I got my classic Prius). Does the buzzing stop when you touch the iPod? Mine did. That made me think it was some kind of a grounding issue? I'm not sure on that, but it turned to be a dirty head, if I remember correctly.

03-11-2007, 05:45 PM	#4
bredekamp Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Somerset West, South Africa Posts: 361 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #6 Touring Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	If there is sound mixed with a buzz, you're probably looking at interference. If it's JUST buzzing, the head may be damaged somehow. I don't think cleaning will help. Is the buzz continueous? Does it change depending on what the car is doing?

03-11-2007, 06:12 PM	#5
aaf709 Ravenpaw of ThunderClan Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 3,838 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	There's a very cheap aux input you can install for the 2005, but it's a bit tricky. IIRC narf came up with it. It's possible to cut a wire on the JBL unit under the passenger's seat and install an AUX connector. The problem is that it only works when the CD is playing so you have to put in a CD with nothing recorded on it. Since it's a iPod you might want to consider either a VAIS or a DICE.

03-11-2007, 10:28 PM	#6
mattmonsour Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 7 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Thanks for the advice. I ended up buying a DICE. When it initializes the ipod properly it works great. Unfortunately the times it initializes properly seem to be the exception:-( At least it still plays the rest of the time, I just can't control the ipod w/ the steering wheel controls.