Stereo randomly sounds awful (Bose sound package, Tour X)

[PogSlammer]

First off, the Bose sound package on my Tour X is one of my favorite things. It sounds better than any car stereo I have had before and I love rocking out as I drive. It's the best!

BUT....all of a sudden the stereo has periodically not worked properly.

This has happened three times now.

I turn the car on and the stereo sounds horrible - a flat sound without stereo mix (as far as I can tell) - very limited dynamic ramge, zero low end, totally flat and tinny like an old am car radio.

It doesn't matter what source - Airplay, blutooth, fm/am, and Sirius. All bad.

I try restarting car and still it sounds bad.

Then next time I drive it - maybe just half an hour after parking it- it sounds amazing.

Anyone experience this?

 

[RegalMN]

First off, the Bose sound package on my Tour X is one of my favorite things. It sounds better than any car stereo I have had before and I love rocking out as I drive. It's the best!

BUT....all of a sudden the stereo has periodically not worked properly.

This has happened three times now.

I turn the car on and the stereo sounds horrible - a flat sound without stereo mix (as far as I can tell) - very limited dynamic ramge, zero low end, totally flat and tinny like an old am car radio.

It doesn't matter what source - Airplay, blutooth, fm/am, and Sirius. All bad.

I try restarting car and still it sounds bad.

Then next time I drive it - maybe just half an hour after parking it- it sounds amazing.

Anyone experience this?

Is it because you're playing Dave Matthews Band when it sounds horrible? Or Coldplay? My stereo always sounds awful when those 2 bands are on.

 

[PogSlammer]

🤣

 

[LLninja]

Is it because you're playing Dave Matthews Band when it sounds horrible? Or Coldplay? My stereo always sounds awful when those 2 bands are on.

Ironically I just saw this video on YouTube, touting the greatest song ever from a band we all seem to hate. For me, it’s pretty much anything by Sam Smith that causes me to hit thumbs down on Pandora.

Back to topic, I’ve noticed something similar in a sense that when my iPhone is plugged in and playing music, then I take a phone call, instead of all the audio coming out of all the speakers, it only comes out of the center channel speaker. Maybe the infotainment system got confused and never switched back to the full acoustics of the Bose system. It might be helpful if the Op reveals whether they have the older or newer infotainment system.

 

[PogSlammer]

I'm not sure if I have old or new infotainment system - how do I check?

 

[PogSlammer]

Update: There may be a connection between the rear seats being folded down vs. up and the stereo working.

I almost always have rear seats down - we have two dogs.

First time I noticed the stereo not working was when I put the seats up after a very longtime being down flat.

And as far as I can tell, it has only happened when the seats are up.

30 minutes ago fired up the car (seats flat) and it sounded good.

I just put the seats up and fired it up - sounds bad.

Is there a wire that could be affecting the stereo?

Of course could be a coincidence.

 

[Idano]

I'm not sure if I have old or new infotainment system - how do I check?

Easiest way to tell, are the needles in your instrument cluster red or white. Red is old, white is new. We know you don't have the basic trim with the weird red needles because you have a Bose and that wasn't an option on the basic trim.

 

[Idano]

Update: There may be a connection between the rear seats being folded down vs. up and the stereo working.

I almost always have rear seats down - we have two dogs.

First time I noticed the stereo not working was when I put the seats up after a very longtime being down flat.

And as far as I can tell, it has only happened when the seats are up.

30 minutes ago fired up the car (seats flat) and it sounded good.

I just put the seats up and fired it up - sounds bad.

Is there a wire that could be affecting the stereo?

Of course could be a coincidence.

Sounds like you probably found the cause of your sound problem. I've never pulled the back seat out so I have no idea what wiring might be under there.

 

[PogSlammer]

Ok, so I have red needles. So I have the OLD infotainment system.

I also don't think it has anything to do with the seats - or at least wiring.

I have a feeling it is a software issue.

 

[DrFaustus]

That's the old system. White are the new. I know I can tell a difference between a Bluetooth connection and Android Auto's direct connection. Bluetooth compresses everything and will sound flat.

 

[PogSlammer]

Yeah, it's like a total compression of all audio across the board. No stereo, no range, total flat tone. Even if I adjust settings in Tone - there's just nothing. Flat sound. And it's not subtle.

 

[Jack GS]

Is there a wire that could be affecting the stereo?

The Bose systems have a noise cancellation subwoofer in the spare wheel well. I have never traced where the wire from the sub goes but it's possible it's routed underneath, or at the very least near, the rear seat.

 

[LLninja]

The Bose systems have a noise cancellation subwoofer in the spare wheel well. I have never traced where the wire from the sub goes but it's possible it's routed underneath, or at the very least near, the rear seat.

There is a harness with a plug back there as in Sept, I had to remove my subwoofer as Liquid combo of water and car wash solution got inside the empty spare tire well where the woofer is. There is a plug which unclips (I needed to shake and rotate my sub to get the liquid out). And I’m sure another forum member abizzle will join the convo soon as he’s been all over his vehicle soundproofing it.

 

[Jack GS]

There is a harness with a plug back there as in Sept, I had to remove my subwoofer as Liquid combo of water and car wash solution got inside the empty spare tire well where the woofer is. There is a plug which unclips (I needed to shake and rotate my sub to get the liquid out). And I’m sure another forum member abizzle will join the convo soon as he’s been all over his vehicle soundproofing it.

Yeah I'm familiar. I've disconnected it as well but never traced where the wire is actually routed to the front.

 

[PogSlammer]

I’ve checked the sub connection and I don’t think the seats folding down or having them up should make any difference, I think the cables are buried lower, below the seats.

And it doesn’t sound like a wire or cable issue. My issue reminds me of an old X5 Bluetooth quirk where sometimes the Bluetooth connection would sound bad, and then just as quickly return to normal.

These darn computers…

I’m taking it to the dealer on Tuesday.

Has no one experienced any quirks with this system?

 

[LLninja]

I’ve checked the sub connection and I don’t think the seats folding down or having them up should make any difference, I think the cables are buried lower, below the seats.

And it doesn’t sound like a wire or cable issue. My issue reminds me of an old X5 Bluetooth quirk where sometimes the Bluetooth connection would sound bad, and then just as quickly return to normal.

These darn computers…

I’m taking it to the dealer on Tuesday.

Has no one experienced any quirks with this system?

As for any quirks, I have experienced a problem where a phone call from my cell though a lighning to USB cable causes the white needle infotainment system to reboot all the time, but pairing with Bluetooth “fixed” this problem. But I haven’t experience the quirk that you described. Hopefully when you take it to the dealership service department, it will still exhibit this behavior so they can do something about it. I hate how intermittent problems are difficult to fix if they can’t see or hear it happen.

 

[PogSlammer]

Thanks for the well wishes. I will update as we progress.

 

[ADC0731]

I recently had a total blackout on the infotainment after starting the car with wife's IPAD connected for charging. No nav, no nothing. Radio worked but on a Sirius channel I don't have programmed and no volume adjustment, just really loud. Restarted the car a few times, no change. Unplugged the IPAD, restarted the car, everything normal.

A million lines of code, only 1 or 2 missing. What could go wrong?

 

[LLninja]

I recently had a total blackout on the infotainment after starting the car with wife's IPAD connected for charging. No nav, no nothing. Radio worked but on a Sirius channel I don't have programmed and no volume adjustment, just really loud. Restarted the car a few times, no change. Unplugged the IPAD, restarted the car, everything normal.

A million lines of code, only 1 or 2 missing. What could go wrong?

What size iPad did you have plugged in?if it was one of the bigger ones maybe it was sucking so much power that the infotainment couldn’t boot. Can you duplicate it by plugging the ipad in and trying it again? Also, what happens if you plug in the ipad after the infotainment system is booted? (The software testing part of my old career is getting the best of me)

 

[abizzle]

All of the wires from front to back are running in the passenger wire channel beneath the trim piece. The main trim piece runs from the front passenger kick panel back to about halfway between the rear door and back seat. I haven’t taken the seat out yet, so I’m not exactly sure, but they probably follow a straight line back to the amp, which is mounted in the rear of the trunk on the passenger side.

If you’re going to remove the trim above the wire channel, you need to remove the trim piece on the side of the dash first. Also… there is a wire plug attached to the trim panel and you’ll need to unplug it. See attached pictures.