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Buzzing noise from front dashboard speaker

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by ernda, Feb 14, 2006.

  1. ernda

    ernda New Member

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    With my new 2006 I notice a "buzzing" vibration noise on AM stations with talk (not music)--it seems to be the speaker grill vibrating at times when someone's voice reaches the right timber. It doesn't seem to go away with changing the bass, treble, etc. If I put my finger on the speaker grill the noise stops so clearly it is the grill vibrating--maybe it is too loose, though I don't see a way to tighten it. No problem with FM music or CD's, as far as I can tell. Never heard this on my 2005 prius.
     
  2. JoeAndDan

    JoeAndDan New Member

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    I seem to hear the same thing while driving over bumpy roads. I thought it was simply the fact that the car is so new and that it's been so cold recently, that the plastics were rubbing together and had not "worn in" yet. The sound is very minor and I don't find it distracting, but of course I don't want anything to be amiss, either!

    Anyone else notice this?
     
  3. narf

    narf Active Member

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    I removed the grill and put some black adhesive felt between it and the frame, and also between the frame and the dash. That killed the buzz so to speak. I think I had to pry some little tabs open to get the grill off of the frame but it's been a while so I don't remember clearly.
     
  4. lee

    lee New Member

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    I disconnected the center speaker and the sound from my system was vastly improved. You might consider this easy fix. The entire job can be completed in less than a minute.
     
  5. SomervillePrius

    SomervillePrius New Member

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    I've been hearing the buzz too. I don't see what the center speaker adds. We only have a stereo amplifier so what it can choose to put out through the center speaker is L+R (i.e mono). Having a extra mid range speaker is not what the system needs. I think they added this speaker as a "marketing" device ("11 - speakers"). What they should have added was a small subwoofer.

    Volvo on the other hand has some great dolby surrond systems where the center speaker adds to the volume of sound. Their center speaker on the other hand seem much sturdier then this one. Alo the Prius center console is very flimsy so the speaker will def. move the whole console without too much effort (creating the buzz).

    I think I will remove the center speaker as well to test
     
  6. JoeAndDan

    JoeAndDan New Member

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    That's very interesting. In what way do you find the sound to be improved? More clarity in the tone, or something similar? Did you have a buzzing before you did this (I assume you did since you replied to this post) and the disconnection on its own removed the buzz and improved the sound quality? Thanks!
     
  7. Presto

    Presto Has his homepage set to PC

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    Disconnecting the center speaker is the cheapest audio upgrade :). There's a write up somewhere on this board that mentions the center speaker doesn't get all the freq. and it is digitally controlled by the amp. The sound emitted from the center speaker is pretty muddy.

    Worst case scenario, if you don't like it disconnected, just reconnect it again. Although, I'm sure you'll want to leave it disconnected once you hear the difference
     
  8. Tempus

    Tempus Senior Member

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    This was a problem with the early 04s I know. I figured they had fixed it, since no one's really mentioned it lately.

    Lots of us had the center speaker rattling. It was just mounted poorly. In some cases Toyota replaced it. In my case the tech tightened the clips holding it in. In all cases it's a warrantee item :)
     
  9. pichle21

    pichle21 New Member

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    I had the same buzzing on my '06. I took the car to the dealer and they replaced the grill on the center speaker. So far, so good.
     
  10. AlphaTeam

    AlphaTeam Member

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    How do you get the speaker out? Or disconnect it even? When I got Sirius radio it was WAY noticable. On the talk more than the music, but on both. I thought it was a faulty install of Sirius until I noticed it on my iPod and the AM talk stations.

    I was able to pry a little on the outside of it, but didn't want to break anything because it gave some resistance.
     
  11. Presto

    Presto Has his homepage set to PC

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    Just pry it up by the edge while pushing forward. Do this on the side closest to the MFD.
     
  12. AlphaTeam

    AlphaTeam Member

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    Ok...just to be sure.
    I pry up on the edge closest to the MFD and push it towards the windshield?

    How far do I pry it up?
     
  13. AlphaTeam

    AlphaTeam Member

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    Thanks for posting this.
    I took it in to the dealer and they are replacing mine.
     
  14. lowspeed

    lowspeed Member

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    Is there a TSB for this problem ?

    I just started listening to a Audio Book and the middle speaker buzzes like crazy.
     
  15. marcovi

    marcovi Junior Member

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    I just got a new 06 Prius and the center dashboard speaker buzzes a lot while I hear CD voice presentations or Audio Books. I am taking the car to dealership to be fixed. Any quick fixes.
     
  16. brandon

    brandon Member

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    Interesting. I find the speakers to be quite silent when not in use.
     
  17. AlphaTeam

    AlphaTeam Member

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    I was able to fix the buzzing with the Sirus unit. Disconnecting the center speaker fixed all my other buzzing problems.
    I've already had the center speaker replaced too!!
     
  18. kbertsche

    kbertsche Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(marcovi @ Jul 3 2006, 08:34 PM) [snapback]280801[/snapback]</div>

    I had the same problem with my '06. Took it to the dealer twice (first time they added felt around the grill opening, second time they replaced the grill unit), but it still rattled. I tried disconnecting it, but didn't like the "hole" in the soundstage. So I finally fixed it myself.

    Here were the problems:
    1) metal grill rattled against plastic grill housing. They only had two pieces of felt between them (on the R and L sides of the speaker), but needed more felt on the window and MFD sides of the speaker. I bent up the metal tabs on the back, removed the metal grill, and added some thin self-adhesive felt strips that I got from my dealer.
    2) plastic grill housing rattled in dash opening. I added felt underneath the edges of the plastic grill housing, all around.
    3) screws holding speaker to grill housing were loose (probably due to the dealer's grill unit replacement) I cut some small pieces of rubber and put them under the screw heads, then tightened them down.

    While I had it out, I also decided to drop the level a bit. The speaker measured about 2 ohms (at DC and at 1kHz), so I added a 1 ohm power resistor in series to drop its level about 3dB or so. (This is not very noticeable; 2 ohms might have been better.)

    I can't make it rattle now, no matter how hard I try. It's much improved.
     
  19. marcovi

    marcovi Junior Member

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    I am taking my 06 tomorrow to fix this problem let see how it goes.. I also moving my sirius antenna to the exterior (reception is really bad).