What is this buzz sound? Its driving me nuts!

[Specialtyperformanceparts]

Its horrible. Its much louder in person. Its something electrical if I had to guess. ITs that kind of feedback noise. I removed my dash cam and radar detector just to make sure its not that. No change.

I do have a Baja Design reverse light kit installed. The SPV kit with reverse activated or manual switch override. The reverse activated harness goes into driver rear light. ITs easy to remove, so I took that out just to see if it made any difference. It DID NOT.

BUT. I did smell the same burning electronic smell I had smelled earlier. The back of my tail light and the harness plug that went into my light both had the same smell. Not good. Everything functions just fine though. And did before too. Maybe I walked into another problem about to happen? I dont know. But I removed the reverse trigger part of my baja designs reverse light kit for good.

The sound is for sure coming from the back of the cab too. That I confirmed today.

Anyhow, we will see what the dealer says on monday. But so far I have no fix and found a funky smelling tail light.

Meh.

Hey Bigworm,

Someone sent me a text and said you were having some issues.
It is always a good idea to eliminate things like you are doing in order to nail down the issue.

I want you to know though, that based on your explanation, your tail light adapter would have nothing to do with that. Before I started SPV Parts, I was DEEPLY involved with Ford and Roush and know the ins and outs of these vehicles pretty well. Of course I can't completely diagnose it for you over this. I can hopefully give you some more insight.

First, lets talk about the mechanics of your tail light/tail light adapter. The tail light circuit is run THROUGH the PCM also known as the vehicles computer. The computer programming senses amp changes and sensitivity. If there were too much draw, where something would cause a melting or burning smell in the tail light or plugged into the tail light (remember the adapter draws power from the tail light). The computer in the truck would turn OFF the tail light. This actually occurs BEFORE the fuse even blows.
We have seen this when someone tries to plug lights into the tail lights that are too big, such as an S8 light bar.
So if there were a problem with the tail light, it would STOP working. So verify you tail light/running lights work. If they do, you should be fine with your tail lights. Even if the electronics for example in the tail light were shorting out, it would spike the voltage and the computer would shut them off. These new vehicles are crazy smart. So that's why you can only use smaller lights that are 2 amps and UNDER each, for a pair with a tail light adapter. Remember, that is also only in short spurts. So unless you are in reverse, the tail light, reverse lights, etc would have no power.

So, lets get to my theory from watching your video. The first video I would have never come to this thought. However the second one, when you were outside and under the rear wheel well made me think of this possibility. Also, that humming and vibration. There are no moving parts in the tail lights or add on lights or wiring. So for something that loud, it HAS TO have moving parts or something that is laying over something that is loose enough to vibrate.

So you smell something burning right? and you have that loud noise. I know someone mentioned the shocks. It could be the active valves. Maybe. That's a possibility. My theory though based on the sound and smell, is the exhaust.... Remember, you have the active valve exhaust with actuator motors in the pipes. You can electronically activate the motors and open and close them and change the sound. They are MOTORS so they move. They can vibrate. It could be tied to just those. Or, it could be a complex issue. With the smell and burning smell, it could be that maybe a valve is stuck or something and its getting hot on the one side and burning off sediment or coatings or something (that smell coming out of the exhaust would go UP (heat rises) and make the tail light potentially smell. It is right above the tail pipe.
It could be maybe a Catalytic Converter issue in the exhaust. If they cats have an issue and get really hot. They could cause the electronic actuators in the exhaust to malfunction potentially as well. So it could be a compounded problem.

However, again. In trying to zoom in on potential culprits, you want something that creates heat (the exhaust) can move or vibrate (the exhaust baffles, heat shields, hangers, shock actuators, etc). But if the smell is for sure not a normal smell, I don't think it would be the shocks. If they were to malfunction enough to smell like they were REALLY burning, the fuse or power to them would also be cut off. They could of course make the noise. The smell too? I don't think so, unless the smell is something else and you just didn't realize it. Sometimes something happens like this and we look for every possible thing and sometimes put something in the equation we didn't realize was already there.

If the burning smell is associated, I am betting on the exhaust.

Funny thing, in the 2024 I just picked up. I started hearing a rattling inside all the sudden. Out of nowhere. It made no sense. The faster I went, the louder it got. At first, I thought it was a speaker or an amp or something. Then I turned off the "Cooled Seats" randomly, and it went away. I then turned them back on, and it got louder when I turned them up. It turns out something is in the fan motor/blade or something. Like a card in a bike wheel. I haven't messed with it yet, bat that's what's going on there.

Let me know if you need any help or have questions.


John
SPV Parts

 

[BIGW0RM]

Thanks John. Yeah, have no clue why it smelled. It all works just fine and I had zero lighting issues. I just walked into that smell trying to narrow down all electronics that I added. Im keeping it off just in case though. I still have the uplifter switch too.

I had no thought to check the exhaust valves, but might as well too. Today it did it with my daughter with me. I had her jump in the back seat to see if it was coming out of the rear passenger door speaker. She checked and thought it was, but then said it sounded like it was coming from the rear seat area. Its so bizarre.

Ideally I need it to happen when I have an adult passenger with me that can jump out and listen at each shock solenoid. And or try to pinpoint the source. Its very strange how it gets louder as I turn left. Once I hit a certain point it just stops. And then it may or may not happen next time I drive. I heard it the other day when I was in the truck alone. By the time I parked it had stopped. But I went and touched all my shocks and none of them where hot or warm at all near the solenoid.

Anyhow, Im going to hope the dealer can figure this out. Its super annoying. And its loud. I know you dont hear it on the videos very well. But that buzz, feedback, hum, whatever it is, is clearly heard in and outside of the cab.

 

[BigTaco]

Also,
If a plastic grocery bag gets run over it can stick to the exhaust. It smells just like an electrical fire until it completely melts away…

 

[julien194b]

Hey Bigworm,

Someone sent me a text and said you were having some issues.
It is always a good idea to eliminate things like you are doing in order to nail down the issue.

I want you to know though, that based on your explanation, your tail light adapter would have nothing to do with that. Before I started SPV Parts, I was DEEPLY involved with Ford and Roush and know the ins and outs of these vehicles pretty well. Of course I can't completely diagnose it for you over this. I can hopefully give you some more insight.

First, lets talk about the mechanics of your tail light/tail light adapter. The tail light circuit is run THROUGH the PCM also known as the vehicles computer. The computer programming senses amp changes and sensitivity. If there were too much draw, where something would cause a melting or burning smell in the tail light or plugged into the tail light (remember the adapter draws power from the tail light). The computer in the truck would turn OFF the tail light. This actually occurs BEFORE the fuse even blows.
We have seen this when someone tries to plug lights into the tail lights that are too big, such as an S8 light bar.
So if there were a problem with the tail light, it would STOP working. So verify you tail light/running lights work. If they do, you should be fine with your tail lights. Even if the electronics for example in the tail light were shorting out, it would spike the voltage and the computer would shut them off. These new vehicles are crazy smart. So that's why you can only use smaller lights that are 2 amps and UNDER each, for a pair with a tail light adapter. Remember, that is also only in short spurts. So unless you are in reverse, the tail light, reverse lights, etc would have no power.

So, lets get to my theory from watching your video. The first video I would have never come to this thought. However the second one, when you were outside and under the rear wheel well made me think of this possibility. Also, that humming and vibration. There are no moving parts in the tail lights or add on lights or wiring. So for something that loud, it HAS TO have moving parts or something that is laying over something that is loose enough to vibrate.

So you smell something burning right? and you have that loud noise. I know someone mentioned the shocks. It could be the active valves. Maybe. That's a possibility. My theory though based on the sound and smell, is the exhaust.... Remember, you have the active valve exhaust with actuator motors in the pipes. You can electronically activate the motors and open and close them and change the sound. They are MOTORS so they move. They can vibrate. It could be tied to just those. Or, it could be a complex issue. With the smell and burning smell, it could be that maybe a valve is stuck or something and its getting hot on the one side and burning off sediment or coatings or something (that smell coming out of the exhaust would go UP (heat rises) and make the tail light potentially smell. It is right above the tail pipe.
It could be maybe a Catalytic Converter issue in the exhaust. If they cats have an issue and get really hot. They could cause the electronic actuators in the exhaust to malfunction potentially as well. So it could be a compounded problem.

However, again. In trying to zoom in on potential culprits, you want something that creates heat (the exhaust) can move or vibrate (the exhaust baffles, heat shields, hangers, shock actuators, etc). But if the smell is for sure not a normal smell, I don't think it would be the shocks. If they were to malfunction enough to smell like they were REALLY burning, the fuse or power to them would also be cut off. They could of course make the noise. The smell too? I don't think so, unless the smell is something else and you just didn't realize it. Sometimes something happens like this and we look for every possible thing and sometimes put something in the equation we didn't realize was already there.

If the burning smell is associated, I am betting on the exhaust.

Funny thing, in the 2024 I just picked up. I started hearing a rattling inside all the sudden. Out of nowhere. It made no sense. The faster I went, the louder it got. At first, I thought it was a speaker or an amp or something. Then I turned off the "Cooled Seats" randomly, and it went away. I then turned them back on, and it got louder when I turned them up. It turns out something is in the fan motor/blade or something. Like a card in a bike wheel. I haven't messed with it yet, bat that's what's going on there.

Let me know if you need any help or have questions.


John
SPV Parts

you can't do more professionnal, respect sir !

 

[smurfslayer]

Thanks John. Yeah, have no clue why it smelled. It all works just fine and I had zero lighting issues. I just walked into that smell trying to narrow down all electronics that I added. Im keeping it off just in case though. I still have the uplifter switch too.

I had no thought to check the exhaust valves, but might as well too. Today it did it with my daughter with me. I had her jump in the back seat to see if it was coming out of the rear passenger door speaker. She checked and thought it was, but then said it sounded like it was coming from the rear seat area. Its so bizarre.

Ideally I need it to happen when I have an adult passenger with me that can jump out and listen at each shock solenoid. And or try to pinpoint the source. Its very strange how it gets louder as I turn left. Once I hit a certain point it just stops. And then it may or may not happen next time I drive. I heard it the other day when I was in the truck alone. By the time I parked it had stopped. But I went and touched all my shocks and none of them where hot or warm at all near the solenoid.

Anyhow, Im going to hope the dealer can figure this out. Its super annoying. And its loud. I know you dont hear it on the videos very well. But that buzz, feedback, hum, whatever it is, is clearly heard in and outside of the cab.

When you pulled the harness off the light, was the harness hot? Not warm, but hot - like uncomfortable?
Also, does this happen when everything in the cab is off - radio, a/c, fan seats - everything?

Also,
If a plastic grocery bag gets run over it can stick to the exhaust. It smells just like an electrical fire until it completely melts away…

That sounds like a fun story. I actually ran over an empty gallon milk jug once and it got stuck under the truck at the leaf spring. Someone had spilled a plastic trash bag full of debris and I chose the least trashy path.

 

[Specialtyperformanceparts]

Thanks John. Yeah, have no clue why it smelled. It all works just fine and I had zero lighting issues. I just walked into that smell trying to narrow down all electronics that I added. Im keeping it off just in case though. I still have the uplifter switch too.

I had no thought to check the exhaust valves, but might as well too. Today it did it with my daughter with me. I had her jump in the back seat to see if it was coming out of the rear passenger door speaker. She checked and thought it was, but then said it sounded like it was coming from the rear seat area. Its so bizarre.

Ideally I need it to happen when I have an adult passenger with me that can jump out and listen at each shock solenoid. And or try to pinpoint the source. Its very strange how it gets louder as I turn left. Once I hit a certain point it just stops. And then it may or may not happen next time I drive. I heard it the other day when I was in the truck alone. By the time I parked it had stopped. But I went and touched all my shocks and none of them where hot or warm at all near the solenoid.

Anyhow, Im going to hope the dealer can figure this out. Its super annoying. And its loud. I know you dont hear it on the videos very well. But that buzz, feedback, hum, whatever it is, is clearly heard in and outside of the cab.

Yeah, I do hope they figure it out for you. I still think with the sound, it has to be something that can either move, or vibrate (or a speaker? sure). The Smell, that could be associated or like something others mentioned something like a bag on the exhaust. I thought it was possibly a Cat, or plastic or something that is sitting on the exhaust. I think smell wise, something could be involved with the exhaust. Even if it isn't the cause of the sound?
Just because the one thing on the truck back there that gets hot is the exhaust. The shocks SHOULDN'T get hot, wires SHOULDN'T get hot, and if it were something electrical that was getting hot, you'd have bigger problems I would think and know what it was right away with blown fuses.
Another thing that could contribute to the smell that you may not have noticed if not looking for the sound is undercoating. If you had undercoating done, paint, etc, it could burn off the exhaust just like a plastic bag.

One other thing I just thought of... Brakes? The brakes could have paint? or if one is sticking it can cause heat, friction and smell and potentially with the ABS system, it could click and make noise. (Did you upgrade brakes?)

All in all, I have found its hit and miss with the dealer techs. I have trained a few of them on some things, and known others that are way above their pay grade. Sometimes you get some really good ones with problem solving skills and experience. Other times a dealership is full of newbies that have little to no experience. In diagnosing stuff like this its better with experience.

While it sucks to do your own problem solving, which is what I REALLY want to help you do with these replies. It sometimes is better to lead the horse to water. In other words, if its a new/inexperienced tech, having some direction to take them can help a lot so they don't say the notorious "Couldn't Replicate Issue". So keep doing the videos and audio recordings in the mean time.

A word of advice from someone who knows the ins and outs. If they say they can't diagnose the problem and try to send you off until you can "replicate it". Tell them you want them to request a "Field Service Tech".
Dennis Wilson is the main one in the Mid West and he is EXCELLENT. They are DIRECT engineers that work for Ford and travel to dealerships when the dealer can't figure out an issue. Hopefully they can just figure it out right away. If not though, that's at least some advice.

John

 

[BIGW0RM]

Yeah, I do hope they figure it out for you. I still think with the sound, it has to be something that can either move, or vibrate (or a speaker? sure). The Smell, that could be associated or like something others mentioned something like a bag on the exhaust. I thought it was possibly a Cat, or plastic or something that is sitting on the exhaust. I think smell wise, something could be involved with the exhaust. Even if it isn't the cause of the sound?
Just because the one thing on the truck back there that gets hot is the exhaust. The shocks SHOULDN'T get hot, wires SHOULDN'T get hot, and if it were something electrical that was getting hot, you'd have bigger problems I would think and know what it was right away with blown fuses.
Another thing that could contribute to the smell that you may not have noticed if not looking for the sound is undercoating. If you had undercoating done, paint, etc, it could burn off the exhaust just like a plastic bag.

One other thing I just thought of... Brakes? The brakes could have paint? or if one is sticking it can cause heat, friction and smell and potentially with the ABS system, it could click and make noise. (Did you upgrade brakes?)

All in all, I have found its hit and miss with the dealer techs. I have trained a few of them on some things, and known others that are way above their pay grade. Sometimes you get some really good ones with problem solving skills and experience. Other times a dealership is full of newbies that have little to no experience. In diagnosing stuff like this its better with experience.

While it sucks to do your own problem solving, which is what I REALLY want to help you do with these replies. It sometimes is better to lead the horse to water. In other words, if its a new/inexperienced tech, having some direction to take them can help a lot so they don't say the notorious "Couldn't Replicate Issue". So keep doing the videos and audio recordings in the mean time.

A word of advice from someone who knows the ins and outs. If they say they can't diagnose the problem and try to send you off until you can "replicate it". Tell them you want them to request a "Field Service Tech".
Dennis Wilson is the main one in the Mid West and he is EXCELLENT. They are DIRECT engineers that work for Ford and travel to dealerships when the dealer can't figure out an issue. Hopefully they can just figure it out right away. If not though, that's at least some advice.

John

Hi John,

Me too. I just dropped it off today and was able to capture a really good video of it this time. They listened to it and they are scratching there heads on it. It sure sounds like a speaker at max volume playing nothing. But its not the speakers. Unless its the subwoofer. Becasuse it sure sounds like its coming from under the rear seats. I do have the power pack pro thing. So who knows. All I know is, its driving me crazy and making me want out of my raptor.

Once the dealer foreman heard this video (mechanic since 80's, is now FDRS master), they plugged that FDRS ford dealer laptop into my truck. The said my battery needed to be replaced that it was only at 45% even though it starts up fine. He founds lots of strange ABS codes and some other codes under a DDM or soemthing module? Since they only heard it in video. They where going to swap the battery out, clear the codes and go from there. But they all agreed that it sounds like speakers, but they think its something mechanical.

Anyhow, I appreciate your thought and help. But I dont think this has anything to do with the lights you sold me. I will send you a PM to discuss my adapter.

 

[smurfslayer]

Have you messed with FORSCAN / active noise cancellation aka fake engine sound? if not, maybe try that, it’s easy enough to undo.

 

[BIGW0RM]

Have you messed with FORSCAN / active noise cancellation aka fake engine sound? if not, maybe try that, it’s easy enough to undo.

I have not. But the shop foreman was the forscan/FDRS go to guy. I will ask him about it once I get any updates. He was cool about making any changes I might want in FDRS or whatever ford calls there software.

 

[Specialtyperformanceparts]

Hi John,

Me too. I just dropped it off today and was able to capture a really good video of it this time. They listened to it and they are scratching there heads on it. It sure sounds like a speaker at max volume playing nothing. But its not the speakers. Unless its the subwoofer. Becasuse it sure sounds like its coming from under the rear seats. I do have the power pack pro thing. So who knows. All I know is, its driving me crazy and making me want out of my raptor.

Once the dealer foreman heard this video (mechanic since 80's, is now FDRS master), they plugged that FDRS ford dealer laptop into my truck. The said my battery needed to be replaced that it was only at 45% even though it starts up fine. He founds lots of strange ABS codes and some other codes under a DDM or soemthing module? Since they only heard it in video. They where going to swap the battery out, clear the codes and go from there. But they all agreed that it sounds like speakers, but they think its something mechanical.

Anyhow, I appreciate your thought and help. But I dont think this has anything to do with the lights you sold me. I will send you a PM to discuss my adapter.

I can't really tell direction from the video, but the direction of the camera toward the back seat area made me think it sounded like it was concentrated back there somewhere?

If it is a speaker, perhaps its the subwoofer and or amp causing it? They are back there under the rear seat? Amps are funny things since they take a sound sample and increase it. If there is noise over an electric line say from the alternator? (Alternators can be "dirty" and produce "noise" as they generate power to 1: charge the battery and 2: power the truck (spark plugs, radio, electronics). So perhaps, if the alternator is bad/going bad, then it would obviously not charge the battery correct (hince a 45% charge), meaning the vehicle is running off of the battery rather than the alternator because the alternator isn't keeping up.

If the alternator is defective, it can produce a dirty charge and put that through the speakers/amps. (Subs and their amps tend to be most susceptible). Then the other big component electric wise in those, all tied together into the Alternator and Battery is the "On Board Generator" Basically a big power inverter. If you know of or remember, there is a plug in in your truck bet for that. I believe the box for that generator/invertor is located in that back seat area as well. It takes power from the battery/alternator to power those rear outlets at 110v. The one in the Raptor is smaller than the "Pro On Board System" they put in the work trucks that they say powers an entire house. However, I powered 1/2 my house in an outage from that outlet during an outage before.

So it could be that the onboard power system is either activated, Stuck on, or inadvertently turning itself on and off.

You can try to replicate it by going to the back of your truck. In the truck bed where the AC outlets are (Driver side near the tail gate) and push the ON button while the truck is RUNNING. When that generator system turns on, it does make a hum/noise. See if it does that and engages and if that's the sound you are hearing.

Those are all theories based on your battery info.

John