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Electronics "static noise" a valid warranty issue?

15K views 37 replies 10 participants last post by  MOSh513 
#1 ·
I have had one, and only one issue with my 2009 Malibu. The price was great, incentives awesome, nice offerings from the dealership, great car all around, fun and problem free... except one thing. As I've posted in another thread there is a really annoying whine directly linked to the interior lighting, and specifically the instrument/ambient/gauge/radio lighting. I don't know if it is the, or a light specifically, interference within the speakers (though I doubt it because turning the stereo off or down changes nothing) or something else.


When I have the adjustable lighting turned to it's brightest the noise is at it's loudest and most annoying. As I turn the lighting down it decreases in intensity and eventually goes away. The problem is that to get it to disappear completely I have to have the lights all the way down which is not desirable or safe. About half way down it is subdued enough to make it tolerable, but this isn't what I want. Everything looks nicer at full brightness, and especially so for the instrument cluster. Furthermore, I bought a brand new car (for the first time ever) off the lot, and expect everything to be to my liking, but I also don't want to be too picky. I didn't hear it in any test drives because I was distracted by talking, etc. and it isn't something you notice right away because of being excited about being in a new car, etc., and it isn't piercing or loud... just annoying because it never goes away.

I'm not sure if it's an issue with all Malibus and should probably test it out on another at a dealership. Another member here heard this before, and the dealer said one of his technicians knew what it was and called it "static noise", but didn't know of any way to fix it because some people are sensitive to it, and others are not. I also don't know if I want them to start pulling apart the dash with no real intent or planned fix. If they did this would it never be the same again as it was new? I'm worried about that, and it rattling down the road or whatever. I am sensitive to noises like this such as department store security systems, etc., but it is also a real concern for me. This car is so refined, so nice and so quiet that the noise isn't really drowned out by road noise/wind/etc. Having music turned up helps distract me from it some, but it doesn't cover or even mask it really because the pitch cuts through all of that, and it never stops... and is going to drive me nuts.

If the dealership has already said they know what it is, but don't know how to fix it, what can I do? Should I do anything? Is it wrong of me, or demanding for me to ask them to work on it as part of the bumper-to-bumper warranty? I don't want to be a finicky, demanding, a-hole customer, but this is something that bothers me. The service manager and sales managers could not hear the noise at all, and neither can my girlfriend, but I had all of them play with the brightness knob while I was in the passenger seat (with music on and off) while my eyes were closed and I could tell them if it was fully bright, all the way down or in the middle based on sound.
 
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#2 · (Edited)
So, the problem is the static noise coming from the speakers when the light is on the full brightness? It is a definite warranty issue and they should address it. You're not picky at all, I would definite take it in if I were you.
Mine doesn't have that issue for sure. It's nice and quiet and I always have in on the full brightness.
Take it in. If they have to take apart the dash (which may not be even needed) and add any rattles or misalignment then take it back in and insist that it gets corrected.

If the issue is in the radio itself than it's easy for them to replace it. It doesn't take much to replace the head unit properly, I had it done for an intermittent cutouts I was having.
 
#3 ·
No, I don't think it's coming through the speakers or stereo. It's possible, but I doubt it. You may have this happening too, but you may not be able to hear it. Most people can't hear it in my car, but I can prove that I hear it by noting it with my eyes closed.

That's the problem... it's hard to fix if the tech can't hear it, and there isn't a specific place for them to look. Though, if they know what "static noise" is, they should know of some solutions. I had a door panel rattle problem with a Nissan once, and it took about 50 trips to the dealer for them to fix it because they couldn't hear it in the test drive (either luck of the draw that it didn't happen or they didn't check thoroughly). I'm worried the same will happen with this... if they don't hear it they wont try to fix it.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Hm....I have a decent hearing. Let me try next time I am in the car.

However, if we're talking about something that I (being extremely picky and sensitive) didn't notice in almost 6 months...it maybe normal?

Let me try though.
 
#5 ·
I think it's an issue not of how well you hear but being sensitive to certain frequencies. Some people can hear some ranges of dog whistles, for example, while others can not. I know that certain department stores have security, or anti-theft systems that I can hear in the form of a high pitched whine when I walk into the store, and other people do not hear it or don't hear it as loudly as I do. I've found other people that have heard it in their Malibu and one person that hears it in my car, but most people do not. Everyone at the dealership that I talked to could not hear it and didn't know what it could be, but the service manager talked to a technician that was aware of something called "static noise" that he thought was the culprit, and stated that it is "normal" and nothing can be done about it. However, if I'd known this would be an issue with the car before buying it, it might have been enough to push me into the Altima I was considering. I really love everything else, but I don't want this to be an issue for years to come. The other solution would be drying to deafen my ear to that frequency, and that doesn't sound safe.
 
#6 ·
Well...if we're talking about this kind of frequencies I am afraid they might have a reason for saying that it is normal...
Can't blame an engineer for not trying to eliminate these kind of sounds. But it definitely sucks for people like yourself.
 
#8 · (Edited)
I could hear 15 KHz distinctly. I could also hear 16 KHz, but it was more like ringing in my ears, if I didn't know that I was listening to it I might've ignored it (although it was also physically unpleasant, but the sound part I hear was extremely weak).

What's your max?
 
#11 ·
Everyone is different. I dont think it's much of a hearing test for age as they say, but some people just dont hear certain frequencies. I wish I didn't hear the high end. It has never been beneficial to me. It's an issue with this car, I can hear an annoying noise on some screens of my GPS, some dog whistles, store security systems and some CRT televisions and computer monitors. All of those things are annoying not beneficial. Too bad I can't make money with it somehow.
 
#12 ·
I am not sure how you would ever get this fixed on any kind of product. The fact that the person responsible for doing the repair cannot hear the problem means there is no way for them to determine if they fixed the problem except by your say so. They are also in the position (at least from their perspective) of fixing something that isn't broken which means it will not get their full attention. That is just human nature.

Bill
 
#14 ·
I think I know what this is too...I've always heard an electrical "hum" so to speak. It's very, very faint and I only hear it if I'm sitting in the car running with the radio and blower off, or low, but I definitely noticed it. I think more so because it's not something I've ever detected in our '08, whatever the differences are...or maybe I'm just not in that one enough.

It's something, but I'm not sure what. Some kind of electronic interference, of some sort.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Guys, regarding that page with tests. I think a lot depends on your speakers. I just listened to all of them again though my notebook speakers - I can hear all of them (surprisingly 17 is the faintest, 18 is more distinct).

Before, I used my headphones connected through desktop speakers and only could hear up to 15-16. I think there might be a reason hospitals have audio testing labs :)

Speaking of TVs and other electronics....I hear buzz from those as well sometimes. Especially if I specifically listen. I suppose, generally I don't get affected by that too much. Often times I don't even know what I hear an external sound or my ears are buzzing, which has been known to happen too. Doesn't bother me either way :)

But some of those frequencies, as I found out today are almost painful...Like that 17 though laptop speakers or 16 though the headphones....I could hardly hear it, but I coiuld definitely feel it...not in a good way! So, slhaas, if that's a kind of sensation you get I feel for you. It is really unpleasant.

Do you hear that trough the engine and other noises or is it only standing still with no radio and no fan?

I still have to listen to my car. With the snowstorm today I totally forgot about it.
 
#19 ·
It doesnt matter how much road noise, engine noise, talking, radio, etc. there is I can still hear it. Granted some of that helps to distract it, but if I have the ambient lighting turned up all the way (which is what I like for the dash/instrument cluster anyway) it cuts through everything. You're right though, it's almost like I feel it more than I hear it when there is a lot of other distracting noise though, but I still hear it as well because it's such a different pitch than anything else.

Though I can hear it with other noises, the best way to test it is to sit in your car with the lights on. Turning the car on at night and letting it run with the auto lights turned on seems to be the best way. Then turn the ambient light knob to full power (but dont turn on the dome light) and turn off any other noise producing items like the stereo. Then just listen. It may help to cock your head about 45 degrees to the side so an ear is pointed towards the dash, but it may not be necessary. Then turn the ambient lighting knob all the way down and compare... then move it back and forth.

I still havent checked it in another Malibu as I don't have time to get to the dealer right now and don't know anyone with an 08 or 09 to try it out. I can hear it well enough that I can tell if the ambient lighting is full power, all the way dim, 1/4, 1/2 or 3/4 or there about.

On a side note... does the LTZ have different lighting in the dash or the instrument cluster? I saw a picture of a LTZ speedo/tach with the lights on and it looked like there was a blue hue gradient between the numbers and the center whereas my 2LT just has lighting behind the numbers, lines, etc. It looked pretty cool. If it is different that might account for a different level or no "static noise" as well.
 
#18 ·
That too can also be an audible hum, of course, but a little different than what I think this is. A little crisper, higher pitched, and sounds like electrical interference or buzz, from the front of the cab/dash.

I really don't notice this much, other than listening closely, but whatever it is, it does exist.
 
#23 ·
I got around to listening to my car last night. All I hear is a extremely sight sound, but it could have been just ringing in my ears. It's very low, any engine or fan noise drowns it right away and it definitely does not depend on the brightness if the instrument panel.
Could it be a characteristic on new radios in 09? Mine's 08 with no bluetooth or usb.
 
#25 ·
Yeah I can hear this noise too. In fact this noise I can hear when I turn the electornics on without any internal lighting on or with the lighting on but turned all the way down. I can only hear it when it is really quiet and the car isn't moving. That doesn't bother me so much. The noise I'm responding to varies with the brightness adjustment knob. I tried to isolate where it is specifically eminating from, and it was hard to pin down. However, if I moved my head around there were places it was louder and others where it was quieter, and it seemed in some places as if the sound was being blocked (perhaps by the steering wheel?) but it wasn't specific enough that I could pin anything down.
 
#26 ·
hm.....maybe you could stop by the dealer and listen to other cars on the lot. It maybe a defect somewhere after all. It kinda reminds me of that RCA flat screen I bought once that had this distinct buzzing from the power supply. I returned that the next day :)
 
#30 ·
Well....i think it's "buyers beware" with car sales people. I always try to look at specs on the manufacturer site myself. Even brochures can be somewhat misleading.
But, in my mind, 2LT with V6 is a great package, I personally can easily do without LTZ specific items and added cost :)
 
#31 ·
I agree, and I got it under invoice, and the LTZ would've cost more, but I think I could've twisted their arm on the LTZ pricing too and it would've amounted to not much more every month in payment, and would've done it. It's still a hell of a car though... just need to figure this noise thing out.
 
#32 ·
UPDATE:

I took it to the dealership. They don't know what, if anything, they can do. I sat in a few other Malibus and could hear the same noise. A salesman did it with me and he too could hear it, but some other people could not. I did figure something out about it, though. There is always a little bit of a noise not associated with anything. The noise changes with the dimming of the interior lights only seems to happen at night. During the day, the light sensor in the car detects daylight and puts the dash lights at a super bright setting (almost like when you turn the auto lights off while driving at night) and it is much brighter than you can get it manually. When it detects that it is night, the night lighting kicks on, the headlights get brighter and the interior lights are darker. During the day the dimmer switch doesn't do anything, and at night it does, but the brightest setting is lower than the daytime lights. It seems to me that the noise has something to do with the dimmer, as when it's out of the picture during the day, it goes away. I was able to test this by sitting in multiple Malibus during the day and turning the lights on, and there was no noise. I made sure the dimmer was set the the brightest setting and then placed a black winter hat over the light sensor dome in the dashboard. I waited a few seconds, and then it kicked in, the dash lights switched to night mode (getting dimmer) and the noise started and was affected by moving the dimmer switch. When I removed the hat a few seconds passed, the daytime lights turned on (making the dash lights brighter) and the noise went away.

I guess there isn't anything that can be done considering all of the Malibus do it, and they probably all use the same dimming function. I could not try it out on a LTZ as they didn't have one, so I'd be curious to know if the different dash lighting in a LTZ makes a difference and would like to try that out sometime. If it does I suppose I could swap instrument clusters. Alternately I think if I could find a way to make the dash lighting to be always on super bright daytime mode, and bypass the dimmer (except to turn on interior overhead lighting) that would do the trick. However, I wouldn't like to disable the auto lighting function for the headlights in the process. It seems like this would be doable, but I have NO idea how.
 
#33 ·
With the key in the ignition turned to the on position, with the hood open, but with engine not running, I hear a very high frequency whine coming from the engine area. I've noticed the sound even before I saw this thread. Luckily, I don't notice it inside the car. I figured it was the fuel pump or some of the cars electronics. If your looking at the engine, and depending on how you are positioned, it can actually get quite loud at times. Seems like it's a normal sound from these cars. I am VERY sensitive to high frequency sounds, and am glad I don't hear it inside the car.

Rob.

BTW, we have an 08' V6 LTZ.
 
#34 ·
Yeah, I hear this too. I thought it was the headlights or something. I can hear it in the car when the engine is off quite well, and sometimes when the engine is on if everything else is quiet and I'm not moving. It is more muffled, though and I can deal with it. It's a separate noise than the lighting thing, though... and I think more people can hear it because it's louder and a lower frequency, but it's still high enough that not everyone hears it.
 
#35 · (Edited)
I don't have a description of how GM dims the interior lights on anything beyond the 2005 model year but this may explain the noise you hear.

"When the ignition switch is turned ON, the vacuum fluorescent (VF) displays, for the radio and HVAC control assembly, the incandescent lamps and the pulse width modulation (PWM) lamps turn ON at maximum brightness. When the park lamps are ON and the ambient light sensor indicates low light conditions, all back lighting turn ON at the dimming level indicated by the I/P dimmer switch. At the same time all VF displays dim in order to match the indicated dimming level. When the headlamp switch is placed in the PARK position, the body control module (BCM) energizes the park lamp relay coil control circuit and dims the interior lamps to the dimming level indicated by the I/P dimmer switch. When the driver selects a dimming setting by moving the I/P dimming switch potentiometer, all back lighting lamps are provided with a specific voltage. When the I/P dimmer switch is moved from MIN to MAX, all VF displays and all back lighting respond from minimum intensity to maximum brightness in response to the I/P dimmer switch."

If you notice in that description from a GM Service Manual there is mention of Pulse Width Modulation of the lighting. Basically, they control the lighting by pulsing the voltage to the instrument panel bulbs. The pulses vary in length to control brightness. In the day time the pulse width is probably very wide and there is little if any gap between pulses. If the pulse train approximated a square wave the resultant frequencies would include the primary frequency plus the third, ninth, etc harmonics. Usually humans cannot hear electronics but people with good high frequency hearing used to be able to hear the 17 KHz Horizontal Oscillators in older televisions. The same may be here as well. There probably is a significant amount of current being applied to the bulbs and that could cause enough mechanical changes in the wiring/bulbs that a mechanical audio frequency is generated. If so there probably isn't much you can do about it as it is the nature of the beast.

Bill
 
#36 ·
Very interesting, and thank you!

There is one thing that can be done, though, if I can find a way. I'd like to have the interior lighting (ambient, dash, radio, etc.) to always be in the daytime mode where it's at max brightness (brighter than you can set with the dimmer) because there is no noise at this level. The problem is that I'd like that to be the case without shutting off the auto light feature. Some rigging could get it to stay on all the time, but then the headlights will be at the dimmer daytime setting, and that's no good. There may be a way around it with using manual headlight settings, but from your post it seems like that wouldn't work as the interior lighting would be set with the dimmer then, and not the daytime mode. If there was a way to have that super bright setting be on all the time, and the headlights independantly go on off (dim/bright) with the light sensor, that would be great, or even if I could acheive that level of brightness with the dimmer, but I can't. Perhaps a hacking of the dimmer to allow it to send more current or shorten the gap of the pulsing, but how? Maybe pull out the pot and throw in one from my guitar? :D
 
#37 · (Edited)
I was so excited to see this post. My dealership service manager acknowledges there is a problem, but he can't hear it.

My 2009 Malibu LT2 has this problem and I am not able to drive at night with the IP lights on so I can't tell my speed. I swear if I get pulled over I will be presenting Chevy with the ticket!

I have been in an 2009 Impala that does the same thing too, so it is not unique to the Malibu. It has been suggested to me by guys at work that it might be due to the switching power supply and/or the Chevy Blacktie radio (same in the Malibu and Impala.) Is there an upgraded radio to try?
 
#38 ·
I am in contact with Chevy customer service about this issue. The dealership does not know how to fix it and it is so annoying to me that it makes it impossible to drive my 2009 Malibu at night with the I/P lights set on anything but completely off. This will HAVE to get fixed.
 
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