Camry nav in '04 SR5 w/ buzzing sound

[NewRunner]

Hello group! Most excellent forum here. I've been lurking for some time now and I've found the information here invaluable for deciding on my first 4Runner purchase as well as some accessories.

I purchased the Camry navigation unit from Troy at www.oemvalue.com, again, thanks to some really great info here. I'll save my raves of the service I got from Troy for another post.

That brings me to the reason for my post. Today I installed the unit and everything worked the first time! However, there seems to be an annoying buzzing sound in the speakers whenever the vehicle is running. At first I thought it might be the little fan at the rear of the unit, but I noticed the pitch of the buzz increase with speed. It sounds to me like classic engine hum. It's not that loud, but enough to notice. If you turn the radio up to a normal listening volume it drowns out the sound but it bothers me that it's there in the first place.

I stopped by two local electronic outlets today to get some advice from the installers and they both told me that they don't know what the cause of the problem is and the only filters they sell work on aftermarket amps with RCA jacks.

Has anyone else with these types of nav units encountered similiar problems? Thanks in advance for any insight.

Regards,

NewRunner

 

[j0mama]

Sounds like a bad ground, why dont you try Re-grounding the unit somewhere, and see if that takes it away.

j0.

 

[coasterlvr]

Sounds like a bad ground, why dont you try Re-grounding the unit somewhere, and see if that takes it away.

j0.

Also you might want to check if it still happens with the unit out of the dash. My Scion will buzz/whine if the wires going to the amp are too close the the main harness behind the radio.
JT

 

[NewRunner]

Hey there, thanks for the replies.

Where would I ground the unit? I didn't see any external grounding points on the radio or the amp.

- NewRunner

 

[Hitman]

Hello group! Most excellent forum here. I've been lurking for some time now and I've found the information here invaluable for deciding on my first 4Runner purchase as well as some accessories.

I purchased the Camry navigation unit from Troy at www.oemvalue.com, again, thanks to some really great info here. I'll save my raves of the service I got from Troy for another post.

That brings me to the reason for my post. Today I installed the unit and everything worked the first time! However, there seems to be an annoying buzzing sound in the speakers whenever the vehicle is running. At first I thought it might be the little fan at the rear of the unit, but I noticed the pitch of the buzz increase with speed. It sounds to me like classic engine hum. It's not that loud, but enough to notice. If you turn the radio up to a normal listening volume it drowns out the sound but it bothers me that it's there in the first place.

I stopped by two local electronic outlets today to get some advice from the installers and they both told me that they don't know what the cause of the problem is and the only filters they sell work on aftermarket amps with RCA jacks.

Has anyone else with these types of nav units encountered similiar problems? Thanks in advance for any insight.

Regards,

NewRunner

It's funny that you posted this.... I just noticed the same exact thing yesterday.

I also got the Camry navigation from Troy and I installed it in my 4Runner about a month ago. Did you get the new smaller amplifier with your navigation unit? I did, and I wonder if it has anything to do with this speaker buzz. I don't think anyone that used the larger amp ever mentioned this as a problem.

When I turn the engine off (but leave the radio on with the key in ACC) the buzz disappears completely. This would indicate that it is definitely NOT a bad ground. The navigation system is grounded through it's mounting bolts and the system will not function at all until it is mounted properly. I know this because I tried it when I installed the system.

I'm not sure what is causing the buzz, but I've been considering taking everything apart again and making sure that the speed sensor and reverse sensor wires are separated from the rest of the wires from the amp and navigation unit. I wonder if one or both of these signal wires could be causing the interference?

 

[NewRunner]

Well then, maybe between the two of us we can figure this thing out.

I've seen pictures on the web and I think I got the larger of the two amps. My wife drives the 4R, so I'll need to double-check that tonight.

Same symptoms as you; the sound goes away with the engine off and key in ACC. One additional thing I've noticed is that the pitch of the sound increases as you accelerate. Check yours and tell me if you notice the same thing. Have a passenger put their ear to the door speaker.

I like the idea of checking and moving the VSS and reverse sense cables. In my excitement to complete the install I believe I just shoved all the cables back into the compartment and bolted the HU in.

Let's keep discussing this. My wife has more sensitive ears than me and she's not happy. And you know what they say... when momma's not happy.... :

- NewRunner

 

[kglueck]

sounds to me like you are hearing alternator noise...I'd say the amp is the most likely culprit. where did you get power for it? where did you mount it? etc etc.

 

[NewRunner]

Yeah, I suspect the alternator as well. The power for it is supplied directly through the factory wiring harness. This amp came with the Camry nav system I purchased from Troy @ oemvalue.com. I'll get the specs for it tonight.

I checked with my local Best Buy and Tweeter and they don't have any filters that would work with the factory wiring. (ofcourse, they both told me I could buy a new amp from them and the noise would go away!)

Anyhow, one other suggestion batted around was external grounding of the amp. I just don't know where, on the amp, to ground it. Maybe using the mounting bracket holes and bolt?

The amp is mounted in the upper compartment of the glove box. It's just sitting there, not bolted to anything.

- NewRunner

 

[Hitman]

Well then, maybe between the two of us we can figure this thing out.

I've seen pictures on the web and I think I got the larger of the two amps. My wife drives the 4R, so I'll need to double-check that tonight.

Same symptoms as you; the sound goes away with the engine off and key in ACC. One additional thing I've noticed is that the pitch of the sound increases as you accelerate. Check yours and tell me if you notice the same thing. Have a passenger put their ear to the door speaker.

I like the idea of checking and moving the VSS and reverse sense cables. In my excitement to complete the install I believe I just shoved all the cables back into the compartment and bolted the HU in.

Let's keep discussing this. My wife has more sensitive ears than me and she's not happy. And you know what they say... when momma's not happy.... :

- NewRunner

If you have the larger amp, then you would have had to cut the back of the upper glove box out and installed the amp there. I had the smaller amp, which is a VERY tight squeeze, but can be mounted without cutting the back of the upper glove box.

Yes, the pitch increases with engine speed, but only to a point. My buzz is barely noticeable--only when the volume is very low.

 

[Hitman]

Yeah, I suspect the alternator as well. The power for it is supplied directly through the factory wiring harness. This amp came with the Camry nav system I purchased from Troy @ oemvalue.com. I'll get the specs for it tonight.

I checked with my local Best Buy and Tweeter and they don't have any filters that would work with the factory wiring. (ofcourse, they both told me I could buy a new amp from them and the noise would go away!)

Anyhow, one other suggestion batted around was external grounding of the amp. I just don't know where, on the amp, to ground it. Maybe using the mounting bracket holes and bolt?

The amp is mounted in the upper compartment of the glove box. It's just sitting there, not bolted to anything.

- NewRunner

Don't bother grounding the amp directly... I did that already when I installed my system. I wasn't sure if the amp had to be grounded separately, so I provided a ground wire from one of the screw holes in the body of the amp to a good ground in the chassis. So my amp has had it's own ground from the beginning and it still has the speaker buzz.

I'm pretty sure that the speed sensor wire is the culpret here. It makes sense if you think about it.... I should have been more careful to separate the speed sensor signal wire from the rest of the audio system wires.

 

[NewRunner]

Yep, I cut the back of the small glove box, but only enough to get the wires through it.

I guess it could be the VSS cable. That means I have a project for this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks!

- NewRunner

 

[Hitman]

Yep, I cut the back of the small glove box, but only enough to get the wires through it.

I guess it could be the VSS cable. That means I have a project for this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks!

- NewRunner

Before you pull everything apart, try this:

With the vehicle running, put it in Park or Neutral and rev the engine up a little bit. Does the pitch of the speaker buzz increase? If so, then it is definitely not the vehicle speed sensor signal wire.

I tried this in my 4Runner last night, but I couldn't really tell because it was raining really hard and I had a hard time even hearing the buzz.

 

[NewRunner]

Good idea. I'll try it tonight and get back to you.

- NewRunner

EDIT: On second thought, I think I'm going to open the dash up and disconnect everything but the main 20pin cable and see if the buzz continues. If it comes back when I plug in the VSS/Reverse cable, we'll know...

 

[Hitman]

Good idea. I'll try it tonight and get back to you.

- NewRunner

EDIT: On second thought, I think I'm going to open the dash up and disconnect everything but the main 20pin cable and see if the buzz continues. If it comes back when I plug in the VSS/Reverse cable, we'll know...

Did Troy give you a connector for the VSS and reverse sensor? Or did he just give you two separate, small connectors that you had to push onto the proper pins?

 

[NewRunner]

One full plastic connector with two wires at #3 and #5.

- NewRunner

 

[rando]

If you're hearing the noise when your truck isn't moving, then it's unlikely to be the VSS wire. That signal is a constant value when your truck isn't moving so it's unlikely to induce any noise. Your problem sounds like whine induced from a noisy power circuit or line-level inputs to your amp.

Try seperating your power and low voltage audio signal wires or adding in-line noise filters (yah you might have to cut your factory wires).

 

[NewRunner]

Try seperating your power and low voltage audio signal wires or adding in-line noise filters (yah you might have to cut your factory wires).

At this point I would consider cutting the wires if it meant silencing the beast. Can you recommend any particular in-line filters?

- NewRunner

 

[NewRunner]

Well, I did it. I cut the factory harness and put an inline power filter I bought from Radio Shack. No joy. I disconnected all wires, except the main 20pin at the back of the HU and the 10pin into the amp. Still getting the buzzing sound.

At this point I think I may end up having to go aftermarket amp. Not my desired option but I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions?

- NewRunner

 

[NewRunner]

After about 4 hours of reading last night, I found another opinion in regards to the hissing sound. Could it be that I have a ground loop issue? I mean, why am I only seeing it now with this amp? Is it because it's more powerful than the factory HU amp and, thus, is creating more resistance?

I'm at a loss here, folks. I hate to sound like a wuss, but if I don't get this thing fixed soon my wife's gonna make me take the whole thing out!

I'm going to try isolating the ground wire in the factory harness (gonna cut it AGAIN) and see if that helps.

- NewRunner

 

[Hitman]

Have you tried anything else? Did you try and separate any of the wires?

I'm at a loss here too.... maybe someone in an audio installation forum would have a better idea?

By the way, I am 100% convinced that my problem is getting worse. I can hear it louder than before. I hardly ever listen to AM radio, but I did today and the noise was very apparent.

I might have to switch to an aftermarket amp as well