Ticking noise after installing aftermarket radio

[zengshengliu]

I have some weird ticking noise from the speaker after I installed the Pioneer AVH-P3400BH. Its like tick tick tick tick tick...... 2 times every second.
The noise is not loud, but you can definitely hear it. The noise is always there even when I turn the volume to 0, but it does not increase when I turn the volume up or drive faster(rpm up).
Also, another note is that it does not have the "noise" when the car is on ACC(accessory), only happen when the car is at "ON"(doesn't matter if the engine is started or not)
Anyone has any idea what I should try to eliminate the noise?

[otto888man]

Try to add ground on the actual unit. It could be not enough ground. Did you installed the radio yourself?

[zengshengliu]

I did install the unit myself
What do you mean by adding ground to the unit? Do you mean to connect a ground wire(not the one that come with the unit) from the unit case to the grounding point?

[otto888man]

Yes, the unit case add a ground cable to a good grounding point. Do you hear the ticking noise if the radio is off?

[zengshengliu]

I do not hear it when the radio is off. I can hear it when it is on, and doesn't matter what volume it set(even 0)
Also, the noise only exist when the car is "ON", but not on "ACC"

[otto888man]

yes, install a ground wire to the chassis of the radio to good known ground

[ImStricken06]

i think your grounding is off. or you grounded to something thats giving this off. also is your antenna connected right?

[zengshengliu]

I don't think its the antenna problem cause the noise exist even when I am playing with my ipod
Let me first try grounding the chassis first and see how it work out

Update:
Ok I found an interesting problem
Is it normal for the antenna to ground the unit?
I removed the grounding for the unit, and when I turn on the car, the radio came on. I am using this adopter and it seems like it is grounding the unit, which creates the noise.
I tried adding an additional grounding but it does not help

Update 2:
Ok another weird founding is that the noise only came from the front speaker(both left and right and center). I tried switching the front and rear speaker line on the radio and its still making the noise on the front. My guess is that the radio is grounding fine. Someone else is causing the noise on the front speaker.

[darylzero]

maybe you need something like this,


Ground Loop

[otto888man]

When you wired the front speakers did you isolated the negative sides on both left & right? Meaning that did you ran different wires for the negative wires for the left & right fronts. Check with a multimeter if the negative wire for the left & right front negative wires does not continuity for both left & right. If you do you need to isolate them from each other. As most aftermarket have different negative lines for each speakers. If you mix both together it will create interference.

[otto888man]

Does the noise exist when the key is in the ON position when the engine is not running or does it do it when ONLY the engine is running?

[zengshengliu]

It exist when the key is at on position, doesn't matter if the engine is running or not

[otto888man]

Have you isolated the left front negative lines are they
separate or they have the same lines as the left front & right front ?

[zengshengliu]

I am using this harness so the speaker wires are already connected to the correct wire. All I do is to plug in the correct one.

[otto888man]

It could be a bad head unit. Try swapping with another head unit.

[zengshengliu]

I don't think it's a bad head unit. I tried plugging the front speaker to the rear speaker port on the head unit and rear speaker to the front and it still make the noise from the FRONT speaker. If the head unit is defective, shouldn't the noise be coming out from the rear after I swapped the connection?

[Rogue One]

Two schools of thought. First, you may have wires crossed at the terminals. If the wires have been crossed to the speaker you could try reversing them on the terminals.

Second, make sure the unit is grounded to bare metal.

[zengshengliu]

I don't think my wire cross situation apples to me cause I am using the harness for speaker connection.
As for grounding, for some reason, both the grounding wire and radio antenna wire with this adopter are gounding the unit. But even when I try with the antenna removed and a separate wire to ground the unit on different location(I even try running a ground wire directly to battery) create the noise.

One question. Since the noise only exist when the car is on, does anybody has a list of items that is running when the car is ON(not start) and off when car is ACC?

[splintercell]

There is no ground in the OEM NISSAN HARNESS . it clearly shows a sticker on METRA harness which says SUBURU only. You need to use the ground wire off your pioneer harness and ground it to metal behind dash. I've been doing car stereo work since 1998 for shops and dealerships... 95% of Nissans have to be grounded via aftermarket head unit ground wire. I have a 240sx and its the same way. Antennae ground and radio mounts are not sufficient for todays in-car receivers.

Do have BOSE in your vehicle? You dont need that harness for a non amplified factory system.

[zengshengliu]

I did connect the grounding wire to the metal behind the unit (did not use the ground wire on the harness) but the problem still exist
My original radio was the BOSE system (with SAT radio, bluetooth handfree call system, 6 CD charger)

[splintercell]

I did connect the grounding wire to the metal behind the unit (did not use the ground wire on the harness) but the problem still exist
My original radio was the BOSE system (with SAT radio, bluetooth handfree call system, 6 CD charger)

On the Metra antennae harness did you connect blue wire to ground or key switch?

You might try to reground it somewhere else as long as its not the round metal chassis bar behind dash. I had a Clarion tech tell me those are very poor ground points.
You might also want to try a ground loop isolater which technically removes any engine whining...i have never heard of a ticking issue.

http://www.pac-audio.com/productDetails ... egoryID=31

One last thing to properly utilize the metra harness you installed... your radio needs to have 4v preouts. Im just trying to think of ways to help you out bro.

[zengshengliu]

I connected the blue wire to the blue and white wire on the unit(which I believe is amp on wire)
I did try test grounding the unit by directly connecting a wire from the ground wire on the unit to the battery, which does not help.
The unit has "outputs: rear video output, 6-channel preamp outputs (2-volt front, rear, subwoofer)"

Sorry I am not a audio guy so I am not sure if my information helps.
I will definitely try the ground loop isolater.

[zengshengliu]

After installing the ground loop isolator, the noise is gone.
Thank you for your help

[ImStricken06]

glad to hear it!

[splintercell]

After installing the ground loop isolator, the noise is gone.
Thank you for your help

awesome!