I love the sound system of my '07 TL. However, quite often, I like to drive with no music playing - listening to the 'sound of the road', as it were - very relaxing to me. But I'm becoming convinced I can hear classic engine interference through the speakers, even with everything turned off.

I can definitely hear this interference when I'm getting guidance from the Nav - not just when "she" is speaking, but at any time when I'm on a route. While I don't particularly like this, I'm willing to put up with it but I'm noticing the interference even when I'm not using the Nav. So, no audio devices are on, no guidance, and no HFL, but I can hear a 'whistle' at times through the speakers. I hear it most at low speeds - when accelerating in side streets, etc. By the time I get on the freeway and reach 60-80, the road noise takes over. But on city streets, when hitting 3-4k rpm on smooth roads, i can hear the whine/whistle noise. At first, I thought it was an ambulance siren in the background, until I realized it was synched to my gas pedal!

Also, when I stop the car and turn off the engine, but leave the ignition on, I can definitely hear a high frequency hiss from the speakers; very subtle, but there - so it seems the amp is on all the time. I'm wondering, since the amp is used by the HFL, the Nav, and the audio, maybe they don't bother ever turning it off even if no system has a need for it.

Anyway, has anyone noticed this engine noise in the audio system? Thanks!

 

it might be a bad ground in the audio system, take it to the dealer and have them check it out. As well do you have a 07 TL-S? if so, its the Active noise cancelation system and it might have a bad mic or a bad ground.

 

Nope, TL (base), with nav (obviously). I think it's most noticeable when slowing down ... that is, without pressing on the gas. Yes, a trip to dealer is in order. Thanks.

 

I thought i was the only crazy person that hears this.

My sound is more like a low hissing sound and it is apparent at all times that the key is in the ignition 'ON' position whether engine is on or not or whether audio is on or not. It is extremely annoying and the dealer says that it is normal....

Anyone here have similar experiences?

2007 Acura TL Type S

 

Since you have the Type S, there is an extra wrinkle here. I believe the Type S has a 'noise cancellation' feature, the side effect of which is that the audio amp is always going to be on. Why there is audible 'hiss' with the amp merely 'on' is not clear to me ... I thought top quality circuits would not hiss, but there you go. Is there an on/off setting for the noise cancellation? By the way - I have those very expensive Bose noise cancellation headphones at home, they are unbelievably effective at cutting ambient noise!

However, my non Type-S has the same 'permanent audio hiss', which is less excusable since they shouldn't have the amps on all the time. I frequently drive with no sound, and like it that way. But my problem is not this hiss, but rather the engine interference. I've been listening to it carefully recently; it's only at low speeds (less ambient/tire/road noise), and seems to be noticeable on deceleration. That could be because there is less engine noise on deceleration, allowing the interference to be heard, or, there may be different electrical behavior on deceleration. I'm just going to wait till I take it in for the first oil change and see if they can hear it. That's the biggest problem - if I can't give them an example, they won't do anything about it.

 

Steerpike, I still think we have the same problem. The Noise sounds just like yours and it only comes from the front speakers...it does sound like a low droning or to me, low volume air hissing sound or a very quiet white noise. It bothers me because i can hear it so i have to turn on the music to mask it. I bet all the acura's with HFL has this problem but only a minor percent of the customers can hear it. Blessed we are the lucky ones and seems the dealer will probably do nothing about it. It is just a BAD design with the system...the HFL speakers should just shut off when they are not being used. However I can't confirm this, can anyone else on the forum hear this in their acura's with HFL?? If it is as simple as disabling the ANC then i would be really happy. But since you also have a similar problem without ANC, i believe it is related. Also, if you hear the noise without the engine on, then it is probably not engine interference?


If your dealer does something about it, please let me know cos i want to get rid of my noise too....

Thanks

 

This sound comes from electric motor noise (alternator) entering a signal cable and is the reason we use shielded signal cable here at work especially around
motor operated valves or other electric motors.

Its the same reason why your PC monitor twitches when you get a fan near it.
Electrical motor noise entering a signal cable.

 

Yes, but we hear this noise even when the alternator is not turning...ie, engine is off! Noise comes from only the front speakers...it is a very quiet white static noise..

 

I may not have been clear in one of my replies.

Even with the engine off, I hear a 'hiss' that suggests the amp is still on and driving the sound system. This is a constant noise, and I mentioned it just as an observation and confirmation that the amp seems to be on 'most of the time' - even when nothing is 'on'. I can live with this hiss, though I wish it weren't there.

While driving, I can hear a quite different noise. This noise is engine-rpm related, and has all the trademarks of interference, typical of a bad ground. My old car sounded like this when I switched to the aftermarket iPod interface if the iPod was not plugged in. I was tooling around town today at low speed, and noticed this quite a bit as I was in the 15-30 mph range, 2-3,500 rpm, accelerating and decelerating - without audio playing, of course.

I personally think it's related to the voice control/voice feedback system, not the HFL. If I turn on (use) HFL, I hear terrible audio, but I assume that's normal for a bluetooth/handsfree setup, microphone picking up all kinds of crud, etc. The voice command/voice feedback is nominally 'on' all the time, ready to accept a command at the touch of the steering-wheel button, and ready to give you feedback. I think this is the specific audio circuit that's always on, and is picking up the interference.

My problem is, it's so darned subtle that I can't imagine convincing the dealer to do anything about it. I happen to have bionic hearing, according to my girlfriend.

Actually, my latest thought was, to record a CD with 'blank' sound, so I can 'play' something at high volume and drive around and see if there is audible interference at medium-to-high volume (normally masked by the actual music). If it's demonstratable at higher volumes in the audio circuit, it's more feasable that it's also there in the other circuits. I just have to figure out how to create a 10 minute track of silence ...

 

Ok steerpike, I don't have the engine interference noise issue but i am just bothered by the constant hiss from the front speakers....i also believe you are correct in that the amp seems to be in a constant on state....I think this is probably linked to the HFL voice, but why woudn't they turn it on only when the voice speaks?

Yeah, I already tried to convince my dealer to fix it with no success. He says that is normal and nothing can be done about it....sad that I also have such great hearing....but I am sure that there are others out there that just haven't complained about this yet...haha

 

are you by chance using the bluetooth? i had a similar problem when i was driving to chicago and it was driving me crazy. i decided to turn off my phone's bluetooth connection and it stopped. it doesnt happen that often but it does happen in certain areas.

 

I do use bluetooth, and it could be a factor in the constant hiss. The car is designed to keep the hands-free active for some time (20 mins? I forget) after turning off the engine so you can continue a call in progress. Now, I would expect it to ONLY keep that circuit live IF a call was actually in progress before removing the ignition, but anyway, this could be a factor. However, as soon as I activate HFL (press the steering wheel HFL button, before actually giving it any commands) I hear a much louder hiss than before - so I don't know if the hiss 'evoman' is complaining about is this one. So many hisses, so little time ...

Regarding 'my' problem (interference) - I wonder - I have the 'aux' cable plugged into the outlet in the console, with the other end just hanging out ready for my iPod (which I almost never use now, having burned some great compilation CDs with WMA!). Since I'm not switching the audio to "AUX", I would not expect this to matter, but I will remove that plug and see if it helps.

 

maybe i skipped this part but do you have an aftermarket amp and sub? if yes i kind of have the same issue but not when the engine is off.......hope someone can clarify this problem

thx