Popping sound from speakers when using door locks

We recently got a new member in our Subaru family - a 2013 Tribeca 3.6R Limited. It has this strange quirk where it would make a popping sound from the speakers when using the door locks. It seems like all the speakers do the pop. It doesn't matter what input is selected on the radio - popping occurs on AM, FM, CD, and XM.

 

I am thinking something might be wrong with a ground somewhere or something funky with the Harmon Kardon amp, but I have to do more investigating. Other than that, the sound system sounds healthy with no distortion.

 

It's not really an important thing but I figured maybe someone can offer their two cents. I decided to post on the Legacy forums as the Tribeca forums are a little not active.

Edited January 31, 2021 by ssulb

Have you tried it after unplugging all electronics in things like the cigarette lighter? Sometimes having certain things plugged in can make a vehicle act weird.

Have you tried it after unplugging all electronics in things like the cigarette lighter? Sometimes having certain things plugged in can make a vehicle act weird.

 

Yup, nothing was plugged into the cigarette lighter at the time.

I was thinking bad ground myself.

 

Admittedly, I haven’t had to take the door cards off in a modern Subaru yet, but it’s typically not the hardest thing to do. Why not pull the cards off and disconnect the door lock actuators on each door in turn and see if a particular one being out of the system stops the sound. You can inspect the wiring while you’re in there, too.

 

 

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I was thinking bad ground myself.

 

Admittedly, I haven’t had to take the door cards off in a modern Subaru yet, but it’s typically not the hardest thing to do. Why not pull the cards off and disconnect the door lock actuators on each door in turn and see if a particular one being out of the system stops the sound. You can inspect the wiring while you’re in there, too.

 

 

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Thanks for the recommendation. I'll do that when I get some free time.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll do that when I get some free time.

 

Maybe it could also be a loose connection somewhere in the wiring...