AC Power outlet

[Heelrunner]

I am hoping one of you could help me. I have a 2007 4Runner Ltd w/Nav. It has the AC outlet in the center console. Whenever I plug in my cell phone and push the button to activate the outlet, I get interference in my stereo sound. It is slight, but pretty annoying. I do not seem to have the same problem when I use the cigarette lighter adaptor, but I have heard that will damage your phone battery over time. Is there any way that I can eliminate this annoying noise? Is the noise normal?

In case it matters, I have a Vais SLI iPod adaptor plugged into the CD changer in the back of the HU.

Thank you in advance.

 

[tarheeltp17]

sounds to me like a dealer problem.... and don't let them tell you otherwise. I had a dealer about a week ago tell me that the overhead tv we installed in a car was feeding back and keeping the radio on even after you opened the door (it was a GM, and they cut off when the door is opened)... even though there was nothing hooked to the radio. Hm.

thats cool they put an AC outlet in a car though...

 

[Falls]

I thought limited come with that.

 

[mklttdv]

Yes the Limited come with that
It could be the outlet or it could be your phone charger... Push the button to activatve the outlet but don't plug in your phone charger and see if you still get interference. If the problem stop after you unplug the charger then you just got a "bad" charger...

And no the cigarette lighter won't harm your battery... It's best to plug it in after you crank your car though. Since the starter does cause a voltage spike. A good charger will design to absorb this spike but that vary... If you are paranoid you could install an inline regulator...

 

[Heelrunner]

Thank you for all of the good advice. The sound only occurs when the phone is plugged in, so maybe it is the charger. I will try another one. If not, if the cigarette option will not reduce the life of the battery, then I will go that route.

Thanks again.

 

[tarheeltp17]

I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that its the phone charger just yet....

Just because it only does it when you plug it in doesn't mean its that phone charger, but when you have nothing plugged into the outlet then there really isn't anything pulling current. Try plugging something else in like an alarm clock or something easy. If it doesn't make noise when something else is plugged in, then its safe to say the phone charger is messing up. Otherwise its the outlet itself.

 

[Ron Helmuth]

see FEB2011 Popular Mechanics magazine also

Just wanted to mention this type of Radio Frequency Interference is mentioned in the DIY TECH section of FEB 2011 Popular Mechanics magazine-pages 102-104.

Ferrite beads are one suggested method of eliminating this annoyance. Also that your cell phone configuration menu may allow you to adjust it's frequency to eliminate this noise you encounter.

Hope this may be of some help to someone out there....

 

[oceanside78]

I had a dealer about a week ago tell me that the overhead tv we installed in a car was feeding back and keeping the radio on even after you opened the door (it was a GM, and they cut off when the door is opened)... even though there was nothing hooked to the radio.

according to who? When I installed (professionally) I'd run inline with the factory HU all the time. Hardwired performs a lot better than FM Mod and you can tap +12/ACC/Ground all there as well.

OP, you could have a poor ground and and as the current alternates (AC) it can cause fluxuations in freq.