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2007 Prius Loud Static Noise from speakers

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by TomFisk, Mar 17, 2014.

  1. TomFisk

    TomFisk New Member

    Joined:
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    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    2007 Prius is experiencing an intermittent very loud static noise coming from all speakers. It is so loud that it sounded like a train crash three feet away. The loud static will continue even after the radio is turned off. The static seems to occur after driving 1-3 hours. The car is a single owner and has never been in an accident. There is 67,000 miles on the car. There have not been any aftermarket additions. Once the static starts, the only way to stop it is to pull the radio fuse from under the hood.

    Please help!
    The Prius has the JBL system with the Amp under the RF seat. I attempted to go to the Toyota dealer (Wiesbaden, Germany) and they could not duplicate the problem and suggested they keep the car and send off the head unit and it would take 4-6 weeks (I can't give up my wife's car for that long). I also attempted to have an aftermarket audio installer to check for shorts (he wouldn't touch a factory installed system???) I miss being back in the States.

    If I pull the Amp out or the head unit, how can you verify if there is an intermittent short in the unit?
     
    #1 TomFisk, Mar 17, 2014
  2. ursle

    ursle Gas miser

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    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Well, the static is getting amplified, sounds like a short and it "must"? be in front of the amps, I'd be tempted to try an aftermarket audio installer, they should track down a short pretty quick, not that Toyota couldn't, the installer only works audio.
    If your comfortable, fuses would be a good starting point, grounds for the equipment, the ability to check installed wires for continuity, I'd also check the 12v, weird as it may seem.
     
    #2 ursle, Mar 17, 2014
  3. 69shovlhed

    69shovlhed Surly tree hugger

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    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    if it has the jbl, it could be the head unit, the amp under the rf seat, or wiring between them. if its not jbl, got to be a bad head unit.
     
    #3 69shovlhed, Mar 17, 2014
  4. TomFisk

    TomFisk New Member

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    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    The loud static seems to occur faster during the hot weather vs the 1-3 hour drive (???). I have no idea why this is a factor. Is there a way to check the Amp for an intermittent short or just replace it. This is tough to diagnose without a great deal of time invested to heat up the car (1-3 Hours) and duplicate the symptoms.
     
    #4 TomFisk, Mar 24, 2014
  5. donjoe

    donjoe New Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2014
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    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I'm brand new to this forum. I had the same problem recently with my 04 Prius. (ULTRA LOUD static whether the radio was on or off-like it would blow the speakers any second!) It started intermittently, but after a couple weeks it was constant. I could not even turn on the car for fear of blasting out the speakers. I did take it to a Toyota dealer for diagnosis. (The dealer was only about a mile away.)

    They said it was the amp under the front seat. They wanted $500+ to replace it with a reman unit. I found an exact model of amp out of a 04 Prius with very low mileage (salvaged car hit in the driver's front side). You can find quite a few of these amps on Ebay and bone yards for $60 -$89 and all the way up from there. It only took about 45 min to replace it-and I am not a mechanic. Untighten the 2 front bolts on the passenger seat. (You don't have to take out the entire seat). The amp has 3 brackets attached and 2 plug in wire harnesses. Two of the amp bracket bolts can be removed from bottom front of the passenger seat. The other is easier to remove from under the rear of the passenger seat. Then slide the amp out from the rear under the passenger seat. Then , install the replacement. HOWEVER, I just did this last night and it took care of the "static" problem but now I have NO sound from AM,FM,CD-nothing. The audio display seems to work fine but after about 30 seconds or so the display defaults to navigation. Does anyone know if you have to do any "reprogramming" if you change out an amp like this??? And if so, how is that reprogramming accomplished???
     
    #5 donjoe, May 2, 2014
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