Shaker 1000 or dead body in the trunk
07-27-2010, 01:17 PM
#21
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Billings, MT
Posts: 462
I just ran into the same problem this weekend at a Mustang club show-n-shine. Not mine, but another member of my club has a GT500 with the shaker 1000 and he noticed the thumping noise. First he checked in the trunk to see if someone was in there (seriously), then he asked me. The problem happened only with the key off, and it was constant and had killed his battery the night before.
I didn't dig into it because his car is under warranty, and I have not talked to him since to find out if Ford found the problem, but I did get under the hood and pulled fuse #6 which is the main power to the shaker amp and the noise stopped (as did the shaker subs).
The amp will have constant power, but it should not be on unless the stereo is on, and in this case it was not, so it is definately a problem that goes beyond a bad ground. Amps will do exactly what this was doing if the ground is loose, but usually only when it is turned on and working. In this case, it did NOT happen with the key on or the stereo on, so it isn't a ground. I could speculate based off of how an aftermarket amp would work, but realistically, I don't know enough about how these are wired or how they turn on to know what the problem could be. Getting water into the amp could definately do it though, so I would check for leaks in the trunk around the backside of the shaker system.
If I ever learn the cause of the problem I will post it, but be aware that you are not alone and this is not a fluke problem.
I didn't dig into it because his car is under warranty, and I have not talked to him since to find out if Ford found the problem, but I did get under the hood and pulled fuse #6 which is the main power to the shaker amp and the noise stopped (as did the shaker subs).
The amp will have constant power, but it should not be on unless the stereo is on, and in this case it was not, so it is definately a problem that goes beyond a bad ground. Amps will do exactly what this was doing if the ground is loose, but usually only when it is turned on and working. In this case, it did NOT happen with the key on or the stereo on, so it isn't a ground. I could speculate based off of how an aftermarket amp would work, but realistically, I don't know enough about how these are wired or how they turn on to know what the problem could be. Getting water into the amp could definately do it though, so I would check for leaks in the trunk around the backside of the shaker system.
If I ever learn the cause of the problem I will post it, but be aware that you are not alone and this is not a fluke problem.
07-27-2010, 04:17 PM
#22
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Join Date: Aug 2007
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Just got back from the Ford dealer and they said no grace period on the warrenty. Mine has never killed the battery . When I put the key in the ignition , it thumps .
Thanks for posting .
Thanks for posting .
Last edited by mcburns36; 07-27-2010 at 04:20 PM.
07-27-2010, 09:17 PM
#23
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Join Date: Aug 2007
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Well , I unhooked the battery for about 10 minutes . By the way , the sub thumped . I hooked the battery back up and silence............................for 7 seconds and then WUMP-WUMP . I guess I will try the battery unhooked over night .
07-28-2010, 09:35 PM
#24
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Join Date: Aug 2007
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Batt. disconnected for 24hr. and ran car for 10 minutes . No wump . Reset all my settings . Ran car another 20 min. Thumping returned . Should I take it to a independant shop or back to the dealership?
07-29-2010, 10:58 AM
#27
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: CT
Posts: 2,612
you have 2 problems.
Problem 1. The Remote turn on is staying on. That is keeping the power to your shaker amp and all the caps internal to the amp are charged.
Problem 2. You have crappy grounds. When you do something power wise in the car, the signal cables are picking up on it, and the amp does what it is supposed to do and lets out a single DC pulse.
You are going to kill a battery eventualy.
You are going to blow your subs eventualy.
I would say the problem would most likely be in 2 spots. Either the shaker 500 is not turning the remote line off, or the amp on the back of the sub is shorted internaly between the constant and remote.
Try pulling the shaker out, see if the thump stops. If it does, I would look into the radio, if it doesnt, I would look at the amp on the shaker.
Problem 1. The Remote turn on is staying on. That is keeping the power to your shaker amp and all the caps internal to the amp are charged.
Problem 2. You have crappy grounds. When you do something power wise in the car, the signal cables are picking up on it, and the amp does what it is supposed to do and lets out a single DC pulse.
You are going to kill a battery eventualy.
You are going to blow your subs eventualy.
I would say the problem would most likely be in 2 spots. Either the shaker 500 is not turning the remote line off, or the amp on the back of the sub is shorted internaly between the constant and remote.
Try pulling the shaker out, see if the thump stops. If it does, I would look into the radio, if it doesnt, I would look at the amp on the shaker.
07-29-2010, 11:21 AM
#28
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location:
Posts: 394
you have 2 problems.
Problem 1. The Remote turn on is staying on. That is keeping the power to your shaker amp and all the caps internal to the amp are charged.
Problem 2. You have crappy grounds. When you do something power wise in the car, the signal cables are picking up on it, and the amp does what it is supposed to do and lets out a single DC pulse.
You are going to kill a battery eventualy.
You are going to blow your subs eventualy.
I would say the problem would most likely be in 2 spots. Either the shaker 500 is not turning the remote line off, or the amp on the back of the sub is shorted internaly between the constant and remote.
Try pulling the shaker out, see if the thump stops. If it does, I would look into the radio, if it doesnt, I would look at the amp on the shaker.
Problem 1. The Remote turn on is staying on. That is keeping the power to your shaker amp and all the caps internal to the amp are charged.
Problem 2. You have crappy grounds. When you do something power wise in the car, the signal cables are picking up on it, and the amp does what it is supposed to do and lets out a single DC pulse.
You are going to kill a battery eventualy.
You are going to blow your subs eventualy.
I would say the problem would most likely be in 2 spots. Either the shaker 500 is not turning the remote line off, or the amp on the back of the sub is shorted internaly between the constant and remote.
Try pulling the shaker out, see if the thump stops. If it does, I would look into the radio, if it doesnt, I would look at the amp on the shaker.
07-29-2010, 11:51 AM
#29
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: CT
Posts: 2,612
The remote turn on is the switching signal that comes from the radio that tells the amp to turn on. With out it, the amp does not power on. If the remote is stuck on, the amp stays on and is always charged and ready to go, so when you get some noise on the line, like the pulse from your car to unlock something, it reads that pulse and fires the sub.
07-29-2010, 12:02 PM
#30
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
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Posts: 394
The remote turn on is the switching signal that comes from the radio that tells the amp to turn on. With out it, the amp does not power on. If the remote is stuck on, the amp stays on and is always charged and ready to go, so when you get some noise on the line, like the pulse from your car to unlock something, it reads that pulse and fires the sub.
Sorry I just reread your post and saw the switch is in the radio . Any way to test this switch ?
