Turn ignition off and the drivers speaker has static noise. I havent started checking it out yet, just wondering if anyone has seen this before. First thing i plan to do is unplug tbe radio. Ugh... its raining and cold out.

 

I've had what I thought was static from the driver door speaker while driving. Sounded just like intermittent bursts of static. After a few moments I realized it was wind leaking in thru the closed but not latched vent window.

Fooled me twice lol.

 

hey Guys,


I know I'm in wrong forum but I just got a 1998 F150 XL from my dad,
only 27K on it.
In forum searching the web and on FTE I'm noticing some mentions about the "white noise" or intermittent static out of the speakers.


I just started hearing this myself, almost like someone using a CB radio and it coming in over your stereo, I used to have that problem when at my parents house (it was close to the road) and it'd scare the crap out of you when voices other than the song would blair out over the stereo.


But it's just a shhht noise, wait 20-30 seconds and you hear it again.


Key on or off, engine on or off but most of the time you hear it is when it's all off and quiet.


I've not seen anyone mention anything about the recalls for the jumper wire for the cruse control.


the only reason I mention that is (and it's a guess) is that both my dads 98 F150 and Moms 2002 Explorer had recalls done for the cruse control, the explorer ended up with a haunted wire harness and kept acting like it had a bad fuel pump, we so far have not got that fixed yet. Its stumped everyone that's looked at it. beyond just calling it a short and giving up.


I'm just asking in here if anyone else has heard of this static noise and if it's related to the cruse control jumper wire or any other recalls Ford had to do for the ignition fires or cruse control issues.


Again, going from memory and it's a guess, just askin.
Thanks all!

PS I will do a post in the correct forum but thought I'd bounce it off of yall.
T

 

I had this problem recently, it would happen with the key on sometimes too, but always when I turned the key off. I'd whack the crap out of the door panel and it'd usually stop. Not the best solution, but I made do with it for several months till I needed to remove the door panel for something else.

Do you have aftermarket speakers? I had replaced my factory speakers with new ones years ago, and didn't mount them as well as the originals. The drivers side came loose, probably due to much more usage than the passenger door, and was hitting the metal on the door and shorting out, making the buzzing noise. It's possible this is your problem even if its factory speakers.

If you have aftermarket speakers, its pretty easy to re-mount them using self-tapping screws if the original holes don't match up well (like mine didn't). If you have the originals, they probably need to be replaced anyways (those foam surrounds don't hold up well, and I don't remember if they're paper cones, but if they are, those don't last long either).

If you've run new speaker wire or installed an aftermarket radio, you should check all those connections as well.

 

Are you using the Factory Radio? Aftermarket?

Here is some things you can do just to test it out...Swap the speaker wires going to the headset. For example, Left front speaker wires with Right Front speaker wires just to see if the static changes in the speakers.

If the noise changes from driver speaker to passenger speaker...replace the headset...

If the noise does not change and continues through the driver side you can either try running a new wire to that specific speaker to see if it changes or replace the speaker.

If your using the factory radio wiring harness with a aftermarket headset...Replace the ground wire going to the radio...Just find a good bolt or nut under the dash and ground it there with a thicker ground matching the size ground going to the Headset.

Those are some things that I would try.

 

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the responses.

I forgot to mention it's all stock, radio, speakers etc.

I've not noticed the static the past few days, I've sat in the truck
during lunchbreak and havent heard it since this weekend.

I'll try to check the driver door speaker, that's where i think I'm hearing it when it does it's thing.

Plan b was a radio/speaker upgrade....

the only other note, I belive the battery is going bad as Dad thought it was needing a re-charge/replace but we figured it was going dead from sitting.

Besides the stereo causing this, could the electrical system be discharging somehow causing static?

if a speaker wire was shorted and the engine / key switch was off, thus radio off, it should be a dead connection anyways.

but thanks again, I'll keep digging.
Thanks!
T

 

No radio is ever actually "off", not even the factory one. It's supplied with constant power as long as the battery is connected and the fuses are intact, even without the key switch on.

The key switch, in RUN or ACC, energizes a separate circuit that also supplies power to the radio. This circuit ain't used as supply power but rather just as a signal for the radio to come to life. So to me, it's entirely possible that even when the key is off that there is something going on in your radio where noise is coming thru the speakers.

 

It is certainly possible there is some other component causing the noise through a speaker, or some kind of problem with the radio and it may be a parasitic drain on the battery.

Install your multimeter in series with a battery cable and see what the current draw is with everything shut off. Should be less than 50 milliamps.

 

Hey Guys,


yeah, I know the clock and some other items could draw some power, I swear though now I'm wondering if I was hearing things,
since posting (and a week of driving this truck back n forth to work)
I've not heard it again.

I did check the battery (dad thought was going dead) and it's acting ok with my battery tester (10 sec pull with load) its holding in the good range and at least in the 400-500 cca range.


Ive sat in it in the morning listening and at lunch and so far nothing as far as any more static.


One weird thing it did this week, in the drive thru of the local Taco bell, foot on brake, in drive it just died like I turned off the key. but it did re-start ok.
Dad's been known to run cheap gas in this truck since day one, I put some thought to be good gas in it with about 6oz of Marvel Mystery oil
which I run in my 73 Vw and my 51 F1 and my 66 Mustang with no problems...
Figured it'd help lube & clean the intake and valves.
I did get in it heavy on the gas pedal yesterday coming home had a red light that turned green before I came to a full stop, so had a rolling take off, she sounded good felt like it had plenty of power, didn't notice any smoke of any kind and no valve rattles.


we did have to replace the fuel pump in this truck maybe back t 20k
(and 3 in his Explorer) which leads me to wonder either it's the cheap BJ's gas he's always run or it's something from a recall that both vehicles had that's caused a weird electrical issue..


anyways, I'm going to drive this truck some more and see how she does, I've already put about 350miles on it this week so far.


Thanks again for the suggestions, i'll repost if I have any other odditys,
but again no speaker static for about a week..


wonder if the battery was causing that from going low from sitting? hmm
T

 

I dont even remember having this pronlem with my truck but I must have or I wouldnt have
started a thread on it. It was probably one of those self fixing problems.