Popping Buzzing Bose System Even When the Radio is Off

You will
benefit from this tech tip if:
1. Your Bose system does a loud
�POP� when you power it off, or �
2. Your Bose system continues to
�BUZZ� even when you power it off, or�
3. Your Bose system �BUZZ�
now becomes a loud and constant �HISS� even when the system is powered off
AND the key is out of the ignition (causing your battery to drain &
die).
The cause is the relay that controls the Bose amplifier
is either failing (description 1& 2) or has failed completely (description
3).
First, the good news:
The replacement relay is
inexpensive and easy to get.
The relay is part number 14078902
and is available from you local Chevy dealer. Mine ran $11.09 +
tax.
You can see a picture of the relay at
http://www.madvet.com/shop’store=3&frame=1071
Now, the bad
news:
This is a task that will take a good part of a day to do, and
result with a lot of parts all over the garage.
My �vette is an
�89 (square digital dash), and this worked for me. I chose to replace the
relay completely, so that it stays where it should. I try to stay to the
original as much as possible.
If you don�t have this hang-up, you
may be able to unhook the old relay, connect a new one, and just cram it
back up above the passenger knee area.
If you want to do it the
correct way, here�s what you�ll need:
Phillips screwdriver, very
long
Phillips screwdriver, very short
Socket set
Bucket for
screws & bolts
Shop light
Battery charger
Patience
The
patience is that about halfway through, you will consider breaking the
windshield to make this easier. Take heart, this is NOT a necessary step.
(On the other hand, if you are going to replace the windshield anyway�
🙂
Here are the steps:
1) Attach the battery charger if your
battery is already weak. The doors will be open for the next 6 hours or
so�
2) Remove the plastic kick cover below the passenger side
carpeted section (3 bolts).
Disconnect the light as you remove it.
CAUTION: it will be hot!
Do not EVEN think of removing the carpeted
section, as it is part of the dash frame.
1) Carefully remove the
driver instrument console bezel. (You don�t want to buy a new one�.)
There are screws on the front and left side.
1) Remove the center
bezel. (TIP: there is a screw on the left side near the top)
1)
OPTIONAL: If you wish, you can remove the instrument switch / information
pod. You can disconnect the main plug into the back, but not the other
set of wires.
This is a good time to disassemble and clean this
unit, but more importantly, by removing the BLUE BUZZING MODULE, this will
give you your first view of the relay, behind the �breadbox� (padded
passenger dash), on the left side of the breadbox, to the right of the
info panel, well back inside the dash.
6) Remove the Fuse cover,
and the fuse area bezel.
7) Remove the dash pad (2 long screws in
the defroster bezel, 5 bolts below) pull slightly up, and out.
8)
Remove the passenger side dash frame brace (steel, silver, running front
to back, 2 bolts) to allow for easy access to the AC tube.
9)
Remove plastic AC tube above passenger area (1 bolt). There is nothing
else holding it in, so give it a good yank to remove.
10) Remove
the two top breadbox bolts to give yourself a bit more room.
By
this time, the relay will be easy to see, and almost easy to access. It
is on a steel vertical dash support strut, bolted on (2 bolts), facing the
drivers side.
If you have the constant �BUZZ� and �HISS� feature
even with the radio off and the key out of the ignition, a final proof is
a quick smack with a screwdriver. The hissing should stop. (If that
didn�t do it, disconnecting it will)
11) Remove the two screws
holding the relay.
12) Push the relay down into the passenger foot
area.
13) Disconnect the bad relay, replace, and push back up into
dash.
14) Reinstall relay w/ two retaining screws.
15)
Reinstall all other items, reverse order of
removal.
Tips:
DON�T yank any of the dash plastic very
hard. Remember that it�s old, expensive to replace, and may be
fragile
DO make sure that the metal clips that retain the screws
are in the right place before you reinstall, or you’ll have to do it a
second time.
DON�T loose your patience replacing the dash pad. The
4 retaining clips needs to go back into their slots, and doing it even and
easy works best.
DON�T force the driver�s instrument console bezel.
(You�re probably just hung up on the steering wheel tilt
stick)
Thanks for tips from: Southern Comfort, FLVetteNut and
SunCR
Best luck to all!
Vincent
89 vette vert
white
ext. w/ red int.