Audio Issue After Carwash

[ClevelandBeemer]

It’s very cold here in Cleveland sitting at about 13°F. I got a wash at a local touchless carwash, parked my car at home, then got my laptop to program the glare free headlights. When I got back in my truck, 30 minutes later, I have this constant pulsing/popping sound coming from my right rear door speaker. It’s like an excursion test being played at 200+ BPM (see video).

I do have an aftermarket sub, but it’s all plug and play through a harness. It’s also been installed for months without issue. This is really odd as this has never happened before but this is also my first winter with the truck.

The problem goes away if I unplug the factory B&O amp. However if the B&O amp is plugged in, then the problem continues regardless if my aftermarket sub amp has power or not. Also I can hear the pulsing happening from outside the car when I get close enough for it to detect my key. Once the key is detected it’ll pulse for a few seconds the go away. Then it won’t start again until I power up the truck. When resetting the Sync system, the pulsing continues without stopping.

The fact that this happened within an hour of getting a carwash makes me think this is ICE/Water related. Perhaps something with the DC to DC inverter.

Any ideas of the cause?

Video of the issue

UPDATE: I don’t know why I didn’t think of the 12v as I should have. I unplugged the negative terminal for ~20 minutes, reconnected, and at least for the moment the problem has gone away.

UPDATE 2: Unfortunately the issue returned, this time for only 2 or 3 seconds at a time, sporadically for a 10 to 15 minute period. Then went away entirely for the remainder of the 3 hour drive. So odd….

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[chriserx]

Never encountered anything like it before, the video was obviously trimmed, questions:

1) Order of events, when does/did it start i.e. door open, truck start, did you try acc mode, when did it cut off, i.e. on truck off, did it wait for door to open
2) There was a pause, what do you think was happening or did you cover the mic.

I know I had 2 more questions but they escaped me for the time being. Considering a 12v reset fixed it for the time being, what are the odds your 12v was loose even a little. Glad it worked cuz that'd be annoying af.

Edit: I missed it originally, so it starts on approach with truck off right?

 

[ClevelandBeemer]

Never encountered anything like it before, the video was obviously trimmed, questions:

1) Order of events, when does/did it start i.e. door open, truck start, did you try acc mode, when did it cut off, i.e. on truck off, did it wait for door to open
2) There was a pause, what do you think was happening or did you cover the mic.

I know I had 2 more questions but they escaped me for the time being. Considering a 12v reset fixed it for the time being, what are the odds your 12v was loose even a little. Glad it worked cuz that'd be annoying af.

Edit: I missed it originally, so it starts on approach with truck off right?

Yep, would momentarily happen when approaching the truck and the key is detected. Then once I turn on the ignition the beating would be play continuous.

After disconnecting the 12v it initially went away, randomly would return for 2 to 3 seconds over a 15 minute period. After that 15 minute period the issue totally went away and didn’t return.

It’s super super weird……

 

[kstype]

The only consistent issues I experience after car washes are the parking sensors getting annoyed but that only lasts for one or two driving sessions presumably when the bulk of the water has departed.

 

[chl]

The door windows on F-150's are notorious for water incursions...so maybe that happened at the car wash and it messed up the speaker in one of both doors.

If the cone of a speaker gets wet (assuming it is a paper cone) and then sound is played through it, it can tear...but that would usually sound like a buzzing noise.

If an amp gets wet that could be your problem - could water have gotten into the area where the B&O amp is?

Might need to replace that.

When I was in a band back in the day, and had a PA system, the amp had a funky transformer that would sometimes cause popping sounds - basically arcing between coils - it eventually melted down.

The B&O apparently uses a solid state switching power supply not a transformer, but...

They seem prone to this kind of problem, according to a search:
-------------------

Ford B&O audio systems, especially in 2021-2023 F-150s, often exhibit loud speaker popping or static, frequently linked to a faulty DSP amplifier or a needed software update. The issue, often described as a deafening, constant, or intermittent static noise, is often resolved by a dealer-installed update that filters amplifier noise. Other solutions include replacing the 12-volt battery or addressing loose, faulty subwoofer wiring.

This video explains how to fix a common amplifier popping sound in Ford vehicles:



Common Causes and Troubleshooting

• Audio Power Amplifier: The core issue is often a fault in the DSP amplifier causing electrical interference to be sent to the speakers.
• Software/Firmware Update: A Ford-issued software update is often required to address the noise issue.
• 12-Volt Battery: A failing or weak 12-volt auxiliary battery has been cited as a cause for these issues in some cases.
• Wiring/Connections: Loose wires or connections, particularly in the subwoofer area, can cause popping.
• Subwoofer Issues: The sub enclosure may be touching surrounding metal or the trim panel.

Potential Fixes

• Dealer Software Update: Take the vehicle to a dealership for a software update, which has been identified as a primary fix for this issue.
• System Reboot: Some users have found that a, albeit temporary, fix is to turn the vehicle off for a period (e.g., 5-10 minutes) or to perform a radio reset by holding down the power and next track buttons for 10 seconds.
• Check Subwoofer Connection: Inspect the subwoofer and its connection to the vehicle to ensure it is secure and not causing issues.
• Battery Check: Have the 12-volt battery tested and replaced if necessary.

If the popping sound persists, it may be necessary to have the amplifier or speakers replaced under warranty

 

[chl]

See also this thread on the ICE F-150gen14 forum:

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...ed-audio-popping-after-truck-turns-off.43707/

 

[ClevelandBeemer]

The door windows on F-150's are notorious for water incursions...so maybe that happened at the car wash and it messed up the speaker in one of both doors.

If the cone of a speaker gets wet (assuming it is a paper cone) and then sound is played through it, it can tear...but that would usually sound like a buzzing noise.

If an amp gets wet that could be your problem - could water have gotten into the area where the B&O amp is?

Might need to replace that.

When I was in a band back in the day, and had a PA system, the amp had a funky transformer that would sometimes cause popping sounds - basically arcing between coils - it eventually melted down.

The B&O apparently uses a solid state switching power supply not a transformer, but...

They seem prone to this kind of problem, according to a search:

Thanks for the feedback! I can for certain say there is no water intrusion with the B&O amplifier. The amp and cables are dry. To be clear, this issue is only the right rear and would happen regardless if music was playing our not. Check out the video in the post, this isn’t static, this is steady voltage pulses going to the speaker.

 

[chriserx]

If it happens again try changing the audio settings for Left/Right Front/Rear, could help narrow the cause down. If the volume changes it likely means the cause is somewhere in the stereo chain, if it doesn't best guess would be exposed wiring or interference

 

[ClevelandBeemer]

If it happens again try changing the audio settings for Left/Right Front/Rear, could help narrow the cause down. If the volume changes it likely means the cause is somewhere in the stereo chain, if it doesn't best guess would be exposed wiring or interference

Will do. I’ve already done some of that. Sync, audio settings, and volume don’t impact the issue. It just continues. The only things that stopped the issue was a 12v disconnect and time.

I’m pretty sure water got where it wasn’t supposed to and caused a short.

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