I have a problem with (I guess) my stereo/speaker(H/K with Aux Input) system in my 2005 MCC.

We were out shopping tonight listening to the radio when we heard a loud "pop" from the stereo system. We had heard that once before several weeks ago. A short time later, we heard the "pop" again, followed by a LOUD squeal through the speakers. The squeal was loud enough that it almost made our ears bleed. I immediately shut the stereo off, with no end to the squeal so I shut the car off.

I removed the key then put it in and turned it to the accessory position and heard static from the speakers, along with the squeal, but not as loud. I shut the car off and restarted it several times with no change other than sometimes the squeal was not as loud. We were able to get the squeal to stop by removing the fuses for the stereo system. We were able to get in touch with our SA (Todd at Roadshow MINI)and he had not heard of this before, but got all kinds of info from me about what had happened. He mentioned that pulling the fuses may have the affect of "re-booting" the system and may fix it, but is getting things ready for me to bring it in to be checked out. He said he would try to get all the parts he could for the H/K system so he would have whatever he needed. He is wondering if it might be a bad amp on the system.

We just got back home so I haven't replaced the fuses yet-I don't think the neighbors would appreciate the squeal this late at night.

Has anyone had this problem or something similar? Any other ideas to the cause?

Any help GREATLY appreciated-MOTORING is fun, but MOTORING WITH TUNES is a lot more fun!

 

Sounds like a loose wire.

 

One day I was driving down the freeway, radio(HK system) on, passing a truck when, SCREEEEEEE, bleeding ears. I almost (pick mode of waste elimination) on myself. I think I stabbed at the off button but by then it had stopped. I was sure that the truck had done something intentional to blast my radio. Honest to God, I thought some type of audio weapon had been aimed at me. Then for a couple of months, no problem. I couldn't recreate it. Since then it happened once, to a much lesser degree and for a shorter period of time. Radio/CD works fine and no problems since. I'm baffled.

 

Thanks for the input! I was wondering about a loose wire because of the popping and static, but have never heard the screech/squeal with a loose wire. Of course I will be the first to tell you that I have absolutely NO mechanical know-how.

I put the fuses back in today and the static was still there-I didn't wait long enough to see if the screech/squeal was stilll there. I then put each fuse in individually and no sounds which is what I was expecting. I should also mention that I didn't have the stereo turned on during this little test.

 

I don't have any static and there's no symptoms from any of the millions of bumps the run-flats transmit so I don't think its a loose wire. Until you posted, I thought I was the only one.

 

Now my curiousity is piqued; anybody else?

 

It appears, Mishka, we are unique!

 

Yes, it does. BUMMER! I like being unique from the non-MINI owners, but not unique when it comes to problems with the MINI. Not wishing any problems on people, but I was hoping someone else had these issues so we would have somewhere to start looking instead of just a blind guess. Well, Gromit gets to go to the doctor tomorrow so we'll see what happens.

I hope they can fix it. I don't know how long I can continue to MOTOR without tunes. The drive to the dealer is three hours and I'm not looking forward to that long without MOTORing music.

 

I talked to Todd at Roadshow MINI today to ask some questions before we brought Gromit down tomorrow. He said if I could get the car to them this afternoon, they would look at it and maybe find the problem and get repairs started. Since we were planning on driving to Memphis tonight so we would be there at 8am tomorrow anyway, that sounded like a good idea to me.

I zipped down to Memphis and arrived about 4pm. They pulled it inside, started working on it, and about 45 minutes later Todd came out and told me that the problem was the amp, and that they were just about finished replacing it. They finished and I was out of there by 5:20!

They earned a big from me for fitting me in early and getting the repairs done super fast.

 

I'm just gonna bump this thread up...

 

So it was the amp then??? Our 2004 COOPER 'S' just started doing the same thing, but we also lost our HK stereo about the same time as the screeching started. The screech happens when the power is off as well. Thanks.
MinisRcheeky

 

Unlikely a OP will reply to a thread made in 2005.....
But it many HK amps have gone...many more recent threads around!Good luck!