Can someone help with weird headlight noise issue?

[Matthew Edward]

Have an odd issue maybe somebody knows the answer to. I have a 2016 Chevy Malibu. I have a sound quality build. The odd issue is with headlights off, its quiet. With high beams on, it's quiet. With low beams on it has an annoying buzz. It's not super loud but enough to ruin soft music or sitting without radio playing. If i turn the head unit off no sound ever comes through, which i assume is because with deck off it probably shuts off the rest of equipment maybe. I've replaced both headlights with better quality ones, brand new and no change. The headlights are a single light that has both low and high in one unit. Thats what makes it even weirder. Its same unit on high beams but they are quiet. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

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[Jimi77 Premium Member]

I'd try regrounding the HU. Is are the amps in the trunk and grounded near the tail ground?

 

[Matthew Edward]

I'd try regrounding the HU. Is are the amps in the trunk and grounded near the tail ground?

I didn't install it so I will have to ask. The amps i think are under the seats in the main part of car. I did find out some other info.
When the car is first turned on the low beams dont make noise for the first minute or two, after that it never stops
If i switch to high beams the noise goes away. But if im on low beams and pull the stick back to manually go to high beams while holidng it back, the low beams go off and high beams come on and it still makes the noise. If i switch it to high beams where i dont have to hold the stick the noise is gone. Makes no sense.

 

[Chris Weatherford]

check if your crossovers to component speakers if you have any are close to anything electrical like fuse box maybe under dash close to the light switch

 

[Matthew Edward]

I'd try regrounding the HU. Is are the amps in the trunk and grounded near the tail ground?

Yeah, going to look into the grounds when i get a chance and find someone to help. Thats about all thats left that it could be as far as i know.

 

[AnthonyO 10+ year member]

Aftermarket headunit or factory with LOC?

 

[Jimi77 Premium Member]

check if your crossovers to component speakers if you have any are close to anything electrical like fuse box maybe under dash close to the light switch

Or near the 12v+.

 

[Jimi77 Premium Member]

Yeah, going to look into the grounds when i get a chance and find someone to help. Thats about all thats left that it could be as far as i know.

The crossovers are another good suggestion.

 

[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

If you didn't install it you shouldn't be troubleshooting it. Let the installer fix his own mistake.

 

[spokey9 5,000+ posts]

I'd definitely make the installer get it right. No point paying someone then having to fix their f'ups

 

[Matthew Edward]

Aftermarket headunit or factory with LOC?

Aftermarket. A high end sony

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

It's possible the head units illumination wire is connected to the cars illumination in such a way it accepts electrical noise. Perhaps to the wrong illumination source wire. GM cars need specific wire harnesses to connect aftermarket head units.

 

[OldTrunkMonkey]

When I install a system I ground ALL components to the battery neg, NEVER to the body. ALso good practice to replace the battery to ground 6 or 8AWG wire with 4 AWG. Even the amps ground is 4 AWG or larger as required to the battery neg. I use a ground distribution block to insure all grounds are at the same point. Never had any noise from any source, alternator, blower motors, HID headlights, ECM. You might try a ground loop isolator between the radio and crossover or amp. Sometimes the antenna ground may cause noise, I used to get antenna isolaters from PAC (https://pac-audio.com/) I looked on their website but can't find it. One other possibility, if the noise is coming in on the radio power line, perhaps use the radio power wire to operate a relay getting power directly from the power distribution fuse block through the relay. The radio will still power off with the ignition but have a clean source of power. Good luck,
Retired Trunk Monkey

 

[OldTrunkMonkey]

When I install a system I ground ALL components to the battery neg, NEVER to the body. ALso good practice to replace the battery to ground 6 or 8AWG wire with 4 AWG. Even the amps ground is 4 AWG or larger as required to the battery neg. I use a ground distribution block to insure all grounds are at the same point. Never had any noise from any source, alternator, blower motors, HID headlights, ECM. You might try a ground loop isolator between the radio and crossover or amp. Sometimes the antenna ground may cause noise, I used to get antenna isolaters from PAC (https://pac-audio.com/) I looked on their website but can't find it. One other possibility, if the noise is coming in on the radio power line, perhaps use the radio power wire to operate a relay getting power directly from the power distribution fuse block through the relay. The radio will still power off with the ignition but have a clean source of power. Good luck,
Retired Trunk Monkey

 

[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

When I install a system I ground ALL components to the battery neg, NEVER to the body. ALso good practice to replace the battery to ground 6 or 8AWG wire with 4 AWG. Even the amps ground is 4 AWG or larger as required to the battery neg. I use a ground distribution block to insure all grounds are at the same point. Never had any noise from any source, alternator, blower motors, HID headlights, ECM. You might try a ground loop isolator between the radio and crossover or amp. Sometimes the antenna ground may cause noise, I used to get antenna isolaters from PAC (https://pac-audio.com/) I looked on their website but can't find it. One other possibility, if the noise is coming in on the radio power line, perhaps use the radio power wire to operate a relay getting power directly from the power distribution fuse block through the relay. The radio will still power off with the ignition but have a clean source of power. Good luck,
Retired Trunk Monkey

It's a lot easier and equally effective to use the chassis as a ground path.

Using a "ground distribution block" is just plain retarded.