2007, 2.7, CDR24, "Sound Package Plus" (which I think means the additional speakers and amp) but NOT Bose.

Along the way, front center speaker started making funny noises, including some pretty loud popping sounds. Then when I stopped for gas, the "Parking Light On" warning message came on, which was odd since the light switch was at "OFF", not even the "Home" position. Sure enough, the right front marker was on. No other lights were on. I could not get it to go off no matter what I tried.

Gassed up, drove off. More popping sounds from the front center speaker, but not as much as earlier. No more funnly warning messages. Stopped to get coffee, parked, and everything seemed normal. Off to work, more poppjng sounds (even less this time), parked, more normalcy WRT the lights.

Anyone else had this? What's going on? I'll call the dealer in a while when I get to my desk (after this boring meeting) but I am hoping you all would have some clue as to what this might be!

This is the first I've heard of anything like you're describing. Electronic gremlins, as you probably know, are some of the worst to track down... I would definitely make an appointment to take it into the dealer and see if you can replicate it for them - the two incidents may not even be related, or the parking light warning may have been triggered by a surge in the system caused by what ever is making the center speaker pop.

The stereo system in my 996 turbo was constantly making noise that turned out to be generated by signals going to and from my GSM cell phone - when a call was incoming, all kinds of noise would break loose. It even made popping noises when it detected the phone (even when in standby mode) switching cell tower signals... in the Cayman S, the shielding seems to be much better - I don't have those same problems, but I also have Bose system... have the dealer check it out.

brad

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21-year PCA Member
PCA DE Instructor

The right parking light was on because the blinker light was left up in that position (see Parking Lights @ Didn't read the manual? Read this.). You did turn right to get into the gas station I'd bet. So that is unrelated to the noise issue.

Oh yeah, that little feature...

brad

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21-year PCA Member
PCA DE Instructor

I have to agree with Santa Fe on the light warning, it's a common occurrence.

For the center-speaker popping... you either have a loose connection (improbable unless you've been messing around) or your amplifier is going bad. The amplifier in the front trunk takes left and right channel information from headunit and modulates a center signal from it (basically takes all signal that's in the vocal-frequency range and plays it), so it could be that circuitry has gone bad if only the center channel speaker is acting up.

As long as the problem is consistent with all sources (radio, cd, etc) I'm sure replacing that amplifier will probably be the first source of action for your dealer.

- Suneet

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- Suneet

Oh, yeah...THAT feature. Needless to say, I don't remember that from reading the manual! AT least that's ONE thing down. I went out for lunch and didn't hear the popping sound from the radio at all this time.

I'm familiar with the sound that the radio makes when the cell phone communicates with a nearby tower. It happens when a call's coming in, or even when you just go from cell to cell and the phone has to re-register on the network. More like a "motorboat" sound - for us analog old-timers, it's the same as the sound a transistor amp makes when the power supply sags and the final stage goes in and out of the linear range. That wasn't it. What I heard was mor "crackle and pop".

pointnshoot, something I meant to allude to in my previous post but forgot to was that the "digital" signal separation to make a center channel sometimes creates artifacts in sound when listening to certain sources... this would be most present in this case if you were listening to talk radio.

For example, with my favorite radio station here and surround turned on with my Bose system and audio pilot turned off, I often get audio fading in and out of certain speakers or a buzzing sound from one of the rear speakers. I suggest you try a cd and see if you get any popping\crackling sounds.

- Suneet

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- Suneet

I'll try that! Perhaps tonight on the way home. I just picked up some REALLY different Taiwanese CDs (complete with incense sticks in the jewel case ). But - I wasn't listening to talk radio at the time - it was a classic rock station.

Update - drove home - not a snap, crackle or pop to be heard. I guess the Taiwanese CD will have to wait until tomorrow. A bit of the fading but I think that was more reception than anything else (that radio's got the worst reception of any car radio in recent history! All the more reason to get the Dension so i can listen to the iPod instead.)

Well, there it goes again!!!

Driving to the shop (not the dealer - brought the car in to have a clear bra installed) yesterday morning, I heard the speaker noises again. This time a scratching sound followed by some pops, then more scratching. Turned the radio off - STILL heard the sounds. Huh??? MUST be the amp!

Clear bra installer is near the dealer so I figured I'd stop by the dealer and have him listen to it, but NO! As I got close, the sound went away. Stopped, shut down, restarted - not a peep!

I'm driving up to Willows this afternoon for the DE tomorrow, and I really don't want this recurring while I'm on the track. Any advice on how to disconnect the amp if this happens? I'm guessing I pop the front hood, pop the cover on the amp and unplug it? Anything else I should be aware of?

Good news is - the dealer is sending a tech team to the track for the DE so I should be able to enlist their help as well. But - just in case.......

And I do plan to try to stop by the dealer after I pick up my car later today and talk to him as well. With luck it'll even happen while I'm there!

So I'm back from my various travels, and I finally brought the car into the dealer last week. Sure enough, I got the radio to make those funny scratching and popping sounds for the tech. He said he thought it was the amplifier (well, duh!!) so ordered one for me. Took a day (that rental they gave me was a POS Chevy Malibu - I was very clearly reminded why I don't buy American iron any more). Now I have a new amp and it's lasted the weekend without any strange noises. Here's hoping it stays that way?

AND - I told them about the rear lid clunk/thunk/rattle. I got the standard speech about how the body flexes and I should expect some clunks and thumps. BUT they replaced the bumpers all around and it does seem tigher. I still have a rattle (somewhat harder to reproduce now) but it seems closer to me, so it may be coming from the passenger side seat belt. We'll see........