Noisy Ice

[Easylife]

Having spent £2,600 on ICE for my RX to keep my kids quiet, I am a bit hacked off that they keep complaining about interference being picked up through the cordless headphones. If you rev the engine at standstill the phones pick up a whine like an old car radio with a dodgy suppressor. Apparently the whine is there when travelling along the road too. My dealer says that there is nothing they can do.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. My wife thought I was nuts spending that much on two tiny screens and a DVD player, I just hate her being right...

[ColinBarber]

Is the system you have installed the official Lexus ICE?

[Easylife]

Yes, I ordered it with the car and it says Lexus on the screens and headphones. I think the system is fitted to the car after build and on arrival in the UK.

[ColinBarber]

I would be on the phone to Lexus GB then if the dealer cannot fix the problem as that is a lot of money to spend on something that doesn't work correctly.

[Easylife]

I did and they referred me back to the dealer !! It would be good to know if any other owners have experienced this problem or whether its just me.

Thanks anyway Colin, I'll give Lexus GB another try.

[Damian]

When originally looking at the car we were told by one Lexus dealer that the system which was installed by an independent contractor when the vehicles arrive in the UK was very poor and far superior systems were available for less direct through the dealer but as an after market installation. They also conveyed the very poor installation quality. As a result of this they actively encouraged us not to go for the Lexus ICE package but to have it fitted later. Our two girls are still very young, the oldest so far seems more than happy with a portable DVD player which we put in our current car for her. it cost just £300 and she put it on her lap. But You've already paid out big money so I guess that doesn't help, sorry.

As Colin says they should at least sort it out for you though regardless.

best of luck

D

[Speejo]

Slightly hijacking the topic..

I have just installed 2 SAVV 7" headrest screens in my RX300 SE (this is a complete replacement headrest in OEM leather - just a bit bigger, see www.savv.com).

Total cost of the screens was £780 including 2 pairs of wireless headphones. DVD player under the seat for £100 from Maplin.

Took 15 mins to install (the cables come down the headrest tubes).

Had the same system in my ML before I saw the light.

Anyone else interested in the screens I can give you the contact details of an ex-pat Brit in the US I imported them from (twice now).

Speejo

[Easylife]

Oh cheers Damian, you know how to make a guy feel bad don't you. In defence of the system and my pride, the quality of the screens and the player is high and the install is perfect even doen to the roof mounted infra red thing in the roof complete with a row of red LED's. Its just the interference that spoils it all. If you turn up the volume it sounds great. But thats not too good for my two youngsters ears.

That said if anyone is thinking of ordering the ICE system from Lexus you would probably be wise to save your money and go for portable units.

[Brettster]

I have this problem with my Car PC when i rev the engine I get a whine sound coming thru the speakers, this only happend since I connected the power supply directly to the car's Battery. Would a ground loop isolater be the thing to stop this whine?

maybe one could be added to your RX ice if it is as simple as that...

[Damian]

Oh cheers Damian, you know how to make a guy feel bad don't you. In defence of the system and my pride, the quality of the screens and the player is high and the install is perfect even doen to the roof mounted infra red thing in the roof complete with a row of red LED's. Its just the interference that spoils it all. If you turn up the volume it sounds great. But thats not too good for my two youngsters ears.

That said if anyone is thinking of ordering the ICE system from Lexus you would probably be wise to save your money and go for portable units.

Sorry Easylife I wasn't deliberately trying to make you feel bad and perhaps I should have found a more diplomatic way of putting it, but in my defence I thought firstly that perhaps others may like to be aware of the warning that was given to me and secondly I thought if you were aware of this it may provide you with a little more ammo when trying to get it resolved as you could say something like 'I've heard others have not been happy with the installation' rather than allowing them to hide behind the 'not heard of any problems before with the installation' excuse.

Again sorry if I offended you or made you feel uncomfortable, that wasn't my intention. Perhaps it's best if I just keep quiet in future. :(

br

D

[Easylife]

Don't keep quiet Damian, I was only kidding. Lexus are at fault here for not ensuring the system is worth the money they charge for it. My dealer told me that I could get an SE-L with ICE quicker than one without (this influenced my final decision). Looking back this was clearly not true as the ICE is fitted in the UK. Delivery was actually delayed as a result. All in all I'm not very happy with my dealer.

[Damian]

Don't keep quiet Damian, I was only kidding.

I guessed as much but didn't want to destroy my reputation as a newbie on what seems to be a very harmonious forum.

Best of luck with your dealer, not based in Surrey I hope

D

[SteveAudioX]

EasyLife, Can you post pictures of your AV kit?

Perhaps I can help you further from there.

[Easylife]

Can do if you think it'll help. Post them Sat morning.

Thanks

[Easylife]

OK now I feel stupid, I have the pics but my IT skills have let me down again. Don't know how to post them!!

[SteveAudioX]

You can always e-mail me them directly, is you so wish to do so :winky:

E-mails in my sig..

[lexussed]

Slightly hijacking the topic..

I have just installed 2 SAVV 7" headrest screens in my RX300 SE (this is a complete replacement headrest in OEM leather - just a bit bigger, see www.savv.com).

Total cost of the screens was £780 including 2 pairs of wireless headphones. DVD player under the seat for £100 from Maplin.

Took 15 mins to install (the cables come down the headrest tubes).

Had the same system in my ML before I saw the light.

Anyone else interested in the screens I can give you the contact details of an ex-pat Brit in the US I imported them from (twice now).

Speejo

Easylife, I sympathise with your dilema, keep going back to your dealer until you're happy...if not try another Lexus dealer or write head office...if Lexus are famed for paying attention don't let one useless egg fob you off..

Speejo I'm very interested to know more about how you went about the install...

I've got an RX300SE arriving at the end of october didn't order ICE, children still young and I thought it was too expensive and could attract people to break into the car...

But very interested in the details of the package you've fitted...

[DUNCAN]

Easylife,

Is the interference only apparent through the headphones, or does it come through the car speakers aswell ?

This can be rectified......

[Easylife]

Hi Duncan,

No the noise only picks up through the headphones. The cars Levinson system sounds spot on at any volume.

SteveAudioX has come up with some likely solutions, so if Lexus don't come up with a fix I'll check these out.

Pete

[Easylife]

Just checked out the mods on your car Duncan. Very nice mate

[DUNCAN]

Just checked out the mods on your car Duncan. Very nice mate

Thankyou,

If the noise is only apparent through the headphones, then it will be possible to surpress the left and right phono leads that go into the infra red control unit on the roof (the part with the led's built into it).

[Easylife]

My dealer has now come back with the solution. Turn up the volume to MAX on the remote control and just use the volume control on the headsets instead. Don't know why but it works.

:)

[harlowrog]

That sounds like the worst answer to a problem with a stereo I have ever heard! Are you saying they told you to turn the volume to max on the head unit? That would mean your stereo is working at full power, they should cure the problem not by-pass it. I think thats outrageous, anybody else think so or am I wrong?

[SteveAudioX]

Sure is....

Pause the DVD and then listen ....

[Easylife]

Thats the official Lexus fix..... I questioned the fact that the DVD player would be working at full power but the dealer read the fix to me over the phone and thats the solution given. When I told the the dealer rep that it was a crazy solution he said "Lexus are not in the habit of issueing technical bulletin without first carrying out extensive testing"

Wot do I do now ?? As Joe Easylife I must accept everything my dealer tells me, because they're the dealer and I'm just a customer. I don't have the knowledge on vehicle/ICE electrics to fight it with Lexus UK. I'd just end up making a prat of myself. Any suggestions would as ever be appreciated.

Whatever, thanks for the input so far. Lexus owners are a fine bunch of peeps.