Sony DSP/Amp ACM Centre Speaker Subwoofer Issue

[DJ_Andy_M]

I have the premium Sony sound system with the 10 Speakers in my car. I keep losing the centre and sub woofer randomly when driving and it won't return until the car is powered down for a while.

The head unit has been replaced, and this still hasn't fixed it. Curiously this started happen after a software to try and fix other issues with the previous head unit.

Does anyone know if there is still a separate dsp/amp in the MK3.5 or is it now contained in the head unit its self?

I am going to call Ford directly and see what they have to say about the matter as my dealer is running out of things to try and things to replace!

 

[alexp999]

Could luck calling Ford direct, they won't have a clue and will just tell you to go to a dealer.

There is an AFM, audio front module. I don't know if that's the same as what we would call the head unit though.

I assume there is no new software update since the last one they tried?

If the dealer can't fix it, they should be able to request a field engineer to come and have a look.

[alexp999]

Tagging @iantt and @JW1982 as they tend to have good knowledge of these things :)

[iantt]

there should be a dsp in the boot area on the right behind the soft trim low down

[DJ_Andy_M]

12 hours ago, alexp999 said:

Could luck calling Ford direct, they won't have a clue and will just tell you to go to a dealer.

There is an AFM, audio front module. I don't know if that's the same as what we would call the head unit though.

I assume there is no new software update since the last one they tried?

If the dealer can't fix it, they should be able to request a field engineer to come and have a look.

They've opened a case for me, whether it will be of any use I don't know yet. Might have also put the dealer's back up a bit by doing this as well though.

I've had the AHU bit replaced which I believe is the bit with the CD drive in it. They also tried a rollback to the previous software but this didn't cure it, although it does make me wonder if they rolled back the DSP unit if that is also upgradeable?

The dealer now wants the car back for 3 days as they want to try and recreate the problem of which I've already shown them in action by video of the AHU tests with it working and not working. Plus it happened the moment I started the car on the forecourt one after one of the previous attempts to fix it failed.

4 hours ago, iantt said:

there should be a dsp in the boot area on the right behind the soft trim low down

Thank you. The dealer's electrical technician seems to think that with the Sony unit they've now built it into the AHU/CD unit like with the standard system but I'm reading otherwise! Might have to have a ganders without disturbing too much.

[iantt]

I'm only going on wiring diagrams for the 3.5.

[DJ_Andy_M]

33 minutes ago, iantt said:

I'm only going on wiring diagrams for the 3.5.

This is good news. I'd love to know where my white noise issue was being caused now. I'm in high suspicion the DSP is the root cause of everything sound related. 

[DJ_Andy_M]

Bit of an update... Customer relations seem to be taking this somewhat seriously. They want to talk with the dealer I'm using to get all the facts.

[DJ_Andy_M]

Just an update. Car has been with Ford since Wednesday and Ford Technical are now dragging their feet in helping the dealer because the problem is so inconsistent and cannot be recreated within a certain time frame.

When FCR call me back in a few days, I'll be making a point of this and also starting to wave the Sales of Goods Act about a bit. My guy at the dealer has actually came in today to do some more on his day off! 

@iantt: My guy can't seem to find the DSP unit in the rear of the car but mentions about a "DC to DC" unit. He's tried to track back the sub-woofer to it for example. Is there any chance Ford may be supplying pre-facelift wiring diagrams for the facelift? Any chance of a picture of the actual unit?

[iantt]

Low Voltage Direct Current/Direct Current (DC/DC) Converter is buried behind the dash.

[ashmicro]

15 hours ago, DJ_Andy_M said:

Just an update. Car has been with Ford since Wednesday and Ford Technical are now dragging their feet in helping the dealer because the problem is so inconsistent and cannot be recreated within a certain time frame.

When FCR call me back in a few days, I'll be making a point of this and also starting to wave the Sales of Goods Act about a bit. My guy at the dealer has actually came in today to do some more on his day off! 

@iantt: My guy can't seem to find the DSP unit in the rear of the car but mentions about a "DC to DC" unit. He's tried to track back the sub-woofer to it for example. Is there any chance Ford may be supplying pre-facelift wiring diagrams for the facelift? Any chance of a picture of the actual unit?

https://www.blakemorgan.co.uk/news-events/news/consumer-rights-act-2015-change-consumer-contracts/

[iantt]

there are 2 wiring diagrams, one with amp, one without, both with subwoofer. the one without amp is wired into acm, the one without  amp should have an extra connector c240c at acm for the subwoofer wiring. so your mechanic should be able to figure out if there is a separate amp based on this im guessing.

[DJ_Andy_M]

On 06/08/2017 at 10:13 AM, iantt said:

there are 2 wiring diagrams, one with amp, one without, both with subwoofer. the one without amp is wired into acm, the one without  amp should have an extra connector c240c at acm for the subwoofer wiring. so your mechanic should be able to figure out if there is a separate amp based on this im guessing.

Thanks Ian

Will this additional connector cater for the centre speaker as well? The sub woofer has a 4 pin connector on it whether that gives any ability to tell the difference in amp setup?

I'll mention the c240c connector to him when I speak to him later and see what he says.

[DJ_Andy_M]

Following up on my call with the dealer, mine is of the type with the amp built into the head unit rather than a separate system.

However interestingly I think Ford Technical are clutching at straws with this issue, and I don't think they want to admit there is a fundamental issue with their software as I'm pretty convinced this is where the issue lies as this was never a problem until the latest update to try and fix the white noise issue.

The next fix we're going to try after replacing the sub woofer, and head unit as well as software is now the centre speaker as they think there could be an issue with that causing the amplifier to go into some fail safe/over voltage/head protection mode.

What ever the cause is, its temporarily fixed by a power down of sorts until the next time it decides to happen.

 

P.s It's probably a pointless thread but I'm trying to document this as I'm hoping someone else might get this issue one day!

[mjt]

3 hours ago, DJ_Andy_M said:

I'm hoping someone else might get this issue one day

I trust you really mean that it will help someone with this issue one day . . . . .

[FatHead1979]

18 minutes ago, mjt said:

I trust you really mean that it will help someone with this issue one day . . . . .

LOL 

[alexp999]

I've started having a strange issue with mine now. Randomly I'll start the car and as the radio comes on, I get loud static which sounds like it's mainly coming from the centre speaker.

It's not the radio signal as you can hear the radio underneath it. If you turn the volume right down it stops.

Only way I can fix it, is stop the engine leave the car a few mins then try again.

Cars booked in next week for it to be looked at (along with some other things). I've got in on video as proof as no doubt it won't do it when they have it.

[DJ_Andy_M]

1 hour ago, mjt said:

I trust you really mean that it will help someone with this issue one day . . . . .

It was early morning . Yeah I meant to say was I'm hoping someone else might get this issue one day, and hopefully find this thread as a solution/knowledge base to get theirs fixed!

[DJ_Andy_M]

1 hour ago, alexp999 said:

I've started having a strange issue with mine now. Randomly I'll start the car and as the radio comes on, I get loud static which sounds like it's mainly coming from the centre speaker.

It's not the radio signal as you can hear the radio underneath it. If you turn the volume right down it stops.

Only way I can fix it, is stop the engine leave the car a few mins then try again.

Cars booked in next week for it to be looked at (along with some other things). I've got in on video as proof as no doubt it won't do it when they have it.

Do you mean like this? I videoed it when I had it happen to me. So you can show them this if you want. Will be interesting to see if when they update your AHU it gooses it too.

 

[alexp999]

41 minutes ago, DJ_Andy_M said:

Do you mean like this? I videoed it when I had it happen to me. So you can show them this if you want. Will be interesting to see if when they update your AHU it gooses it too.

 

Yeah that's exactly it.

One thing I will say is the ST and RS run on slightly different software to the standard Foci as they include the sound symposer. I've also asked them to carry out the TSB which should improve the sound quality (might even be the same bit of software needed to get rid of white noise).

[DJ_Andy_M]

One would like to think the base software code is similar at least. Didn't realise that a TSB was issued for sound quality. No mention of that by the dealer at all!

Got my car back this afternoon, so far no issues but my optimism still hangs on a thread! I'll be gobsmacked if the whole issue was being caused by a faulty centre speaker which appeared to be working just fine when all Speakers were working.

Fingers crossed you don't end up going through the same issues as I have!

[alexp999]

The TSB only applies to the ST and RS.

I would imagine the base software is the same but knowing how one little thing can make such a big difference in programming it might not have the same issues.

We'll see. Hopefully it won't go on to have further issues. But then I'm planning on changing in the next year.

 

[DJ_Andy_M]

Surprise surprise! Guess what!? It's still flaming broken!!

 

 

[alexp999]

Just had the new issue of sub not working now. :(

I don't know about centre. I find it hard to tell it's working anyway.

Just leaving the car for 30mins to let it power down and see if it comes back.

[alexp999]

How do you get the diagnostics to come up to test the Speakers?