tomz

2010 No NAV PACKAGE SHAKER 500/1000 CLARION STEREO DEFECT

1. Apparently EVERY SINGLE 2010 Shaker 500 without the nav package has a bad noise in the speakers. And possibly the Shaker 1000. We can only guess that models coming off the line today do not have it. We think, but do not know, if a fix was made with some Job2 Mustangs which started coming out around mid August.
2. The Clarion ACM is suspected to be the culprit. (This is not a loose wire.)

The noise can be faint, you probably won't hear it while driving with the stereo blasting. But if you listen to: news; sports; or talk radio at low volume while parked with the engine off (drive in, picking up someone, etc.) it is very annoying.

Best way to FIRST hear the noise: Sit parked with engine off in a quiet spot with radio on. While listening, turn the volume down to 1 bar, then 0 bar, then turn radio off and on a few times and move volume from 0-2 bars and you can't miss it. Turn volume above 3 bars and it is covered up. But once you hear it, you will still hear it at higher volumes between songs and between spoken words.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW

If you have or don't have the noise you can help.

Get your non nav identification code:

a. Turn the radio on and put it on an AM or FM channel.
b. Press 3 and 6 simultaneously.
c. Before it stops testing the speakers press 6.
d. Then press the UP button and you see the reference code.

I have: AR3T - 19C 158 - AL

A Job2 ACM will probably have a different code, possibly the "AL" will change.

Please report if you have the noise, shaker model, your code, when your 2010 Mustang was built.

Only asking about 2010s without NAV packages:

Have Noise
Tomz................500....AR3T-19C 158-AL...5/09
Larry 1014.........500....AR3T-19C 158-AL...4/09
AJ_68...............500....AR3T-19C 158-AL...?
discodave..........500....?
tadi..................500....?
skyboss_4evr.....1000....?
swooshpimp........500....AR3T-19C 158-AL...?
Marquise23.........1000....?
musela...............500....?
NatDaBrat..........500....?
VRFlip................500....AR3T-10C-158-BB...9/14/09
crecent_wrench..500....AR3T-19C 158-AL...4/09?
mark77..............500....?
Napoleon85........500....?
jrny99...............500....?
Nautilus.............500....?
Supafly............1000....?
ousig2408..........500....?
10GTSTANG........500....ART 19C 158-AL...4/09
jrny.....................???...ART 19C 158-AL...04/09
m1215...............1000...?.................2009 model


Waffling <g>:
Popeyejon..........500... AR3T-19C-158-BB....8/24/09

No noise
falconium............500...AR3T-19C158-BB....?

Nav no noise
wilkinda....(nav..???/????....) ????........?????

I will try to add on as people post more info.

Please state: 1. 500 or 1000; 2. no nav; 3. code and 4. build date.

Thanks,
Tomz
Added November 8th, 2009


Original message follows:

Just got a 2010 Pony package. Kona Blue with Stone interior. First accessory purchase - the Ford trunk mat. Hey, that golf push cart I put in there with the bag gets pretty nasty! And it looks like it will catch any spills.

The Pony Package means I got the Shaker 500 audio system. The normal operating sounds are just glorious. I’ve never had anything but stock radios and I’m loving it. I was surprised to find that all my USB computer jump drives play MP3s using the USB socket in the center console. The CD player plays all my MP3 CD-Rs and I was pleasantly surprised to find it plays MP3 CD-RWs also. (No DVD-R MP3’s though – heh, I had to try.) I haven’t figured out how the CD player decides what order to play the folders on the MP3 disks. It is not alphabetical by folder name.

Now for the possible issue.

I am reporting what may be a minor issue with this 8 speaker Shaker 500 stereo. There is a low volume continuous static like noise that comes from the subwoofers in the doors. This happens on AM, FM, Sirius, CD, and USB playback. (Haven’t tested Line In.) At the dealership, the audio service specialist who is looking into this, unplugged the two amps for the subwoofers and the noise was gone. (These were up under the drivers side dash. Unplugged one, and noise was gone on that side.) We then tested the only other Shaker 500 equipped Mustang this dealer had on the lot and it also had this noise.

This IS absolutely a faint noise that you are unlikely to first recognize with the motor running. But if you are stopped in your garage, on your driveway, at a drive in, etc, it can be quite annoying. Again because it is faint, you may not be aware of it during the music, but only in the space between songs. Or in between spoken words if listening to speech.

One easy way to first identify the noise is to be in a quiet location, without the engine running, turn the volume to 1 bar and listen to something with dead air breaks. It is not there with the volume all the way off (0 bars) but there is fainter, constant noise at 0 bars. This noise does not get louder with more than one bar of volume. Once you identify it, power on and power off the radio to confirm the noise. Then you will hear it at any volume in the dead space in songs, between songs and any pauses between spoken words. You can download the THX sound test mp3s that have quiet breaks like THX Robot, THX Jurassic Lunch or THX Orchestra Sound Test. They all work well for this if you want to make a demo to play your service rep. Or just try a quiet starting song or any talking MP3.

Anybody else have this? Having others with the Shaker 500 report if they do or don’t have it, and where (State) you purchased might help figure this out.

Love the car, I’ve been waiting a long time for the 2010’s to come out.
Tomz

Larry1014

I have had my 2010 Mustang GT for 2 weeks and have already noticed this problem with static out of both front speakers. So I guess this isn't normal after all. It is annoying sitting still, I will let them look at it when I get my first oil change, which will not take long as I am having a ball driving it.

Heliguy77

I had the same problem. I took it back to the dealer and it turned out to be loose door panels. They put foam in between the door and the panel and it stoped. Those are quite large speakers to be in the door.

tomz

Just to be sure we are talking about the same thing here.

1. This noise does not get louder when you turn up the volume.
2. You can't hear this noise when normal music is playing with any volume over 2 bars. Just in quiet spots or between songs.

Thanks,
Tomz

Adam

Tomz,

I have the EXACT same problem with my '10 Premium GT!! I posted about it in this thread. I'm in California and my only additional options are 3.73 gears and comfort package. I was going to take my car to the dealership on Tuesday. However, without a known TSB or someone else reporting back with a definitive solution I'm a bit hesitant to take my car there and have them rip into it ***** nilly. I'll probably give it some time until we know exactly what the issue is.

Adam

Definitely does not sound like a loose door panel. The engine is off and nothing in the car is moving to possibly create that sort of rattle/vibration. The noise is definitely being generated from the door subwoofers even though the radio is at "0" bars of volume. Soon as I turn off the radio the noise goes away. Seems like the amp may be faulty or the connection is interfering with something else and generating noise.

tomz

AJ_68,

>>>The noise is definitely being generated from the door subwoofers even though the radio is at "0" bars of volume.

1. I don't get the variable noise at 0 bars on the volume. It has to be 1 or higher.

2. The area audio specialist easily unplugged the subwoofers under the dash, no noise. Rest of the speakers were playing fine.

3. I have the same hesitation to have it torn apart with no idea of the cause.

4. I also have the comfort package.

5. Try to accompany your service rep to check any other Shaker 500's on the lot (V6 or GT) and let them know about this thread.

Hope we hear from more Shaker 500 owners.

Thanks.
Tomz

Adam

Strange we'd both have the noise but I have it at 0 bars and you don't

So at "0" bars you hear dead silence? You can turn off the radio and there's no difference in ambient noise?

tomz

AJ_68,

I was wrong. I do have noise at 0 bars of volume, I haven't heard THAT before until this morning. It is a more constant, but much fainter hiss/static. When I change to 1 bar (or more) then the variable static starts up that is maybe twice as loud as the 0 bar static. I've been fixated on that variable noise so much that I never heard the 0 bar noise.

So - everything I wrote before is still the same except to add the fainter static at 0 bars of volume.

Adam

Not that I'm glad you have the noise, but that's good to hear that our symptoms are the same. Hopefully some others chime in so we can get this situation fixed ASAP

I believe this issue is isolated to non-Nav Shaker 500 vehicles.