Music flickers while car is in motion?

[rgp31683]

2011 RAV4 factory standard JBL audio system. Left moonroof open during rainstorm. Since then, music through speakers flickers while vehicle is in motion, flicker frequency increases and decreases with vehicle speed not engine speed. Display is fully functional the entire time. When vehicle is stopped sound is either normal or non-existent. Looked all over Google and have yet to see any similar problems. Please help!

Update: When sound is not coming from speakers the volume adjustment won't move. When I turn the dial the display shows the volume set at what it was when sound was coming out of speakers but is nonadjustable.

Latest update: Problem has been fixed. Disconnected all wire harnesses from head unit and amp, as well as all connections in between. Sound quality and functionality is restored, for how long is now the question since I found no distinct failure in circuit. Possibly to be continued.

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[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Put the car in rice.

 

[rgp31683]

2011 RAV4 factory standard JBL audio system. Left moonroof open during rainstorm. Since then, music through speakers flickers while vehicle is in motion, flicker frequency increases and decreases with vehicle speed not engine speed. When vehicle is stopped sound is either normal or non-existent. Looked all over Google and have yet to see any similar problems. Please help!

Put the car in rice.

Same thing my wife suggested, lol!

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Is the factory amp under the passenger seat?

 

[rgp31683]

Is the factory amp under the passenger seat?

Nope, just the weight sensor for the airbag I think. Saw on rav4world forum it's behind rear passenger quarter panel. Checking now to verify.

 

[rgp31683]

Is the factory amp under the passenger seat?

It's behind rear quarter panel, that was fun.

 

[Lasherž]

Well the only thing that can affect your volume adjust ability is your head unit. Factory amplifiers don't interact with the internals of the head unit controls usually. It sounds like you've got some corrosion issues. Did the water splash on the face of the unit badly or maybe above it?

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

Well the only thing that can affect your volume adjust ability is your head unit. Factory amplifiers don't interact with the internals of the head unit controls usually. It sounds like you've got some corrosion issues. Did the water splash on the face of the unit badly or maybe above it?

Since you mentioned avl, are the microphnes not in the roof liner in that car? If water is in the liner it may be touching those mics and activating avl.

 

[rgp31683]

Well the only thing that can affect your volume adjust ability is your head unit. Factory amplifiers don't interact with the internals of the head unit controls usually. It sounds like you've got some corrosion issues. Did the water splash on the face of the unit badly or maybe above it?

The saturation was enough that when my wife pulled down the visor she received a lap full of water. We tried to air it out for a couple days but the humidity was too high to be immediately effective. I thought somehow maybe one of the ABS speed sensors were giving off noise and somewhere throughout the circuit the communication wire insulation had failed between the head unit and amp. Needless to say I spent the weekend tearing her car apart inspecting wires, connections and sensors. Problem finally went away yet I found no clear indicator of failure... During this misadventure I also had to resolve a CEL that came on at the same time as the audio problems. In conclusion I no longer mess with her sun/moon roof for fear of forgetting to close it, lol.

 

[rgp31683]

Since you mentioned avl, are the microphnes not in the roof liner in that car? If water is in the liner it may be touching those mics and activating avl.

To be honest, I have no clue where the mic is located. I was wishfully thinking it was in the head unit, finding no reliable wire diagram for the year, make and model of my vehicle online, I spent a lot of time mapping lines with my meter. Problem was resolved before I made it to finding microphone so I'm still ignorant of it's location.

 

[Lasherž]

The saturation was enough that when my wife pulled down the visor she received a lap full of water. We tried to air it out for a couple days but the humidity was too high to be immediately effective. I thought somehow maybe one of the ABS speed sensors were giving off noise and somewhere throughout the circuit the communication wire insulation had failed between the head unit and amp. Needless to say I spent the weekend tearing her car apart inspecting wires, connections and sensors. Problem finally went away yet I found no clear indicator of failure... During this misadventure I also had to resolve a CEL that came on at the same time as the audio problems. In conclusion I no longer mess with her sun/moon roof for fear of forgetting to close it, lol.

Water damage is the worst electrical issue except maybe a fire, it often results in multiple points of failure and the evidence at the point of failure is covered in corrosion just like everything else. It sounds like your issue is either one of the input circuits to the radio, such as wheel controls, or the head unit itself. While this muted period is happening can you adjust the volume with the regular knob but not the SWC? Is your head unit able to skip along a song while also adjusting the volume?

 

[John_Arthur]

I have a Toyota Rav 4 but 2016 edition and I experienced the same problem about a week ago or two weeks ago and I was very upset cause I thought it was making a weird sound from the engine. I gave my cousin to diagnose my car and he fixed the noise. He did not tell me exactly what was the problem as he told me that only an engineer will understand and as a customer I do not need to know much and of course he did not take money from me cause I am his cousin What is weird is that my friend with a ford sedan is experiencing the same problem at ht moment I told him to go to my cousin for a repair and I will go with him and will ask what is this issue about and will update my comment to this post.

 

[Lasherž]

I have a Toyota Rav 4 but 2016 edition and I experienced the same problem about a week ago or two weeks ago and I was very upset cause I thought it was making a weird sound from the engine. I gave my cousin to diagnose my car and he fixed the noise. He did not tell me exactly what was the problem as he told me that only an engineer will understand and as a customer I do not need to know much and of course he did not take money from me cause I am his cousin What is weird is that my friend with a ford sedan is experiencing the same problem at ht moment I told him to go to my cousin for a repair and I will go with him and will ask what is this issue about and will update my comment to this post.

Only an engineer huh? Your cousin sounds like kind of a prick lol... He probably just replaced the belt.