Hello all, We have a Mini Cooper equipped with the hardon kardon sound system and are experiencing an alternator Whine across all inputs, radio, Bluetooth and iPod devices. Dealer has replaced:

1. Alternator
2. Amp
3. Antenna
4. Verified all grounds (supposedly)
5. Replaced usb/ aux plug
6. Replaced Antenna Base
7. Replace Radio Head-unit (resolved with replacement )

Whine has been eliminated with the installation of a new head unit.

Item closed

Precisely posted for information
I will post a YouTube shortly so you can hear the whine.

 

Not sure, but I can tell you that with a different vehicle make that I had the Nav/Radio unit produced a lot of engine noise through the speakers. It was annoying. Basically, there is electrical interference in the system. There could be a bad ground connection for your unit or amplifier (which you said is fixed already; just confirm the ground connections). It could be tough to get rid of and you may need to install a filter. I can tell you that really nice amps can tune it out and mess with the frequencies.

Edit: You can also try this trick to ground your RCA cables (if you have them) better which seems to fix things. I have done this before. The RCA's essentially don't have a good connection and are not grounding on the connector properly. This would only happen if you are running your speaks off of an amplifier. It's not the best fix though and is just sort of a band aid, but it's an easy trick. Most interference is caused by faulty grounds. Some say it could be a blown fuse in the RCA output inside the unit.

 

How do I access the rca plug connectors ? In the rear where the amp is installed or at the head unit ?

 

Either the amplifier or behind the radio.

 

Upon examination of the rear amp there does not appear to be a "left (white)" and "right (red)" conventional rcp cable.

Instead there appears to be two oem specific plastic connectors.

Nothing that would accept an store bought filter, perhaps a custom filter but certainly nothing I would be able to execute.

More input would be appreciated on this item.

 

Anyone else ?

 

I had problem similar to this a long time ago with a different car. I did some research and found that I needed a 3.5mm cable with a ground loop isolator. I purchased one and it fixed the issue. I can't find the cable on Amazon anymore but this should do the same thing. Give it a try.

 

I have purchased this 3.5mm device and plugged it into the six Jack and this did not solve the issue.

 

Any other eyes on this thread would be helpful.

Car goes back in at another dealer this Wednesday.

 

Non-resistor spark plugs can cause the problem, too.

 

Tell me more, how do the plugs cause the issue ?

supposedly the vehicle was serviced at mini dealers... Why would they put in other spark plugs other than oem?

 

Ignition systems have been doing this as long as there have been radios in cars. You can either use resistor plugs or shield the antenna cable (and other audio bits). Because electronics have gotten more and more sophisticated (ECU), some manufacturers use resistor ignition wires swell. Since we have coil-over-plug, that's not an issue for us. However, make no mistake, it's the ignition that creates the whine. You just need to either shield it or use resistor plugs.

 

I completely understand your explanation. I do have follow up questions:

1. Would it not stand to reason that mini would have installed "resistor plugs" in the car from the factory given all the ecu electronics.

As easy fix perhaps all it would take is to change the plugs.

Does one also have to shield the ignition wiring in addition to resister plugs.

2. How does one shield an antenna and other audio wiring in a vehicle ?

It would appear easier and cheaper to execute item number 1 as it is just a matter of four-plugs.

 

Just pill one plug and see if the part number has an "R" in it. IE, NGK ILZKBR7A-8G.

As far as shielding everything else goes, that's done. It came from the factory that way. However, if you have added anything aftermarket, you may have added a path for the noise into the audio system.

 

It could even be a bad coil....odd and hard to believe but seen it. Seen it even when someone used too much dielectric grease on the spark plug where it connects to coil reducing contact...

 

Taking this car into the shop tomorrow morning.

With great regret I do not have the specialty socket requires to pull a mini-plug to verify.

But I will add it (spark plugs and coils) to the list of things for the tech to check.

Any other advise would be helpful. Thank you in advanced.

Will provide report tomorrow/ day after.

 

Today's update:

1. Dealer did not acknowledge any plug or coil issue. Although I specifically asked them to check.

2. Dealer Has replace antenna boot and this action has not solved the issue

3. Next item is swap out radio head-unit today

 

So the dealer had replaced the head unit this past Thursday and reprogrammed the radio to the car.

Problem solved ! Outstanding!


There is however another issue... It would appear that when the car is turned off the radio does not turn off... I don't hear music or anything but there is white noise still heard when the car is turned off and locked.

This causes an "increased battery discharge" message to appear with a yellow-car-on-a-hoist to appear. The radio stations are all unprogrammed and none of the features of the car works until the vehicle's engine is started.

If I pull the 30amp fuse for the radio I don't get the "increase battery issue" but if corse I have to plug the fuse in every time the car is started and remove every time the car is turned off.

I plugged the car into a tender over night and the battery is full but I still get the "increase battery discharge message".

Any advise on the above?

Of course this will go back to dealer however I am so happy that the whine is gone that I can deal with pulling and re-installing a fuse.

 

They switched the power turn-on leads and the power constant lead cable. Has the wires every been hacked into ? Then this is the problem, they need swapped back.

 

What does it mean to have a wire hacked into( does that mean has the wire been cut into for another purpose). In that case I have no idea...

Additionally, I reviewed a YouTube video on how to remove the stereo head unit (volume control) and the wiring harness is a combined plug, from what I saw in the video there is only one way to plug the wires in using the supplied connector.

Having said that, how could the dealer make an incorrect connection?

 

They might have swapped a pin-out on the repair, or not seen the wires spliced. The reason i say that is someone might have used the OEM wire harness to tap a line for an aftermarket accessory .

I would have them double check that.

 

I sometimes hear white noise or static on my radio only when I turn on the driver side defroster only when using the radio and not when using my music stored in my phone via the aux jack, I must point out that the radios in our Mini are of poor quality.

These Mini's are down right finicky whenever anything aftermarket is installed especially custom wiring harnesses. I did have an alarm installed previously and have since had it and the harness completely removed and restored back to factory wiring.

 

There has been no after market installation to the car as far as I know.

But I can ask the dealer.

Now, it is important to note that this is a new issue following the radio swap-out and it was not something that was around before.

 

Also, is this something I can myself without having to take to dealer... It is a pita booking in an appointment and getting a loaner car etc.

 

Yes, this would narrow it down. They might have changed the pins though if they did see it and thus the problem .