Cell Phone Interference

Okay,

I have a weird problem that is driving me nuts.

I am on my 2nd Gen2 Prius. I had a 2005 that I bought with 6K miles on it in 2005 and had 260K+ miles when I was in a fender bender in January and my insurance company totaled it due to mileage/age. I replaced that with a 2007 that I bought in January.

I have a 35 mile commute to and from work, so on my drives home I use the time to take advantage of my "rolling phone booth" and frequently call family and friends.

Through 2 different Prii and multiple cell phones (both Android and iPhones), I have had the same complaint from people I talk to while driving home: "What is that clicking noise?" I wish I had a dollar for every time I have been asked that question.

The weird thing is that I do not hear anything at all on my end, but people on the other end of the call almost always hear it. The minute I pull into a parking lot and turn off the car, the people on the other note that the noise stopped.

This happened in the 2005 (no bluetooth, using earbuds) and happens again in the 2007 using bluetooth. It has happened on Apple phones, Samsung phones, and LG phones.

Yesterday, my wife noted it and we were able to isolate that it is more pronounced if I am accelerating. If my foot is off of the gas pedal, the noise apparently goes away.

I assume this is some kind of RF interference from the ICE. Oddly, when I ask other Gen 2 owners if they have the same issue, the reply I get is that they have not had anyone else mention that.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions to eliminate it?

Thanks in advance for input.

 

USA. Maryland. Commute is from Baltimore to Annapolis.

Note that I do not hear the noise, myself...only the people I am talking to complain about it.