Dangerous B&O sound system issue

[rockfish]

I have had this issue twice on my 2022 Powerboost. Absolutely deafening and scares the hell out of you when it happens. A huge safety issue. I read there is a class action lawsuit on this spinning up.

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[m_bt54]

https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/...-ear-piercing-static-in-f-150-trucks-7551ba24

Would be interested to read this but can’t get past the paywall…

 

[rugedraw]

I'll say it again: There is a fix for this as of a few months now. The dealer can apply a software update that fixes this. Reference SSM 51663 to your dealer. Attached is a screenshot from PTS.

 

[m_bt54]

I'll say it again: There is a fix for this as of a few months now. The dealer can apply a software update that fixes this. Reference SSM 51663 to your dealer. Attached is a screenshot from PTS.

I probably should have phrased my question a little better. I was mostly curious if anyone has experienced the issue post update.

 

[rugedraw]

I probably should have phrased my question a little better. I was mostly curious if anyone has experienced the issue post update.

I wasn't directing it at you in particular. I can tell you I have not seen anyone report it happening after the update in the threads/forums I follow.

 

[Graygoose2021]

Came across a few minutes ago.
Ford F150 Amplifier Glitch - ceoutlook.com

 

[Nasto]

Would be interested to read this but can’t get past the paywall…

Try this.

Ford F-150 Pickup Truck Drivers Complain of 'Sonic Boom' Speaker Noises (businessinsider.com)

 

[m_bt54]

Great to hear.

I just called my dealer expecting them to tell me they couldn’t look at it for a month but they somehow can look at it tomorrow morning so I’m going to give them a shot at fixing it.

Hopefully I don’t end up regretting bringing it in.

Try this.

Ford F-150 Pickup Truck Drivers Complain of 'Sonic Boom' Speaker Noises (businessinsider.com)

much better. Thanks. Nice touch that they reference this forum

 

[rugedraw]

Great to hear.

I just called my dealer expecting them to tell me they couldn’t look at it for a month but they somehow can look at it tomorrow morning so I’m going to give them a shot at fixing it.

Hopefully I don’t end up regretting bringing it in.

much better. Thanks. Nice touch that they reference this forum

It is a quick update. The DSP module is not one of the complex ones that take hours to update.

 

[redline]

i only ever had the boom once and got the fix in July and have not had the issue since ...

 

[JJSnell]

Would be interested to read this but can’t get past the paywall…

WSJ Article
Phil Floraday was driving his F-150 pickup last fall when his truck’s audio system suddenly emitted a loud, crashing sound that, to him, resembled glass shattering, and then blaring static.

His ears rang for days after the event, he said.

“My first thought was one of the neighbors must’ve hit a golf ball that went through a window because that’s what it sounded like,” said Floraday, who took delivery of the 2022-model-year truck last summer.

Ford Motor is confronting a problem with some newer pickup trucks and large SUVs: drivers reporting cases in which the speakers in their vehicles sound a loud and abnormal noise—often frightening the occupants.

On online forums, F-150 owners have been airing similar accounts of an odd sound, which some describe as a “sonic boom” or “ear-piercing static.” Drivers, in some cases, were able to turn it off right away. Others say it lasted for 15 minutes or more, persisting even after the car was shut off.

Phil Floraday’s 2022 Ford F-150 emitted loud static.
Several dozen Ford customers have filed complaints with federal regulators, saying the noise was so distracting they either had to pull over and stop driving, or if parked, didn’t feel it was safe to get on the road.

The automaker issued a technical service bulletin to dealers this summer to try to address the audio issue, which it said is related to the amplifier in the vehicle’s sound system.

A Ford spokeswoman declined to disclose the number of vehicles affected. The service bulletin covers the Expedition SUVs and the F-150 pickups from the 2021-23 model years and the 2022 F-150 Lightning electric trucks.

Ford’s F-Series pickup truck has been America’s bestselling vehicle for decades.

The car company has received about 100 complaints related to the problem, primarily involving the 2022 F-150 truck, the spokeswoman said.

“We are working swiftly to make sure this is resolved for our customers,” she said.

Ford has a lot riding on the electric version of its best-selling F-150 pickup truck. WSJ’s Nora Eckert visited Ford’s Experience Center outside Detroit for an exclusive ride in the F-150 Lightning to see how the auto maker aims to win over both early adopters and more of its gas pickup drivers.

Ford has developed a software fix that customers can get at a dealership or through a downloadable update. The fix uses the amplifier as a filter to prevent the speaker noise.

Often when vehicle problems occur, they are familiar to drivers and mechanics: a window doesn’t roll up correctly; brakes might not work; or a backup camera system is failing.

Some bizarre concerns, meanwhile, have frustrated drivers and automakers in the past.

A decade ago Toyota Motor recalled more than 800,000 vehicles because air bags could deploy unnecessarily, the result of spider webs clogging up an air-conditioner part. Subaru issued a recall because certain models were at risk of inadvertently starting themselves if a key fob was dropped.

Hyundai Motor in 2021 recalled about 466,000 vehicles because of a glitch with the turn- signal function. The driver would activate to go one way, but the taillight would signal the opposite of what was intended.

Quality challenges have weighed on Ford’s earnings in the past.

In taking the top job at Ford in 2020, Chief Executive Jim Farley pledged to make quality a priority. He has since installed new leadership in this area with the aim of rooting out potential flaws before they are put into production.

Several drivers who have complained to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the static noise was so sudden and extreme that it posed a safety risk and could be potentially damaging to a person’s hearing.

“If this had happened on the highway or in traffic it would probably have caused a wreck,” a driver in Texas wrote to NHTSA last month.

One driver reported to NHTSA that the sound measured by the person’s Apple Watch recorded a 109 decibel spike. Others claim the noise was above 100 decibels, a level similar to that of a loud concert or a car horn, according to the American Academy of Audiology.

“The louder the sound is, the shorter the amount of time that it’s safe,” said Sarah Sydlowski, former president of the academy. At 100 decibels, only a few minutes of exposure is considered safe, she said.

Under federal law, car companies have to initiate a recall if they discover a defect that poses a hazard.

The Ford spokeswoman said that, based on what the company knows at this time, it doesn’t believe the problem rises to the level of a recallable safety defect.

A NHTSA spokesperson said the agency is aware of the issue and has received several owner complaints. The spokesperson said the agency will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation and take action if necessary.

Last December, Floraday was driving his 8-year-old daughter to musical-theater practice when the loud static started blasting again. He screamed for his daughter to get out. She wasn’t able to hear him from the back seat, he said.

Floraday took the truck that month to a dealer, who apparently addressed the issue by replacing the 12-volt auxiliary battery. This was before the Ford-provided fix was available.

For now, he feels the problem with the earsplitting static has been resolved.

Write to Ryan Felton at [email protected] and Nora Eckert at [email protected]

Copyright ©2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Appeared in the August 24, 2023, print edition as 'Ford Truck Owners Complain of Noise'.

 

[Jesse-Infotainment]

The 23s seem to have a new amp.

 

[fordtruckman2003]

I have had this issue twice on my 2022 Powerboost. Absolutely deafening and scares the hell out of you when it happens. A huge safety issue. I read there is a class action lawsuit on this spinning up.

Have the dealer do DSP update mentioned in this thread and it won't be an issue anymore.

Or DIY with Mongoose cable and FDRS.
I installed it myself and have only experienced a much quieter pop since then when flipping between screens on dash. Audio was switching between Ford built in nav and Android Auto.

 

[Antimatter22]

I installed it myself and have only experienced a much quieter pop since then when flipping between screens on dash. Audio was switching between Ford built in nav and Android Auto.

I mean it sounds like it doesn't exactly correct the issue, only lowers the volume when it happens lol

 

[Ford Motor Company]

This just happened to me for the first time and boy did I underestimate how bad this really is. It’s been an hour and my head is still ringing.

Has anyone confirmed that the update mentioned here fixes the issue? If so I’ll pay whatever it takes to not have this happen again.

Good morning. Could you privately message us with your VIN and the name and location of your Ford dealer so I can look into this sound concern? Thanks!

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