Bluetooth/iPod player fuzzy and cutting out while playing

Tiny
YELENAKAZ
  • MEMBER
  • 2013 TOYOTA COROLLA
  • 132,000 MILES
I am just wondering if there’s maybe some short in a wire or something, because I know it’s not my speakers. I’ve had this problem for the last few months where if I play any music at all, whether it’s on the radio or via my phone connected by a charger or by the Bluetooth, it will play clear and loud off all speakers for maybe a song or two, and as I’m driving, it starts to get fuzzy and cut out and cut back in, as if it’s skipping like a cassette. I’m not sure what to do about this and I’m pretty sure it’s a wiring problem or a short but I’m no mechanic. The speakers all work fine. Sometimes when I touch the touch screen, you know how it makes that little beep noise when you press something? Well, sometimes it will stop making any noise when I press it. And if I try playing music again maybe 30 minutes later and I press Bluetooth and it makes the noise, I know it might somewhat work. My mechanic looked at my car a few months back and said it works fine and I tested it and the first few songs did work. So, I said thanks and went on my way but as I’m driving it starts doing it again. I’m guessing he did not look at it for very long because I told him it usually works at first. Sometimes it just doesn’t play at all.
Wednesday, July 6th, 2022 AT 3:01 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,690 POSTS
This can be one of two things I can think of. The first is one of the diodes inside of the alternator is starting to leak AC voltage which will cause the static you are hearing, so when you hear the fuzzy sound can you pull off the road and simply turn the engine off and leave the radio on to see if the fuzzy noise is gone. If not, the alternator is not the problem. Next is the player itself, there is an amplifier inside the radio that can degrade as it gets hot which causes the fuzzy sound, this means the radio will need to be replaced. Here are instructions on how to do so in the diagrams below so you can do it yourself or see what you are paying for if you have the job done or have an aftermarket unit installed. Check out the diagrams (below). Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem.
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Thursday, July 7th, 2022 AT 10:21 AM
Tiny
YELENAKAZ
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Is the second one about the player referring to JUST the radio, or Bluetooth as well? I mostly don’t play the radio (only Bluetooth) and that’s when it does the fuzzy and cutting out stuff.
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Thursday, July 7th, 2022 AT 3:43 PM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,690 POSTS
The Bluetooth still uses the radio amplifier to play the music, I checked out my post above and forgot to give you the guide on how to test the alternator diodes.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-alternator

You must switch the voltmeter to AC voltage for the test.
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Saturday, July 9th, 2022 AT 9:45 AM

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