Uh Oh ! Looks Like My Amp Is Gone

[cruisermark]

Yesterday i had a loud cackling sound come from the speakers - couldnt figure out where it came from - i had the volume turned right down

Today have no sound at all - head unit has power but no sound at all - is this the famous Amp problem?

could someone please confirm.

and can anybody recommend any place which will repair it?

thanks alot

[Mybikes a cx500]

Just on general terms, that does sound like a power amp failure. Another of the things that 430's suffer from that 400's dont!?

[cruisermark]

hi

yes ian i could see the 400/430 argument coming up!

Just been on the phone to a repairer in edinburgh who has advised to check the fuse before sending it to him - cost to repair £285! - could of been worse - first repair n 2 years ownership.

[The-Acre]

Just on general terms, that does sound like a power amp failure. Another of the things that 430's suffer from that 400's dont!?

To be fair, the LS400 system can and has suffered from amp failure.

[39buss]

I came across this some time ago. svtservices@aol.com Sound & Vision Technical Services, Edinburgh. 0131 555 2126. Is it the same one?. From memory about £300 to service the head unit from an LS 430

[Mybikes a cx500]

hi

yes ian i could see the 400/430 argument coming up!

Just been on the phone to a repairer in edinburgh who has advised to check the fuse before sending it to him - cost to repair £285! - could of been worse - first repair n 2 years ownership.

sorry Mark, couldn't resist. do you have a separate power amp under the seat, as the 400? My point being it's not necessarily the head unit in the dash that has the problem. Could be worth wiggling connectors

[cruisermark]

JIm - yes these are the people i spoke to - but he has asked me to check the fuses and see if there is power to the amp by checking wether the fans spin or not.

Mark - i dont think there is an amp under the seat.

[ambermarine]

The amplifier on the 430 is a different mechanical set up to the 400 as they are initially different manufacturers and the seperate amp unit on the 400 as been a feature since the cars launch.The Manufacturers Pioneer and Nakamichi supplied the audio systems for the 400 range.

Lexus switched to Mark Levinson on the 430.

One of the nice features on the 400 range is the tape player and I like it because when I trawl through the Goodwill stores in the USA you pick up tapes for ten cents each.I was lucky enough to get a proffesionally engineered collection of all the Rolling Stones recordings going back to their inception for 70 cents + 6% sales tax last Feb and it sounds fabulous on the 400 system. I was also able to put the collection on my mp3 player through the tape conversion device you can get on eBay for less than £15.The device also plays tapes through the Aux jack on my Bose sound system so don't throw those tapes away, you can still play them.

[cruisermark]

hi guys

manage to remove the amplifier and find that the fans are not spinning. Tried to check the fuses but i cannot find one for the amp.

Does anybody know for definite which one it is and its location.

I checked all fuses boxes - engine bay, driver side footwell, passenger side footwell and the boot. There was a couple saying amp on the drivers side - a 7.5amp and 30amp but both looked fine to me.

any help would be appreciated - many thanks

[Mybikes a cx500]

A visual check on fuses is worth doing, but just because they look alright, doesn't mean they are. Best to check them with a testlight, or perhaps an auto electrician could tell you if power is getting to the amp

[cruisermark]

UPDATE - Initially sent the amp to caraudiorepairs in hove as have used them before for my mark 3 - they managed to diagnose the problem but couldnt fix as they couldnt get the parts (DSP Processor)

So have to send it SVT Services - very good service - quick turnaround.

Spent the morning putting it all back - all working fine now - total cost £285

For future reference:

the amp is located inside the boot against the car body near the passenger side quarter glass.

to get to it you have to remover the boot catch black plastic surround - remove the passenger side boot liner and you should be able to see - there are 2 x 10mm nuts to undo and 2 white plastic lugs which you have to pinch to release the unit.

Once out you have to undo 6 more nuts which hold the amp to the holding frame - this frame also holds the rear parking sensor ECU - once i had removed the amp i plugged the parking sensor ECU back so i could still have a working reverse camera.

Refitting is fairly straight forward albiet i did find getting one of the black gromets back in a challenge - spent 10 minutes trying to get it in as it was in the corner and access is difficult - had to lie in the boot!! - while i was there i gave it good vac to remove all the dust.

Also fitted a new set of locking nuts as i had lost one and they were getting a bit rusty - the new ones come with steel cap and look nice - topped up the washer fluid and gave her interior a good vac and shine.

Now just need to give her an interim service and a good wash and polish weather permitting.

[Cotswold Pete]

Glad you got it sorted, nothing as eery as silence in a car that is silent to drive.

Did anyone suggest why DSP had a fault as things like this; in my limited experience they just stop working, or were you just unlucky?

[cruisermark]

Glad you got it sorted, nothing as eery as silence in a car that is silent to drive.

Did anyone suggest why DSP had a fault as things like this; in my limited experience they just stop working, or were you just unlucky?

hi

pete - he didnt say - he just say it was a common fault