Ghost in the Stereo??

[twb-dbb]

Hello,

Was in the garage last weekend and heard some weird noises... some quiet crackles and popping noises...

Turned out that the sounds were coming from the rear stereo speakers in the 500E. The car was turned off (ignition off) and had been sitting unused for about a week. To get the noise to stop, I had to pull the #9 fuse....

Has anyone had this happen before? My guess is that I will need to send the factory ('92 500E) head unit and other components out for a rebuild... I had noticed that the stereo had been acting up a bit before with some cutting out issues in one of the channels so was expecting to have to address this at some point.

In looking at recent posts, it seems that there have been some issues with getting the factory components serviced... what is the current recommendation of the best place to send the components for restoration?

I would appreciate advice that anyone has to help me address this issue effectively.

Thanks!

Tom

 

[Kyiv]

Becker Auto Sound LLC Mercedes-Benz 1981 - 1999 Saddle Brook

Get complete analysis and repair for Mercedes-Benz 1981 - 1999 amplifiers, receivers, and CD changers at Becker Auto Sound LLC. Visit 101 US RT 46 West today.

www.beckerautosound.com

I don't know how a turned off stereo can make a buzz, but cutting out, distortion and other issues - while the stereo is on - are most likely your receiver. It's in the trunk, along with 2 amplifiers. I ordered all items from Becker and sent back my original ones for core refund. Receiver made all the difference. I also had an issue with a head-unit and one of the amps received, so it was very fortunate to have original components on hand to hot-swap to trace troubled component. Now my sound is crisp and clear. Order just receiver first.

While 2 faulty out of 4 components received is unsettling, Becker people were helpful and did not shrug me off. I dealt directly with a person that actually refurbishes components, not with some soulless dummy.

Almost $1,200 upfront: head-unit with Bluetooth+receiver+2 amps+shipping, and $300 or $350 back as core charge refund

 

[sheward]

Lack of use of the fader wheel in the console can lead to channels cutting out temporarily however that would not be a cause with the ignition off. Good to exercise the fader wheel from time to time. If I remember correctly only the pre-facelift models had the fader in the console?

drew

 

[gerryvz]

Correct.

 

[Jlaa]

Becker Auto Sound LLC Mercedes-Benz 1981 - 1999 Saddle Brook

Get complete analysis and repair for Mercedes-Benz 1981 - 1999 amplifiers, receivers, and CD changers at Becker Auto Sound LLC. Visit 101 US RT 46 West today.

www.beckerautosound.com

I ordered all items from Becker and sent back my original ones for core refund. Receiver made all the difference....
...Almost $1,200 upfront: head-unit with Bluetooth+receiver+2 amps+shipping, and $300 or $350 back as core charge refund

Thanks for relaying your experience. May I ask --- how does Bluetooth work? Does it require that you put in a cassette tape or anything like that?

 

[Jlaa]

Hello,

Was in the garage last weekend and heard some weird noises... some quiet crackles and popping noises...

Turned out that the sounds were coming from the rear stereo speakers in the 500E. The car was turned off (ignition off) and had been sitting unused for about a week. To get the noise to stop, I had to pull the #9 fuse....

Has anyone had this happen before?

That's very strange. Note that each of the two amplifiers in the trunk powers one set of front dash/door speakers (left or right) and the rear speaker on that same side (left or right). So it would be very weird to have just the rear speakers making noise.

The receiver, in the diagram attached, only has two outputs BTW - Left and Right ---- the receiver doesn't know anything about front or rear. So if something were to go bad in the receiver, that badness would then go to the fader, and it is the fader than then splits the L/R signal into FRONT L/R and REAR L/R. After the fader are the two amps in the trunk, and each amp feeds one side of the car.

BTW the BK (black) wire is the antenna control wire from the receiver --- this wire also feeds the two amplifiers and is the signal to the amps to turn on. I wonder if it is possible for your receiver to be having some issues, sending some voltage over the BK wire, thus turning on the amps, and maaaaybe your fader wheel was biased towards the rear?

 

[Kyiv]

@Jlaa, yes, the tape must be in for Bluetooth playback

 

[twb-dbb]

Hello again,

Thanks for the comments. The fader is set at the midpoint...

One thing I forgot to mention was that the last couple of times I drove the car, the head unit spontaneously made sounds like it was trying to eject a cassette tape... but there was not a tape in the unit. So likely will need to send in all the components? Head unit, receiver and 2 amps?

So is the recommendation Becker Auto Sound? Any other recommendations?

Thanks!

Tom

 

[Kyiv]

@twb-dbb, best to order all 4 components from Becker and then return yours for a core charge refund. That way you can hot-swap if there is an issue with received components. Your head-unit is Becker, so Becker AutoSound is the best route, in my opinion

 

[twb-dbb]

Hello,

Thanks! I will give Becker Autosound a call.

Tom