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2019+ BMW 3 AND 4-SERIES FORUMS (G2x Generation) Local Forums UK Harman Kardon niggles

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      10-08-2020, 01:42 PM   #1
Beemer5to3
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Harman Kardon niggles

Hi all,

Has anyone else had any issues with their HK system? Mine seems to drop out certain tones randomly, if only for a split second and then it comes back in. I also get a random crackle in the speakers. Never experienced anything like it before - it's really annoying me.
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      10-08-2020, 02:01 PM   #2
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I've had the HK system crackle a few time, and also issues with the 'enhanced' engine sound played back in the cabin above normal levels. Touch wood it's been better of late since the last OTA update.
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      10-08-2020, 09:22 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beemer5to3 View Post
Hi all,

Has anyone else had any issues with their HK system? Mine seems to drop out certain tones randomly, if only for a split second and then it comes back in. I also get a random crackle in the speakers. Never experienced anything like it before - it's really annoying me.
Yeah I've had similar issues with my HK sound system. Passenger door speaker seems to rattle at low volume and high bass parts of songs. Super annoying

Also, the front speaker in front of the iDrive screen in the center of the dash also rattles on certain frequencies, weird that this "premium" sound system has some Pitfalls
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      10-09-2020, 12:21 AM   #4
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I have had mine lose all bass on a few occasions. Turing off the car and waiting for it to go to sleep, then rebooting the car usually does the trick.

Dealer has found no stored fault codes. Fortunately this has only happened on about 5 occasions in the last 6 months, but still very annoying when it happens
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      10-09-2020, 01:43 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by andy5468 View Post
I have had mine lose all bass on a few occasions. Turing off the car and waiting for it to go to sleep, then rebooting the car usually does the trick.

Dealer has found no stored fault codes. Fortunately this has only happened on about 5 occasions in the last 6 months, but still very annoying when it happens
I experienced bass cut out for the first time yesterday. I was driving and listening to a track with a heavy bass guitar to it. Suddenly there was nothing. No vibration in the seat. Nothing. A few minutes later it kicked back in. :

TBH I am thinking of ripping the HK out and going with an Audison DSP.
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      10-09-2020, 02:36 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by andy5468 View Post
I have had mine lose all bass on a few occasions. Turing off the car and waiting for it to go to sleep, then rebooting the car usually does the trick.

Dealer has found no stored fault codes. Fortunately this has only happened on about 5 occasions in the last 6 months, but still very annoying when it happens
Yeah that's exactly what mine seems to be doing, but only for a second or so. I think it must be software related. Is it one particular source that caused yours? I'm normally on Spotify (through the BMW apps) but I've tried the radio too and still does the same.
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      10-09-2020, 02:37 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Soul_Glo View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by andy5468 View Post
I have had mine lose all bass on a few occasions. Turing off the car and waiting for it to go to sleep, then rebooting the car usually does the trick.

Dealer has found no stored fault codes. Fortunately this has only happened on about 5 occasions in the last 6 months, but still very annoying when it happens
I experienced bass cut out for the first time yesterday. I was driving and listening to a track with a heavy bass guitar to it. Suddenly there was nothing. No vibration in the seat. Nothing. A few minutes later it kicked back in. :

TBH I am thinking of ripping the HK out and going with an Audison DSP.
Surely this must be a known fault then!? Can't be happening to all of us randomly! I'll give it the weekend to see what happens, then I think I may get it booked in to be looked at.
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      10-09-2020, 05:15 AM   #8
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I currently have an F36 Gran Coupe and I will be ordering a G20 soon. My GC just has the standard audio which I find adequate. This time round I was going to add HK, but having read these comments, I'm not so sure.

I had an E46 coupe many years ago and that had the HK system which seem to have buzzing/rattling speakers.
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      10-09-2020, 07:51 AM   #9
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I have just booked an appointment for Sytner next week to look at these exact issues as described above.

Will update all once it's been in.
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      10-09-2020, 07:55 AM   #10
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I have just booked an appointment for Sytner next week to look at these exact issues as described above.

Will update all once it's been in.
Please do mate - would really appreciate it, cheers.
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      10-09-2020, 08:15 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beemer5to3 View Post
Please do mate - would really appreciate it, cheers.
Sytner have just advised can't get me in until 20th now

Either way i'll post the outcome then - just won't be next week.

Cheers
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      10-09-2020, 10:52 AM   #12
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Having googled this, it appears this is not an unusual occurrence to lose bass intermittently on the G20 HK and clearly others here all have had similar issues to me.

As I mention, it seems to be very random for me and fortunately not become a big enough issue for me at this stage. The few occasions it has happened, it was temporary and bass returned fairly quickly and always returned when rebooting the car.

No particular pattern to when this happens and makes no difference what source I am listening too or how much bass features in the track. Very random.

When I had mine into the dealer last month for another issue I mentioned it but they could not replicate the issue and could not find any stored fault codes. I was advised to record it on my phone if it occurs again. Not quite sure how my phone is supposed to identify loss of bass! They mentioned they were aware of some issues but will not replace any components without evidence of the fault which I sort of understand. Has not occurred however since the last visit into the dealership.

I would also be interested to hear if anyone here gets a resolution from the dealer.
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      10-09-2020, 11:22 AM   #13
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Cheers andy5468 . If you've got any links to other info on it please stick it on the three if you don't mind.
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      10-12-2020, 10:02 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beemer5to3 View Post
Cheers andy5468 . If you've got any links to other info on it please stick it on the three if you don't mind.
2020 M340i 2 month old with 2k miles.

I was recently facing the same issue and was looking for solutions or fixes. Bass drops intermittently and had crackling noises. There is another thread which is almost a year old discussing similar issue.

Visited the dealer and let them know about the issue. It is hard to recreate and just left the car with them for investigating. They ran diagnostics and found fault codes related to the amp and identified as bass booster failure.

Had to special order the part from germany and took about 2 weeks. Now the issue seemed to have been fixed (3rd week now).

Hope this helps and I would suggest to visit the dealer. Looks like a known issue at some dealerships.
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      10-14-2020, 02:48 AM   #15
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@sathyam340 really helpful, thanks. Do you have a link to the other thread please?
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      10-14-2020, 10:24 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by andy5468 View Post
Having googled this, it appears this is not an unusual occurrence to lose bass intermittently on the G20 HK and clearly others here all have had similar issues to me.

As I mention, it seems to be very random for me and fortunately not become a big enough issue for me at this stage. The few occasions it has happened, it was temporary and bass returned fairly quickly and always returned when rebooting the car.

No particular pattern to when this happens and makes no difference what source I am listening too or how much bass features in the track. Very random.

When I had mine into the dealer last month for another issue I mentioned it but they could not replicate the issue and could not find any stored fault codes. I was advised to record it on my phone if it occurs again. Not quite sure how my phone is supposed to identify loss of bass! They mentioned they were aware of some issues but will not replace any components without evidence of the fault which I sort of understand. Has not occurred however since the last visit into the dealership.

I would also be interested to hear if anyone here gets a resolution from the dealer.
I think may be playing a bass track and keeping your phone on your iDrive screen showing you haven't adjusted the bass settings. Any good pair of headphones will be able to listen to the detail. If you wanted to you could also use a spectrum analyzer (like a RTA equalizer) to demonstrate the bass cut.

Mine is starting to do it more and more but I haven't had the time to go to the dealer yet.
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      10-14-2020, 10:46 AM   #17
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Update - mine is now booked into the dealer on 23/10, so will let everyone know what's said.
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      10-23-2020, 03:53 PM   #18
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So had my car in the dealer today - as I feared they couldn't replicate the fault, but did find fault codes relating to the sound system, but they just cleared the codes and told me if I had any more issues to come back...got about 1 minute from the dealer and the fault presented itself again.

I know it's just a sound system, but it's really souring my experience of the car - and, I paid for it, so it should work properly. When it is working though, I have to say I'm massively underwhelmed by it. The HK in my G30 was miles better.
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      10-26-2020, 05:22 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beemer5to3 View Post
So had my car in the dealer today - as I feared they couldn't replicate the fault, but did find fault codes relating to the sound system, but they just cleared the codes and told me if I had any more issues to come back...got about 1 minute from the dealer and the fault presented itself again.

I know it's just a sound system, but it's really souring my experience of the car - and, I paid for it, so it should work properly. When it is working though, I have to say I'm massively underwhelmed by it. The HK in my G30 was miles better.
Surely if you're less than a minute away you turn back around and call them to come out and see it again?!
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      10-26-2020, 05:24 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Soul_Glo View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beemer5to3 View Post
So had my car in the dealer today - as I feared they couldn't replicate the fault, but did find fault codes relating to the sound system, but they just cleared the codes and told me if I had any more issues to come back...got about 1 minute from the dealer and the fault presented itself again.

I know it's just a sound system, but it's really souring my experience of the car - and, I paid for it, so it should work properly. When it is working though, I have to say I'm massively underwhelmed by it. The HK in my G30 was miles better.
Surely if you're less than a minute away you turn back around and call them to come out and see it again?!
In an ideal world yes, but I was at work and had a meeting to go to.
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      10-27-2020, 12:47 PM   #21
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I’ve noticed my HK vibrates/rattles on the dash center speaker under certain circumstances, generally just phone calls, hold music mainly and not all the time. Still a bit disappointing for a HK system.

Hope you get yours sorted!
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      10-28-2020, 12:32 PM   #22
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Just as I suspected, in at Sytner all day for the issues discussed in this thread and could not be replicated. Driving home all fine - I have been told to try to video the problem when it happens, so I will see if I can do that tommorow.
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