B&O distorted audio... AGAIN and/or STILL

[SpaceRanger]

Welp, I'm back again to post about the same reoccurring problem I had this time last year. It's cold out and apparently it's affecting my speakers or amp(s) or head unit or wiring or whatever.

Basically the problems is just that, speakers sound blown "occasionally" when it's cold-ish out. It's happened mostly in the front driver's side channel, both door and tweeter speakers. But now it's happening in the rear passenger door speaker. That specific channel is constantly distorted and gets worse occasionally.

Anybody else have this issue? Last year, the dealership said that they couldn't reproduce the problem and there was no known issue in their database to warrant a fix. I took the truck to a different dealership about 2 weeks ago and they "updated" the radio unit which they said was a fix for something similar. ? Which is also weird because every single version number on the info screen (Sync and whatnot) are exactly the same. So, it's going back to them to get looked at again on the 15th.

I'm no audio engineer or audio head, but I wish I could tell them to replace the amp(s) because I have a funny feeling that's where it's coming from. I am no longer under the factory bumper to bumper warranty, but I have the Ford extended warranty.

Here's a video I took two nights ago:



If you look on my YouTube channel, it's doing the exact same thing it did a year ago. No fix or anything. It just goes away.

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[Zaph]

It's likely that the speakers making that noise need to be replaced. Solder joints on the voice coil woven tinsel leads are likely cracked. When it's cold out, they become stiff and are likely to break the circuit as compared when it is warm or "shop temperature".

The break in the circuit might be at the end where the terminal connects to the wires or the other end where the voice coil wire connects to the tinsel lead and is glued to the cone. If you are handy you might be able to pull the speakers and repair them with either adhesive or solder depending on which end. (a dealer can't / won't do this) Or otherwise it's easiest to just replace the speakers.

It might be possible that the voice coil warped under cold use and rubbed on the magnetic gap, nearly breaking the circuit, and it does break when turned up, or alternatively the coil former adhesive came partially disconnected from the cone. No fix for these issues. Replace only.

Then go easy with speakers in cold weather. It's very hard on speakers and the suspension components. suspension is stiff and electrical components heat up and warp easily and tend to crack or get damaged under stress. Speakers need to warm up in cold weather before being used louder, not to mention having deeper bass as their resonant frequency lowers.

likely something in this area.

 

[SpaceRanger]

It's likely that the speakers making that noise need to be replaced. Solder joints on the voice coil woven tinsel leads are likely cracked. When it's cold out, they become stiff and are likely to break the circuit as compared when it is warm or "shop temperature".

The break in the circuit might be at the end where the terminal connects to the wires or the other end where the voice coil wire connects to the tinsel lead and is glued to the cone. If you are handy you might be able to pull the speakers and repair them with either adhesive or solder depending on which end. (a dealer can't / won't do this) Or otherwise it's easiest to just replace the speakers.

It might be possible that the voice coil warped under cold use and rubbed on the magnetic gap, nearly breaking the circuit, and it does break when turned up, or alternatively the coil former adhesive came partially disconnected from the cone. No fix for these issues. Replace only.

Then go easy with speakers in cold weather. It's very hard on speakers and the suspension components. suspension is stiff and electrical components heat up and warp easily and tend to crack or get damaged under stress. Speakers need to warm up in cold weather before being used louder, not to mention having deeper bass as their resonant frequency lowers.

likely something in this area.

That is quite possibly the best answer to this problem I've had so far. I appreciate it, I really do. And it makes perfect sense, too.

I do have to say, I don't crank my volume past 12 hardly at all but I AM the second owner. So maybe the damage was done before me? Welp, if nothing comes out of my appointment then I'll try and get some replacement speakers somewhere and see if that fixes it.

 

[Butterknuckles]

I'm currently having the same issue. I live in NY and it was 4 degrees on Feb 12th when it occurred. My passenger front speaker sounded very distorted, just like a blown seal around the cone. Fast forward to the 16th, a 40 degree day, the noise stops and audio is clear again. I have a 2019 Lariat with the B&O system also. Its still going in tomorrow just so I have the complaint on record.
Edit: passenger front door speaker only, nothing from the tweeter.

 

[CashSeeAO]

Welp, I'm back again to post about the same reoccurring problem I had this time last year. It's cold out and apparently it's affecting my speakers or amp(s) or head unit or wiring or whatever.

Basically the problems is just that, speakers sound blown "occasionally" when it's cold-ish out. It's happened mostly in the front driver's side channel, both door and tweeter speakers. But now it's happening in the rear passenger door speaker. That specific channel is constantly distorted and gets worse occasionally.

Anybody else have this issue? Last year, the dealership said that they couldn't reproduce the problem and there was no known issue in their database to warrant a fix. I took the truck to a different dealership about 2 weeks ago and they "updated" the radio unit which they said was a fix for something similar. ? Which is also weird because every single version number on the info screen (Sync and whatnot) are exactly the same. So, it's going back to them to get looked at again on the 15th.

I'm no audio engineer or audio head, but I wish I could tell them to replace the amp(s) because I have a funny feeling that's where it's coming from. I am no longer under the factory bumper to bumper warranty, but I have the Ford extended warranty.

Here's a video I took two nights ago:



If you look on my YouTube channel, it's doing the exact same thing it did a year ago. No fix or anything. It just goes away.

I would not discount the possibility of a faulty amp. The OP also heard distortion from the driver’s front tweeter. That’s a sign of a bad amp since the amp feeds both the woofer and tweeter for the front. A faulty front woofer should not affect the tweeter too (unless by coincidence that both the tweeter and woofer suffered mechanical failure from the cold.)

 

[troutspinner]

While I am not familiar with the Ranger (yet) this is not a new issue for Ford. On my 2011 F150, it had a similar issue with the passenger side while many others on the F150 forum I belonged to at the time had the issue as well. There is a connector underneath a boot at the door jamb where the wires from the body pass to the door. That connector would take on moisture and rear it's ugly head at times like you are experiencing. Give it time to dry and the issue would disappear. While I never tried it as I ended up replacing the whole system, a quick fix could be cleaning both sides of the connector and applying some dielectric grease.

 

[Zaph]

I would not discount the possibility of a faulty amp. The OP also heard distortion from the driver’s front tweeter. That’s a sign of a bad amp since the amp feeds both the woofer and tweeter for the front. A faulty front woofer should not affect the tweeter too (unless by coincidence that both the tweeter and woofer suffered mechanical failure from the cold.)

If the OP specifically heard the tweeter cutting out along with the woofer, then yes, it's an amp or a wire connection issue ahead of the speakers. However I still suspect it's just the woofer.

The woofer to tweeter crossover point on this system is very high and with a casual listen with normal music to a woofer cutting out, it's going to be difficult to hear if the tweeter is still operating. Even a high hat cymbal frequency range is going to primarily come from the woofer in this system with just a few harmonics from the tweeter. Would recommend a high level 5 Khz tone or better yet a "warble tone" to isolate a tweeter issue.

Temperature dependent breaks in the circuit or warpage of moving parts are a common problem with cheaper speakers.

If I had this problem, I'd pull the speakers out of the door myself, bring them in the house and run a high level signal sweep through them. Then I'd throw them in the freezer and do it again.

 

[TarkovEngineer]

I have a 2022 ford ranger and I have the same issue.

Though i dont know if a tweeter is cutting out or anything. I have had it spread though once by starting in the driver side door then slowly travled to the passenger side.

 

[FordFreak]

Mine will do the same thing when it's cold out. Try this next time. Seriously.

When you get in the truck, and it sounds like your speaker is blown, crack the driver window and close it again. Somehow, someway, the window(s) - more likely window FRAME gets a little snugger when it's really cold, and it's the door making that racket. Crack the window, and then let it go all the way back up. I'm telling you, it works.

My speakers would sound "blown" until the truck got good and warm. I noticed that if I pressed on the door insert it would stop, so I rolled the window down once, and rolled it back up and it was gone. Nowadays, when it's cold out, I crack both front windows when I start the truck and it never even happens. It now sounds like it does on a warm, sunny day, even when it's -20F

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Mine will do the same thing when it's cold out. Try this next time. Seriously.

When you get in the truck, and it sounds like your speaker is blown, crack the driver window and close it again. Somehow, someway, the window(s) - more likely window FRAME gets a little snugger when it's really cold, and it's the door making that racket. Crack the window, and then let it go all the way back up. I'm telling you, it works.

My speakers would sound "blown" until the truck got good and warm. I noticed that if I pressed on the door insert it would stop, so I rolled the window down once, and rolled it back up and it was gone. Nowadays, when it's cold out, I crack both front windows when I start the truck and it never even happens. It now sounds like it does on a warm, sunny day, even when it's -20F

Have to remember this next year when it finally cools off again.

 

[FordFreak]

Have to remember this next year when it finally cools off again.

I thought it was just mine until I saw the thread. I've been dealing with it for 2 winters.

 

[ksuds49]

Did not notice this last winter but noticing it now. Sometimes its there and sometimes its not. California winters aren't particularly cold...its 46 right now and started the weird behavior on the way home from work.

 

[ksuds49]

The rolling the window down trick doesn't seem to help. I have narrowed it down to the rear door speakers though. When I first get into the truck all the speakers sound fine. Then during my commute to work or back home the rear speakers begin to randomly distort. After sitting parked for the day or night, when I get back in the speakers sound normal for a while.

 

[Marc S]

Same exact problem started happening to my Ranger with b&o last month when we had a few rain storms in So Cal. Such a weird issue to have.

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