From this morning's Wall St. Journal (8/23/23). I have a 2023 Expedition and have only once experienced the squeal:
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 F 0.15%increase; green up pointing triangle 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.
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.
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 F 0.15%increase; green up pointing triangle 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.
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.
or "Fix it again tony".
Perhaps one of those "filterless Class-D amplifiers" from Texas Instruments.
I have 150,000 miles on the 2017 Expedition and only one small issue with the turbo ($600). My new Expedition has 7,000 miles since I picked it up in May.
Perhaps one of those "filterless Class-D amplifiers" from Texas Instruments.
I have 150,000 miles on the 2017 Expedition and only one small issue with the turbo ($600). My new Expedition has 7,000 miles since I picked it up in May.
The screens blackout often as well.
More likely a software issue.
Doubtful is filter less since those are usually milliwatt range
not ideal for med/ high power car audio.
More likely a software issue.
Doubtful is filter less since those are usually milliwatt range
not ideal for med/ high power car audio.
That's because the newer Ford's system doesn't shut off with the engine. It shuts off when you open the door after having shut off the engine. It's a nice feature actually. Been like that for a decade or so.
Yes, they have about a dozen computers all wanting to talk at the same time and sometimes one get pissed off and shuts up for a while.
First On Race Day.
My first and last Ford.
New 2011 Ford F150 EcoBoost (twin turbos) Lariat Crew Cab'
Out of the gates first month the truck would die going over a speed bump or out of the driveway- towed it to the dealership- 1 week later- replaced a wiring harness.
Onwards in the 5 years Every Year the check engine light would turn on, go to the dealer (NICE BIG Shiny Dealership, don't dealerships make most of their money from parts & service?) get it fixed, continue.
The dealership was nice about seeing me a few times Every Year- this is after all a NEW Truck.
When the 5 year warranty was finished, 3 items off of warranty came up totalling $3000 cdn. I only had 70,000 km on it. I got to know the dealership's shuttle drivers. The Truck was nice WHEN it wasn't in the shop.
I sent a note to Ford telling them I was not impressed- with all these troubles-they just had to look up the pages of service history. Ford never responded.
My family & relatives there's 8 Hondas, 1 major trouble and that got fixed.
At the time (2) Ford trucks in the family, (mine #1), with lotsa troubles- more than the Hondas combined. (#2) My son in-law had a Ford F150 work truck, he brought it in to this same dealership for service. He drove it in with SMOKE coming from the dash. The service rep says," what's the problem?" Son in-law,"Here's the key's. Look under the dash."
BYE BYE Ford. Hello Honda. I traded it in on a Honda CRV, built in the USA.
Found On Road Dead- FORD
New 2011 Ford F150 EcoBoost (twin turbos) Lariat Crew Cab'
Out of the gates first month the truck would die going over a speed bump or out of the driveway- towed it to the dealership- 1 week later- replaced a wiring harness.
Onwards in the 5 years Every Year the check engine light would turn on, go to the dealer (NICE BIG Shiny Dealership, don't dealerships make most of their money from parts & service?) get it fixed, continue.
The dealership was nice about seeing me a few times Every Year- this is after all a NEW Truck.
When the 5 year warranty was finished, 3 items off of warranty came up totalling $3000 cdn. I only had 70,000 km on it. I got to know the dealership's shuttle drivers. The Truck was nice WHEN it wasn't in the shop.
I sent a note to Ford telling them I was not impressed- with all these troubles-they just had to look up the pages of service history. Ford never responded.
My family & relatives there's 8 Hondas, 1 major trouble and that got fixed.
At the time (2) Ford trucks in the family, (mine #1), with lotsa troubles- more than the Hondas combined. (#2) My son in-law had a Ford F150 work truck, he brought it in to this same dealership for service. He drove it in with SMOKE coming from the dash. The service rep says," what's the problem?" Son in-law,"Here's the key's. Look under the dash."
BYE BYE Ford. Hello Honda. I traded it in on a Honda CRV, built in the USA.
Found On Road Dead- FORD
Trying to think what amplifier Design would blast White Noise
When fault detection was false triggered.
Class D of course.
Just another possible assumption.
I have had numerous Ford Trucks and Vans
Worked fine for Me.
My 80's Econoline took me almost Coast to Coast.
Water Pump and Full Pumps went strong to 130K Miles.
Both my Chevys lost pumps at the usual 80K
Front Bearings with stupid speed sensors.
Always Died around 60K
330 dollars a piece.
You cant change bearings it is a sealed unit.
Just did the bearings on my Ford
220 K miles = 60 Bucks
Older Chevy parts cheaper, Ford parts usually higher.
I have swapped Ford brakes in middle of the Desert.
Most easy brakes ever on older models.
I towed numerous Chevys on trailers at the track
with the Ford Van. Endless jokes with that one.
When fault detection was false triggered.
Class D of course.
Just another possible assumption.
I have had numerous Ford Trucks and Vans
Worked fine for Me.
My 80's Econoline took me almost Coast to Coast.
Water Pump and Full Pumps went strong to 130K Miles.
Both my Chevys lost pumps at the usual 80K
Front Bearings with stupid speed sensors.
Always Died around 60K
330 dollars a piece.
You cant change bearings it is a sealed unit.
Just did the bearings on my Ford
220 K miles = 60 Bucks
Older Chevy parts cheaper, Ford parts usually higher.
I have swapped Ford brakes in middle of the Desert.
Most easy brakes ever on older models.
I towed numerous Chevys on trailers at the track
with the Ford Van. Endless jokes with that one.
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It could be something upstream of the amps that freaked out. If you feed digital audio (or one of a myriad of other digital signals) into an analogue amplifier, you'll get noise that fits the description.
Chris
Chris
A few years ago I heard about Fords that would die while driving, and the dealers couldn't figure out why and Ford had to eat the vehicles. I knew someone that had an F150 that he stuck back on them- spent a lot of time on the tow truck and at the dealer. They bought it back under the lemon laws.
The amplifier digital control probably has an error in implementation, or a glitch. Some digital amplifiers require full interface- not always DIY friendly but an engineer is supposed to get it right.
The amplifier digital control probably has an error in implementation, or a glitch. Some digital amplifiers require full interface- not always DIY friendly but an engineer is supposed to get it right.
Even a great engineer cannot anticipate all possible failure modes. Or maybe they did notice and there was a long meeting where the QA engineers who brought it up were over ridden to continue production.
I'm thinking they made a mistake or oversight. I looked at datasheets for chips that required a whole computer interface to operate - like 30 or 40 control pins, and I had to look up what most of the pins even were - and my eyes glazed over. I gave them a pass for that reason. Advanced digital stuff isn't in my wheelhouse unfortunately.
I can "hotwire" a chip with three or five control pins so it doesn't need an interface, but 40 pins? I don't even want to know.
I can "hotwire" a chip with three or five control pins so it doesn't need an interface, but 40 pins? I don't even want to know.
That's how the Zoudio amp I use is. The TAS amplifier chips need a full programming on every power up in order to operate at all. You need a micro with non-volitile memory and I2C communications to load all the filter parameters, operating modes and who knows what else for it to "just work". Caveat to that style is it's wide open to "bricking", should a little somethin' ever go wrong with that process.
I wonder if anyone's bricked their automobile or motorcycle yet? I wonder if the manufacturers have that option?
Of course they have that option. You know law enforcement shuts off stolen cars now, right?
Just wait until you get behind a couple payments. You'll find out then.
Just wait until you get behind a couple payments. You'll find out then.
It seems like they have a firmware upgrade that will fix the problem. Nice to know it is just an over the air upgrade. Hoping bad upgrades do not also get pushed.
Lets face it. One day Ford will make self driving trucks. Car repo men will be out of business. There will be a country sound about Dog left me, Wife left me, Crops wont grow, even my pickup truck left me.
Lets face it. One day Ford will make self driving trucks. Car repo men will be out of business. There will be a country sound about Dog left me, Wife left me, Crops wont grow, even my pickup truck left me.
This could be an issue with the CAN bus: harness and connectors.
We had some intermittent issues with the audio in our '18 Honda Passport Elite. They also had it with the Ridgeline and Pilot. Not all, mind you, just some... I guess we got "lucky".
Every so often, we'd have episodes with a crackling sound coming our of the front speakers. It sounded like bugs hitting the windshield.
The dealer did a lot of things, tightened the CAN bus connectors to the Navi head ned, tightened all of the connectors, even replaced the MOST connector. They offered to replace the entire under the dash CAN harness... I demured... Anyhow, three years ago they replaced the MOST connector and that got rid of the issue... yep... for two and a half years... then it came back.
It turns out the factory finally figured it out and came up with a fix. A big batch of MOST connectors had been DESIGNED incorrectly to being with. So, they started replacing the subharness.
So far so good.
We had some intermittent issues with the audio in our '18 Honda Passport Elite. They also had it with the Ridgeline and Pilot. Not all, mind you, just some... I guess we got "lucky".
Every so often, we'd have episodes with a crackling sound coming our of the front speakers. It sounded like bugs hitting the windshield.
The dealer did a lot of things, tightened the CAN bus connectors to the Navi head ned, tightened all of the connectors, even replaced the MOST connector. They offered to replace the entire under the dash CAN harness... I demured... Anyhow, three years ago they replaced the MOST connector and that got rid of the issue... yep... for two and a half years... then it came back.
It turns out the factory finally figured it out and came up with a fix. A big batch of MOST connectors had been DESIGNED incorrectly to being with. So, they started replacing the subharness.
So far so good.
More than a decade ago I was lunching in the cafeteria of a large US electronics firm in Beijing. They were big in the auto electronics biz. Discussing an issue with my Volvo's headlights the engineers said -- "that headlight wiring harness is made here and the problem is with "pin X" which doesn't make good contact all the time". When I had the light replaced for the x-teenth time I mentioned the issue to the Volvo service rep. His eyes just glazed over.