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Volume knob static crackle

Joined
25 March 2004
Messages
74
Location
West Palm Beach FL
I have one of the typical problems with the Bose head unit... Static crackle noise when turning the volume knob. Is there a simple fix/cleaning procedure?? (I know, I know, rip out everything labled Bose and start over... but other than that.)
 
Knob does not seem loose at all... Just a loud static crackle when turning it. The longer the knob sits in one position, the louder the crackle when you do adjust the volume.
 
WestPalmBeachNSX said:
Knob does not seem loose at all... Just a loud static crackle when turning it. The longer the knob sits in one position, the louder the crackle when you do adjust the volume.

A blast of contact cleaner spray should solve the problem. You're still have to disassemble the unit as referenced in the above link from the SoS site.
 
That sounds pretty reasonable.. I just wanted a 2nd vote of confidence before I pull everything apart... Its like cutting a dinosaur's cigarette in half, but it may be enough to keep me happy for a bit.
 
Before you pull anything apart, just take the plastic knobs off and spray some contact cleaner into the area. I had a crackle on the volumn control on a used OEM unit which I bought and it disappeared after I did this. Of note--it didn't disappear immediately, but after a few days of regular usage after spraying.
 
Is the noise from the knob or thru the speakers?:confused:
 
Noise is thru the speakers, and pretty loud... scares the passenger... But today in an effort to mechanically clean the contacts pushed very hard on the knob and turned it... then pulled very hard and turned it... no static today. I love free solutions... if it comes back I'll spray some contact cleaner.
 
Is the noise from the knob or thru the speakers?:confused:

The volume knob is actually a physical connection between the amplifier and the source. It's called an audio potentiometer. Add some debris in there and it's the same effect as dust on a record player.... but much louder as there is much more amplification.

After so many years, the connection between the post and the base of the potentiometer gets (among other things) carbon deposits, pushing the volume knob in hard while turning can scrape it off. Contact cleaner will usually works as well.
 
You can not get contact spray on the pot without taking the head unit all apart and then the pot is fully enclosed so spray will not do anything. The best fix I have found is just to exercise the pot back in forth a bunch of times with the head unit off.

I just bought my 92' last week. My volume knob is VERY loose and the radio lights up but NO SOUND at all. Do the knobs just pull off or does the head unit have to come apart to tighten it?
 
The knobs pull off and with a deep socket or nut driver you should be able to tighten it but if it's not working why bother.

My thinking was that if I could get the radio power to stay on, I could determine if the problem was with the speaker amps or the head unit itself. I could check for output from the head unit with an Oscope.
(When I jiggle the volume control the power goes on and off for the head unit light)
 
The knobs pull off and with a deep socket or nut driver you should be able to tighten it but if it's not working why bother.

Is the problem ALWAYS the amps-speakers or does the head unit go bad as well ? The head unit lights up, shows a stereo signal when tuning stations and the antenna moves up when the radio is turned on. I do hear faint static from the rear speaker but nothing from either of the door speakers. Is there a separate fuse for the speaker amps ? (other than the radio fuse)
I've only been an owner for a week and I'm trying to get everything working correctly.
 
Most of the time its the speaker/amps but I have been seeing head unit problems once in a while. The speaker amps have a seperate power feed from the head unit but if you are hearing static from the rear speaker then that power is OK.
 
Noise is thru the speakers, and pretty loud... scares the passenger... But today in an effort to mechanically clean the contacts pushed very hard on the knob and turned it... then pulled very hard and turned it... no static today. I love free solutions... if it comes back I'll spray some contact cleaner.

I tried it on mine, worked very well too, I just push hard and turn it back and forth with the radio off. While not 100 percent, the static was much improved. Saved me $200 bucks to get a replacement:smile:
 
You can not get contact spray on the pot without taking the head unit all apart and then the pot is fully enclosed so spray will not do anything. The best fix I have found is just to exercise the pot back in forth a bunch of times with the head unit off.

The pot is not sealed. Spray will fix when exercising won't.

Just fixed this on a radio I bought used (horrible crackle unless you moved the knob very slowly). After exercising it a lot (with and without push/pull pressure) I was getting nowhere. With the radio apart (remove top, remove cassette mechanism so you can undo the connectors to remove the face/display) you can spray contact cleaner into the several holes on the side of the pod mechanism itself. I saturated it, exercised it, saturated it some more, left it set at zero to dry for a few hours, and the knob is now perfect (zero crackle).
 
You can not get contact spray on the pot without taking the head unit all apart and then the pot is fully enclosed so spray will not do anything. The best fix I have found is just to exercise the pot back in forth a bunch of times with the head unit off.

I know this thread is really old, but just in case anyone else runs into the volume knob static, this fixed it for me
 
Picture of pot. If using contact cleaner you need to get it in those three holes.
4444848394_a4213a61f3.jpg
 
Outstanding, e.pie and briank - and thanks for the pic, too, latzke! The amplified crackling has been getting worse over the years. Just the information I was looking for. I'll try this out tonight.
 
Recently my '91 developed the same (or similar) problem. When I first start the car and turn on the radio, I get a loud crackling noise, but as the car (or stereo) warms up it goes away (after about 3 - 5 minutes). I would like to try the solutions used in this string, but everyone assumes that you know enough about assembly and disassembly of the console and radio, so that issue is never mentioned. Is is necessary to remove the face panel to get at the volume potentiometer to use the cleaner spray? If so, how is that done?
 
After dreading volume adjustment for the past 2 mo since getting my silver '02, this solution worked perfectly for me! I just turned the volume knob back and forth a dozen times after turning the radio off...no more ear drum shattering crackle while adjusting the volume. +1 for free solutions!

Noise is thru the speakers, and pretty loud... scares the passenger... But today in an effort to mechanically clean the contacts pushed very hard on the knob and turned it... then pulled very hard and turned it... no static today. I love free solutions... if it comes back I'll spray some contact cleaner.
 
funny you found this out on your own. that's the remedy that alpine gave me when i contacted them a few years ago with this problem.
 
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