My 06 RL has on two occasions in the last month suddenly started making a weird crackling/static noise which seems to be coming from the rear window shelf/sub. It almost sounds like the same kind of a static sound you can get from an older stereo when you have dirt in the volume knob as you adjust the knob back and forth. It happens regardless of whether the radio is on or off, and regardless of whether the "audiopilot" is on or off. No other electrical accessories turned on or off (rear defrost, headlights, heated seats, etc) seem to have any effect on it. The first time it happened it only went on for maybe 10 or 20 seconds, but the second most recent time it was the better part of 2 or 3 minutes before it stopped - and it seemed to randomly come and go during the 2 or 3 minutes that it was happening. The only correlation there might be that I can think of is both times it has only made this noise on colder days (below -5C) , and only after the car has been driven for some time (the first time after about 45 minutes of driving, the second time after about ten minutes)

 

Could be the ANC system since you say it happens with the radio off. You can unplug the harness at the Bose amp in the rear passenger quarter panel.

 

Hmmm. Does unplugging that affect anything else or is it just the ANC system?


I thought the "audiopilot" on/off control in the audio settings is what turned the ANC on or off?

 

Just the ANC. Anyone who has installed a sub-woofer had to disable it one way or another. I prefer the AMP route.