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Sorry to hear that. I think your next option is to complain again with the dealer. Hopefully, they can replace it with new one that has less radio computer lock up incident. They may unplug the fuse and let the radio restart properly again and call it fix. Probably that what they did last time
jt
So GM is doing the software patch on this problem. Hope that will work.
Do they re-program the DSP in the head unit or in the Bose Amp? I'm just curious what makes the hissing noise.
Thanks,
jt
Your guess is as good as mine with what makes the hissing noise. I have been trying to research this for the past two months without success and have just found other people talking about it in this forum for the past couple of weeks. dstowers is the one who is getting the re-programming of the DSP and hopefully we will hear back from them and if they re-programmed the head unit or the Bose amp.
IBASwimmer
The other weird thing I have noticed is that if you get the upgrade (it may also involve having the 6cd option) you get no other tone/eq settings other than TALK and MANUAL as options when you press the EQ button.
I'm beginning to worry that this is going to become one of those things where the corporation says "they all do that" and just tells us to go away. The tech doing the work is a good friend of mine and I am 100% confident in his work, so I suspect GM just does not know the definition of a "premium" sound system and has bad QC in the audio department. I am still holding out hope that they will eventually acknowledge and track down the problem before just giving up. :sick:
Thank you SO much for that update. You don't know how greatly appreciative I am. I have been talking with GMs customer service and haven't gotten anywhere either. They keep directing me back to the service manager at the dealership.
I definitely agree that it is something that they all do and they seem to not really be worried about it or in any rush to fix it seeing as how they are not even really acknowledging that there is a problem.
I have heard from numerous non-GM people that I have talked to that it is probably something to do with the Amp, but that putting a new one in there probably wouldn't help. Something to do with the fact that it is how that system interacts together. You would have to put an entirely different radio with amp from a different manufacturer in there (so I am told) before the noise would possibly stop.
Also, thanks for the EQ button settings tid-bit. I was debating on the 6-disk changer, but might not now that I know that information.
I'll let you know if I hear anything more and look forward to hearing if you are having any luck either. Thanks again!
Normally with Bose option, the audio level coming out of the head unit is cut down considerly. So if the noise (hissing sound) level is high coming out of the head unit while the audio signal is low, you have the classic case of Low Signal-to-Noise ratio problem. The external Bose amp just amplifies both Signal and Noise by the same amount. So that is why you can hear noise more easily with the Bose option since the noise now gets boosted more by the time it gets to the speakers.
In the case of the base unit, eventhough the noise level is unchanged coming out of the head unit, the Audio level is a lot higher since it has to drive the speakers directly. On top of that, there is no further boost of noise. So the Signal-to-Noise ratio, in this case, is better. As a result, it is harder to hear the hissing sound.
jt
So is there any fixing this problem if it is the head unit??
Thank you for the info too...Very helpful!
-IBASwimmer
My 05 Odys minivan has horrible resonating sound with engine speed between 2200-2500 rpm. It happens on 05 Model Year. Now people with 06 Model Year complainning about the same thing. So car makers are typically slow to address something that they think not too important. Unless it is Hyundai. Those guys want to change the world every 6 months.
jt
-IBASwimmer
-thanks
see the posting #1133 on page 59. It has detailed info that you looking for on wiring diagram on head unit and the external audio amp
jt
How is the car doing while the radio misbehaves? The reason I am asking is Battery Voltage. Normally radio is expected to work between ~10V - 16V. If the Battery voltage drops below 10V, the radio just showing the by-product of low bettery condition. If that is the case, you have more important problem to worry about (bad battery, bad alternator,..). You can check the Battery voltage yourselves with multimeter or stop by some Auto part store, they probably offer the free service.
Other possible causes of the problem:
1. If CD or Cassete works while AM/FM is not, then the Tuner section is probably the problem. If you only hear noise on AM/FM, then another possibility: your antenna connection is loose in the back of the radio or Rear glass antenna connection itself. Even if it is loose, you should pick up some strong local FM stations
2. If the whole radio display (Time of Day clock, radio frequency,..) completely goes out and no sound: bad Power connection (12V battery wire got pinched or the low battery voltage,...). Depending what model year your car is, the Ignition wire may be intermitten, loose,or pinched.
3. Radio is bad internally : bad internal power supply or certain part gets overheated and will shut down just like home stereo equipment gets overloaded. Sometime, you may have speaker terminals shorted outside. That condition, if not fixed, will permanently damage the radio's Power Amplifier.
Something to try first:
Disconnect the fuse(s) for the radio, leave it out for 2-3 minutes for the radio totally discharged (dead) before plugging the fuse(s) back. This will fix the radio computer brain dead problem. Sometime, for intermitten problem, this procedure will reset the radio. In your case, it seems to repeatable, so this procedure may not help.
If your car is under warranty, it is best to take it to the dealer. The best they could do is to replace the radio. If the radio is not the culprit, then that will not help. But during the process of taking the radio out, they may notice loose or pinched wires outside the radio.
jt
On a side note, has anyone found the front bucket leather seats in the '06 Impala to have a protruding lumbar support? I read somewhere awhile back that Impalas manufactured in 6/05 and 7/05 have this problem. Mine was manufactured in 6/05 and is quite uncomfortable. Anyone have any additional info on this?
I have called Chevy customer service a couple of times to see if they have gotten anywhere on this issue and every time I contact them they say that nowhere in any of their records do they see this as a recorded problem. What I don't understand though is how come so few of us are hearing this noise, or at least acknowledging that its there. None of the professional reviews that I have read list this as a problem and very few of us are on the forums trying to figure out what the deal is and even mentioning that there is a problem.
But anyway, enough of my ranting and raving... as for the seat problem. I didn't even know that there was one with the lumbar support. If I do see or hear anything though I will be sure to let you know. I would imagine that they could replace the seat for you though, it's worth a try... especially since you have been so cooperative with the dealership
Thanks again!
jt
If you prefer the factory radio that has CD and fits perfectly with your dash, then either buy the AM/FM/CD with RDS or AM/FM/CA/CD with RDS from a Chevy dealer or from a junk yard (cheaper that way). It is safer to buy an Impala radio.
The RDS function is a part of FM. So most, if not all mid-grade factory radios have them now. So there is no worry about messing up the RDS function as long as radio has FM and has RDS logo since some models (mostly base with simple display) does not have RDS decoder and display for it. If you like the way RDS works with your current Chevy radio, it is no brainer to get another Impala CD with RDS radio prior to new design (model year 06 has new style).
The most difficult thing is to take the old radio out. Once you know how to do it, the process of putting a replacement in is a breeze. You may want to talk with a technician in a Chevy dealership to get info on how to replace radio. They can do for you and charge you an arm and leg for it. For some vehicles (like Siverado or
Trailblazer), it is 5 minute job. I have not a chance to work on the old Impala, so I could not be helpful here. But normally, it is not that bad. Most GM radio uses 7mm and Philips screws to hold radio to bracket. So your tools needed for radio replacement are couple screwdrivers (Philip and Flat) and 7mm socket driver.
For your radio, there are 3 connectors in the back of radio: two black body connectors (Power, audio and data bus) and the Antenna connector (small metal socket that allows the antenna co-ax) lead-in to go in.
Good luck
jt
I bought a 06 Impala LTZ with a Bose package. I had the car no more than a month when static appeared across the FM stations only. This would happen intermittinly. I finally decided to take it in to the Dealership. The Gm radio specialist simply replaced the radio with a new one and so far so good. It's only been a month since the replacement so we shall see.
I also have another problem with the vehicle and that is with the cooling system. ON the DIC a warning came on saying Engine Hot/AC Off.. I took in to the dealership and they told me that the Thermostat was staying open and that they would have to replace it. Turns out they didn't have the part in stock and I had to wait 2 weeks before the part came in. They replaced it and everything was fine until the other day and guess what.......the problem is back. I am taking it back tomorrow to the dealership, and hopefully they will get it right this time. Please let me know if anyone has had a similiar problem and what the proper repair is.
Thanks alot
I don't know about the AC problem... but regarding your static problem in the radio, do you still here a very faint static type noise coming out of the speakers when the volume is fairly low or when the stereo is off and you turn on the turn signal? Just curious.
Thanks!
jt
engine off/Key turned to on
hold down the tune button on the radio until "settings" is displayed on the radio.
push the search until "program fob" is displayed
push the prev/next buttons on the radio and "begin" is displayed.
Hold down both the lock and unlock buttons on the fob until you hear a soft short beep.
remember to program all of you fobs at this time as your old ones will be erased. It works great.
I paid $7 on ebay for my fob rather than $60 at the dealer.
Also inquired about putting my own radio in it, but they said it isn't possible, seeing the radio in that model controls the whole car, pretty much.
Oh well, I'll be breaking the bank to fix it.
Any luck finding any other forums talking about the hissing issue in the impala or with the dealership about finding a fix for it?
jt
http://www.alldata.com/tsb/General-Motors/1132128000000_1136534400000_05-08-44-0- 31A/440311.html
It sure sounds like our problem, that document has a date of 11-16 and a post date of 1-6. Not sure what those date signify but last time I had my car at the dealer for this was right before new years, not sure what they did but they had it overnight and it didn't fix the static. Maybe they didn't have this bulletin at that time? Seems unlikely.
Thanks for the TSB. I'm sure that will go a long way toward convincing a reluctant service manager that the problem exists. Unfortunately, I have nothing to add at this time but I'll share anything I find.
gtrglenn,
How did the installer know that the signal booster unit (antenna amplifier) is defective in your vehicle? Did he check the AM/FM reception of your radio and came up with that conclusion? Or do you really have AM/FM reception problem with your vehicle today? Quick way to check yourself:
1.Find an area that is clear of tall buildings, power line during the day (AM behaves differently in late afternoon)
2.Tune AM band and try to see if you can pick up station ~ 200 miles away: if you can receive it, your AM is probably OK. You can test your AM radio while parking
3.Tune to a FM station that is about 40 miles away. If you can receive it, yours is OK. Since your vehicle has glass antenna, you may want to drive the vehicle around in different directions to make sure (directional problem with glass antenna). Note that if you live in a big city, your radio will pick up most local stations even if your antenna not working (disconnected or the antenna amp unit defective)
If the result is not good, then he is right and you should go to dealer to have the system checked. The tech probably will have their favorite far distance stations to listen to.
The CD changer installer probably worry that his FM transmitter is not strong enough for your antenna to pick up. As a result, the CD changer audio will not be in full stereo or lacking fidelity.
Next question: if you decide to go with his external antenna, can he assure you that your normal AM/FM reception will not suffer? He will charge you extra for the external antenna. Unless he install the good old fender whip, then it is likely to be harmless and may give your radio better reception yet.
jt
Thanks for that link... no I had not seen it. As an FYI, I went back to the dealership over the weekend and one of the salesmen said they would have someone contact me regarding the problem because they did not have any idea that there even was one (surprise, surprise). Anyway, a service manager called me yesterday and told me that he had heard the static from the radio but had not seen any sort of postings from GM on the problem, so I'm not sure why he didn't mention this one that is linked. Who knows, but still no luck on my end with a "cure" for the problem.
Will any remote for a 2000 impala work ? or do
I have to specify between GM#25695954 or GM# 25695955. if so how do I determine which one I need ?
Thank
Tweeters are good on producing high frequency sound and noise. That may be why you hear the noise there easier. You may be right pointing the finger back to the BOSE amp. The head unit in the new Impala is not Bose, BTW (Bose never made a car's head unit that I am awared of. They just make speakers and amp)
jt