Donny Carlson
08-08-2003, 07:31 PM
I didn't test drive the MM I bought. I drove one of the other cars on the lot because my car was on the show room. I brought along a CD to test out the sound system, and was happy with what I heard, considering it was OEM.
To my great disappointment, when I drove home my car, the subwoofer was muffled and buzzing like it was blown out. I looked at the review sectin here on MM.net and saw the description of how to see if the knock out panel had been left in at the factory, but no way I was going to tackle the job... I was going to let the dealer handle it.
I drove around for a couple of days swearing at the buzzing and popping. The day before I was to take the car in, I climbed into the back seat to check out how easy it would be to replace the rear speakers with better ones, and I notice that there are >three< speaker grilles. Next to the left speaker is another grill, except it's flat and not on an angle bulge like the others. I pried up the grille and could see the subwoofer speaker... and pulled out TWO of those foam baffles. I have seen photos on here that the subwoofer has one of these (and why it's there is a puzzlement... just what does the baffle do and is it necessary?), but there were two in my car, and apparantly the buzzing sound was the top foam baffle slapping against the grille whenever the subwoofer fired. I took these foam pieces out, fired up the radio, and voila, no more buzzing or popping and the subwoofer worked perfectly!
I mentioned this to my service writer the next time I went in, and he told me that the speaker grille was the idea of Champion Lincon Mercury's service manager. I have to say, the job was first rate, the cut was clean (looks factory) and the grille is perfect in fit and color. Anyway, I was told the service manager has the grille hole cut and installed because of complaints by other owners about the subwoofer, that all the MM's in their inventory will have the mod done prior to delivery. The service manager felt that there wasn't sufficient air for the subwoofer, that the grille idead solved the problem.
Fine, but who was the genious who put two foam baffles in my car, thus causing the subwoofer to malfuction? Hmmm?
To my great disappointment, when I drove home my car, the subwoofer was muffled and buzzing like it was blown out. I looked at the review sectin here on MM.net and saw the description of how to see if the knock out panel had been left in at the factory, but no way I was going to tackle the job... I was going to let the dealer handle it.
I drove around for a couple of days swearing at the buzzing and popping. The day before I was to take the car in, I climbed into the back seat to check out how easy it would be to replace the rear speakers with better ones, and I notice that there are >three< speaker grilles. Next to the left speaker is another grill, except it's flat and not on an angle bulge like the others. I pried up the grille and could see the subwoofer speaker... and pulled out TWO of those foam baffles. I have seen photos on here that the subwoofer has one of these (and why it's there is a puzzlement... just what does the baffle do and is it necessary?), but there were two in my car, and apparantly the buzzing sound was the top foam baffle slapping against the grille whenever the subwoofer fired. I took these foam pieces out, fired up the radio, and voila, no more buzzing or popping and the subwoofer worked perfectly!
I mentioned this to my service writer the next time I went in, and he told me that the speaker grille was the idea of Champion Lincon Mercury's service manager. I have to say, the job was first rate, the cut was clean (looks factory) and the grille is perfect in fit and color. Anyway, I was told the service manager has the grille hole cut and installed because of complaints by other owners about the subwoofer, that all the MM's in their inventory will have the mod done prior to delivery. The service manager felt that there wasn't sufficient air for the subwoofer, that the grille idead solved the problem.
Fine, but who was the genious who put two foam baffles in my car, thus causing the subwoofer to malfuction? Hmmm?