2012 MKZ with no sound. After 4 hours of research and pricing out replacements, I stumbled upon your video. Figured it wouldn't hurt to spend $8 and try it myself. It worked!! Thank you for taking the time to make this video.
Hello. Just fixed the same problem. The side with metal points should be contacted with metal body, it’s just a ground point and thermo contact. You don’t need replace thermo gaskets, when you do that, you just create downforce on transistor. I tried to push on transistor with finger without body, and it’s start working. Tried to solder it, and no luck, same, start working only with downforce. The problem inside of first transistor, just swap it with second one, and right now have sound, but sometimes front speakers out of work. So the problem is transistor, not thermo gaskets
Thanks for the video. It was worth a try but it didn't fix my DA5T-18B849-AE on a 2014 Lincoln MKX. Did you do anything to the contacts on the back of the board?
No I didnt. As in the video, just double checked with the tape, but that didnt make a difference. Only the pads. I would recommend finding a good refurbisher on ebay with doa warranty. There are a few good ones and you can save nearly half the price of a new one from the dealer.
I changed the pads but it didn’t work, the failure continues... Do you think it’s the opposite side? Where did you put the insulating tape? Do you think I should try to lift the metal so that it doesn’t make contact with the plate?
It needs to contact. The black electrical tape I applied didn't make a difference. The thermal transfer tape was applied to the same spot where the manufacturer applied it. Just remove the old and clean up the area and reapply. This doesn't fix every amp, unfortunately. There are a few in the comments that had to replace the amp. I would recommend finding a good rebuilt unit with a doa warranty.
I had been having this issue with my 2015 MKC and after quotes for $500+ to replace or repair I started researching a fix. I came across this post and thought I'd risk the $10 and try the fix in this video. I followed the steps in the video about 4 months ago and mine is still working great.
Worked perfectly on my 2015 MKX. Amazing! The amp on my MKX was in the rear of the vehicle. I watched another video for its removal, but the amp looked identical for the work to be done. Thanks again for a great video!
I'm pretty sure the thermal pads are to create pressure and contact on the opposite side of the transistors so they can ground onto the amplifier housing. When the pads wear out, they no longer push hard enough on the backside to make this ground consistently. For those of you who did not succeed, you may want to try and double up the padding to force more contact on the other side.
You may be right, but the case certainly looks like a heat sink. I assume the thermal pads are transferring heat to the case to keep those components cool.
Thanks sooook much. I was having the exact same problem with my 2014 MKX. I got the pads, followed your instructions and now it works perfectly! I really appreciate you posting this.
Thanks for the video. It helped, but didn't completely fix. I am of two thoughts: 1. That the pads I used were not thick enough. Do you see double padding as a reasonable test for this? Or 2. The problem went on so long that the transistors that are being cooled already failed, or now fail even though the heat sink is repaired. Any thoughts?
I would lean towards the transistors being blown and you repaired the heat sink. I don't expect doubling the pads would fix it. You could take it back apart and confirm contact on the pads.
If it helped, you could be on the right track. I had to try 3 times before i found something that completely worked. I ended up using some foam weather strip tape about 1/8th inch thick and thermal paste. It must have been enough to pull some heat from the chips.. The thermal pads I used ended up squishing out from between the chips and the housing rather quickly.. The foam rubber strip doesn't squeeze out and compresses firmly around the chips. I'm thinking if the chips were blown they would probably cease to work at all.
@tntring Thanks, in the end, i removed the bottom cover, and placed the amp sitting on the trunk floor unmounted atop a piece of thin cardboard. For whatever reason, this has worked ever since.
Just be aware, I just removed the amplifier from Loncoln MKT 2013. It is located on the back passenger side quarter panel next to the subwoofer. It looks exactly like the one on the navigator except the location is different. It will aply the same thermal pad fix. I will keep you posted on the results. Thank you so much for such a great video!
Perfect solution! I did spend only 8 dollars for thermal pads from Amazon! While waiting for the pads, I cleaned the plate grounding contacts with Robin alcohol and that took care of the scratchiness noise. Then, after installing the pads, I got the sound back from all the speakers. Before, it was just the central speaker working.
Thank you my dude, life saver, make sure you use the thick pads! The pack comes with thin ones too. Worked on my 2015 mkz hybrid, amp located in trunk pass side.
I had applied this fix to my 2013 Lincoln Navigator and worked great for two weeks. However, now the problem is back and not sure if I need to replace the amp.
I did take the amp out and apart again. I found the thermal pad, I had bought using the provided link, seemed to had worn out along the main rail again. It looked worse than the original pads I took out. This kind of lead me to wonder if I went with the proper thickness of pad. This time I replaced pads again and went slightly thicker this time. Amp reinstalled and seems to be working again.
Just did this repair on my wifes 2015 MKX, worked perfectly! I wouldn't even have tried it had I not seen your great video, thank you for your content and saving me at least $1000.
Thank you for great explanation video. I didnt believe first but it worked perfectly for me. Lincoln MKZ 2015 THX , Symptoms: front speaker not working at all and rear cracking all the time.
I had high hopes this would work for me but it didn't. We had sound in the back at all times but the front would come in and out and then the same symptons for phone calls. Now after replacing pads it's actually worse I have no sound at all now.
That is too bad, sorry to hear that. My symptoms were no sound except out of the front center. Not sure what that means as far as what part of the amp is bad. Thanks for watching and thanks for posting your results!
For the no sound at all, have you removed power from battery and reconnected? I have to do that tandoori mine and it starts working. Mine usually quits when the weather is cold. Very odd.
HELP! I have a 2013 Lincoln MKX with THX sound. I have the same problems. Static appears randomly and all sound goes to the center speaker. I got the thermal pads and followed the directions here to the letter. I put it back together and now when the radio is on, I get the radio, plus static. It sounds exactly like I'm not tuned into the station. Example: station is 107.5 and it sounds like I'm at 107.6. Doesn't do this randomly, it's all the time. Must have been something I've done. Can someone help out here?!?!?
So I tried this and it didn’t work sadly (even tried with two other amps). The radio turns on, but no sound is coming from the speakers whatsoever. Any ideas what the problem could be?
Oh, sorry. I misunderstood your comment. I would agree then, not the amp. Do you have power to the amp? Double check that. You may not be getting a signal from the radio, but I am not sure how to validate that without swapping the radio head unit.
i couldn’t find the foam in store so i figured i was just going to try this and if it didn’t work i would buy a new amp. do you think me putting flame retardant electrical tape over the foam will work?
I have a 2013 Lincoln MKX and did everything in this video including ordering the pads from this link. IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM. Thanks for making this video. So many DIYs really appreciate videos like this including myself. THANKS
on the control panel,there is a small white plug recepter.does a connector plug into it? put it back to gether but couldnt find a wire plug for it.everything works but no volume,no volume control. is this suposed to be pluged in?
I do not have any empty spots that I can remember for wiring. Those harnesses do fall into the cavern behind the dash and look like they are running off somewhere else. It took me forever to find the 12 volt outlet harness I unplugged and it was right in front of my face, 🤣
Make no doubt, you are now on my HERO list. We had Ford attempt to fix the exact problem and pulled the plug when the estimate got over $3000 for replacement parts and labor on our 2015 MKX. I Amazoned the thermal tape for $10. The fix took less than 2 hours including finding, removing, fixing and reinstalling the DSP. Thanks again for your extra effort.
@@marvinbuckingham1685 It lasted 3 days. I redid the fix and again it lasted for 3 days. My third time, I discovered I was making the screws too tight and was squeezing the heat sink tape out from under the components. I’m not sure if this allowed a short circuit or was not allowing the devices to stay cool. In any event, it’s been months and the fix has worked as planned. Still saved a ton of $$$. Hope you discover the same thing.
This fixed my 2015 MKZ with the THX stereo! Used some 1mm thermal pads left over from a video card project. I was just getting ready to buy one of the refurbished amps and found this. My symptoms were the random white static when the stereo was off, and center channel only while the stereo was on. Thanks a shit load!
THANK YOU! I ordered the thermal pads on Amazon overnight delivery. Replaced pads and it WORKS! I didn’t do anything to the bumps or add tape to the front of board. I think the ‘wear’ on the gold areas was caused by vibration from the worn out pads.
Okay, I had a very similar problem. I have a 2015 Lincoln Navigator L and my stereo would completely go out (no sound at all) and at the time it went out I would turn up the volume and intermittently the radio would come on very loud and scare my wife to death. After a while it stopped playing all together. So, I found this video and thought, $10 is worth a try. I ordered the thermal pads and they got to me the next morning. I pulled out the AMP and replaced the thermal pads with the ones ordered from Amazon and I took a pencil eraser and cleaned the contacts where the dimples rest up against the main board and I also used the eraser to clean the transistors. I put it back together and Wah Lah! It is working great now. Thank you for posting this video! I looked up cost for a used amplifier and they ranged from $300 to $800. You are a sound saver! Now if someone could show how to fix my electric power steering that goes out until it warms up after driving without power steering for a few miles. There has to be some component that is inside the electric power steering that can be replaced instead of replacing it with a new one.
This video was so detailed and I loved that you spent the time to do the repair. I'm going to try the thermal pads now before buying a new amp as I've had the same problems with my 2013 MKT.
I wanted to say THANK YOU for posting this video! I have a 2015 Navigator, same exact issue as yours. I bought the thermal strips you recommended, took about 1.5 hour to pull, repair, and replace the amp. BAM! Works like a charm. It is such a relief and made my wife very happy! Again, great video!
This worked like a charm. Thank you for sharing. My 2012 Navigator had an obnoxious popping and hissing whether the radio was on or off. It became progressively worse until it was almost unbearable. I didn't want to wait for thermal pads so I used expanding foam weather stripping that is readily available at Lowe's/Home Depot. Might be a temporary fix - we'll see. But it's perfect now. And, based on this, I'd say definitely do NOT beat the dimples out. The foam pushes against the board so that it stays in contact with the dimples.
just finished following your directions and praise the Lord it is now working and I have one happy bride. I have taken the car to three different places and everyone said it could not be fixed. My wife actually wanted to trade in our 2013 MKX because she could not use her phone or have her Christian radio playing. Hopefully, I am not being early in my praise. One of the funny things in my research on where the amp was located was the number of different answers I found on both by googling and calling dealers. I called five dealers and got three answers. i went with the one that three of them shared. Ended up being in the cargo passenger side. Cannot thank you enough. Now i only need to fix the seat heaters for both seats.
First of all, thank you very much, my car is Lincoln MKS 2013, the Bluetooth and speaker sound is unbalanced and noisy, so the repair company asked for a very large amount of money to replace or exchange it for a used amplifier. I found it myself, and it's working really nicely, thank you so much, always have a happy day,
I did follow all the steps and still my radio is not working. I have navigator 2016. if you can respond to me and help me with that I really appreciate it
Yeah, it looks like this doesnt fix everybodies issue. I would recommend getting a reman amp. Take the exact part number off your amp and search ebay. Check to make sure it is the same and wont require reprogramming. Most come with a warranty.
I just ordered the pads and am looking forward to trying this on the THX amp from our 2010 Lincoln MKS. The thing about broken parts is there is nothing to lose by trying to fix them.
Thank you Whitetail Garage! I have a 2013 Lincoln MKX and used your instructions to repair my THX amplifier. The amplifier on the MKX is in a different location than the Navigator. Instead of being mounted behind the dash, the MKX amp is in the rear quarter panel, passenger side. After removing the panel using several plastic trim removal tools, I then found the amp behind a speaker box. Got that out and then the amp. Disassembled the amp just as you showed in your video, and then removed the pads which were dry and somewhat brittle. Cleaned the surfaces with electronic parts cleaner (I like WD-40 Contact Cleaner) using a razor blade, Q-tips, and paper towels. Reassembled everything, and then turned on the radio -- works perfectly, full sound in all speakers, and no static! Total elapsed time: about 2-1/2 hours. By the way, I used 2.6 x 0.8 inch Silicone Thermal Conductive Pads -- a box of 30 costs $8.45 on Amazon. Only need about 4 or 5 pads for this job. Not a difficult job to do -- thanks to your video! -- and a nice way to spend a beautiful fall afternoon in Atlanta.
This has worked perfectly for me on my 2014 Lincoln MKZ, thank you so much! My front audio was completely out and replacing the thermal pads was an easy fix. Thanks again!
FOLLOW UP... I ordered the pads from Amazon for 8 bucks and change just want to add my amp is behind the passenger side panel in the trunk when I removed it and looked at the part # tag on the back what I noticed is it said "scrap if dropped" had me thinking that's why those boses (bumps) in the aluminum housing are there to limit the vibration to the board just make sure to line up the board with the 2 locating pins on opposite corners in the housing then when putting the T10 screws back in I started in the center and worked my way out to the corners I used a screwdriver style T10 driver and hand tight I didn't want to crack or put strain on the board - oh the repair let's just say I was THUNDERSTRUCK in my car max volume🤘it's been 3 days and working great 👍
Thanks for the great advice, i had ordered an amplifer from rock auto, but of course the wrong one. Saw this video and gave it a tru. Valla it worked. Lincoln dealer said new amp $799 and would take a few weeks to get. Glad i saw your video. 2012 lincoln mks with ecoboost now drives and sounds great again. Thank you.
Ok So...I'm back up and running...for now. took me bout 1.5 hours cause I was watching the finals and going slow so I didn't break anything that I didn't care to replace. I could do it again in 45 mins. I did all three remedy s ( the electrical tape...pounding down the raised fins and the new insulation as I do not care to do this again). If it fails again I'll remove replace. I'm wondering if the act of removing power to the Truck and more specifically the amp is what may force a sync "reboot" and that's what actually restarted it. With that in mind, the failure may have just been the symptom of the problem that we addressed with the new insulation pads. Either way I'm only down $10 so nothing to lose and I'm not in a worse condition....
I tested each step, the only positive result was with the new thermal pads. We'll see if it lasts. So far so good. Let us know you see any different results. Thanks for watching!
Sounds exactly like the problem, I'm having with my 2015 Navigator. If I can't do it myself, do you have a suggestion as to what type of repair service I could contact to do it? A car audio place? Other?
Any mechanic garage you trust. It can get expensive. I remember correctly, at the dealer you are billed for dash R&R. Which isnt required BUT.... If you have the right tools it is relatively easy to get to and replace.
@@WhitetailGarage Went to a local audio shop and it cost me $250 in labor, but they reviewed your video and replaced the thermal pads as you suggested, and it seems to have corrected everything. I haven't checked the Bluetooth phone yet but everything else is back to normal. Thanks so much for your troubleshooting of the problem which seems to be common for the 2015 Navigator. The original quote I got of putting a new amplifier in the vehicle was $1500 so you saved me a bundle and now my trips are much more enjoyable with the corrected audio. Thanks again.
Looks to me like the 8 pads that touch the 8 dimples on the cover are a ground. Your static issue is due to bad grounding. The new pads just gave you better contact with the cover. Should be able to repair with cunductive copper tape or solder the pads where the copper is rubbed off.
Thank you so much for the fix! I have a 2015 Lincoln MKS with a THX sound system. I started experiencing sound loss and poor sound quality on hot days. I followed the instructions in the video and all of the audio issues have been resolved. I used the same pads listed in the video and also added some non-conducting thermal paste to the bottom of the capacitors where the raised divots make contact; the bottom of the case is also acting as a heat sink, thus the use of the raised divots. If you are going to add thermal paste, make sure it's non-conductive. Your video saved me tons of time, money and hassle, thanks again!
I'm going to try and repair mines myself Did you leave the electrical tape inside the amplifier or did you take it away After you replace the Thermal plastic
I had this same issue and fixed it with using items I had on hand. I used some 3M double sided tape and Mr Clean Magic Eraser Thin Sheets. They were the perfect thickness and have been holding up strong and not caused any issues. Hope this helps someone!
Interesting, I believe you need to have that thermal heat transfer in that location. If it is fixed, great! But it may not last if it gets hot with high volume.
Maaaattteeee! I just bought a 12 navigator and the speakers didn’t play any output. I was thinking about replacing the head unit and amplifier and I done some research and came across this video. I put tape over the bumps on the amplifier so they don’t touch the motherboard and most of the speakers are working again. Just waiting on the thermal pads and I’ll change them and see if the whole thing comes back online.
@@BYUGRAPPLER unfortunately my car had a critical engine failure and i didn’t get a chance for them to look at anything to do with the speakers. I’m just going with it at the moment. Judging by the electrical issues I already have with the vehicle though I wouldn’t be surprised if speaker cables have deteriorated within the structures or they’re not wired properly
To follow up on this video, I’ve actually followed every part of this. It lasted for a good 3-4 months and then it acted up again. Very frustrating and im beginning to think to either redo this or purchase a new one. Horrible how Lincoln can’t do a recall on this if it’s common fail for all navigators of this generation. Not that it was hard or anything but it is in a tight spot & can’t imagine doing this every 3-4 months.
It seems like the tape doesn’t cause grounding to stop, but rather those points are there to push in the pcb so that the thermal pads are sandwiched more Between the heatsink. Poor design. Great video.
I have the same issue. Thank you for posting this and saving me a few hundred dollars! Can’t believe it’s such an easy fix. Going to get a T-shirt with the money I saved!
This is 100% not the problem and will not fix your issue. Send to OEM Auto Audio Inc. in Manlius, NY. They'll fix your amplifier and provide a 1-year warranty.
This has fixed a few out there, including mine. Perhaps it is only temporary, but that is why I am asking in those comments to let us know the results. I didn't come up with it, I found the fix on forum and created the video. That being said, I am sure it is not the same issue for all and so it won't fix all. I agree using OEM Auto Audio, from the research I did that was the best price with the best reviews.
I am just curious, if this is not the issue, do we have someone on the OEM Auto Audio team that can educate us on the issue? The AM static sound is unbearable, but after this video, it is fine. So, inquiring minds would like to know.
@@Deicide112 I would also not expect someone to come here with a 100% claim that this won't help with no evidence and send people to some where else where they have to pay to fix the issue. If this company is so good then they can explain what the problem really is and why we would be better off sending it to them to fix. Especially when I can't find that business on the BBB website and the address is to a house.
gotta love the spam dingbats... I find it in poor taste to advertise like this in someone elses blog... This worked for me, bud. I seen another RUclips vid on buying an amp for 300 and then being offered 75 'core charge' to return the old one... This seller is probably just replacing the thermal pads and claiming to 'refurb' them... lol. Good hustle. I'd rather save the 200.00 tho' and do it myself...
I USED YOUR VIDEO TO REPAIR MY 2014 MKS AMP. WORKED LIKE A CHARM. THANK YOU, YOU SAVED ME A LOT OF MONEY. IT WAS A $10 FIX.
2012 MKZ with no sound. After 4 hours of research and pricing out replacements, I stumbled upon your video. Figured it wouldn't hurt to spend $8 and try it myself. It worked!! Thank you for taking the time to make this video.
Thank you. Your video saved me over $600. I was able to repair my 2013 Nav Amp in 2.5 hours.
Hello. Just fixed the same problem. The side with metal points should be contacted with metal body, it’s just a ground point and thermo contact.
You don’t need replace thermo gaskets, when you do that, you just create downforce on transistor. I tried to push on transistor with finger without body, and it’s start working. Tried to solder it, and no luck, same, start working only with downforce.
The problem inside of first transistor, just swap it with second one, and right now have sound, but sometimes front speakers out of work.
So the problem is transistor, not thermo gaskets
Thanks for the video. It was worth a try but it didn't fix my DA5T-18B849-AE on a 2014 Lincoln MKX. Did you do anything to the contacts on the back of the board?
No I didnt. As in the video, just double checked with the tape, but that didnt make a difference. Only the pads. I would recommend finding a good refurbisher on ebay with doa warranty. There are a few good ones and you can save nearly half the price of a new one from the dealer.
I changed the pads but it didn’t work, the failure continues... Do you think it’s the opposite side? Where did you put the insulating tape? Do you think I should try to lift the metal so that it doesn’t make contact with the plate?
It needs to contact. The black electrical tape I applied didn't make a difference. The thermal transfer tape was applied to the same spot where the manufacturer applied it. Just remove the old and clean up the area and reapply. This doesn't fix every amp, unfortunately. There are a few in the comments that had to replace the amp. I would recommend finding a good rebuilt unit with a doa warranty.
I had been having this issue with my 2015 MKC and after quotes for $500+ to replace or repair I started researching a fix. I came across this post and thought I'd risk the $10 and try the fix in this video. I followed the steps in the video about 4 months ago and mine is still working great.
Awesome! Thanks for commenting and letting us know.
Worked perfectly on my 2015 MKX. Amazing! The amp on my MKX was in the rear of the vehicle. I watched another video for its removal, but the amp looked identical for the work to be done. Thanks again for a great video!
I'm pretty sure the thermal pads are to create pressure and contact on the opposite side of the transistors so they can ground onto the amplifier housing. When the pads wear out, they no longer push hard enough on the backside to make this ground consistently. For those of you who did not succeed, you may want to try and double up the padding to force more contact on the other side.
You may be right, but the case certainly looks like a heat sink. I assume the thermal pads are transferring heat to the case to keep those components cool.
Thanks sooook much. I was having the exact same problem with my 2014 MKX. I got the pads, followed your instructions and now it works perfectly! I really appreciate you posting this.
Great video - what thickness was the thermal pad?
Thanks! The pads are 0.8 in thick
Wow!! I’ve been without sound for 6 months now, this worked in my 2015 mkz!! thanks so much
Thanks for the video. It helped, but didn't completely fix. I am of two thoughts: 1. That the pads I used were not thick enough. Do you see double padding as a reasonable test for this? Or 2. The problem went on so long that the transistors that are being cooled already failed, or now fail even though the heat sink is repaired. Any thoughts?
I would lean towards the transistors being blown and you repaired the heat sink. I don't expect doubling the pads would fix it. You could take it back apart and confirm contact on the pads.
If it helped, you could be on the right track. I had to try 3 times before i found something that completely worked. I ended up using some foam weather strip tape about 1/8th inch thick and thermal paste. It must have been enough to pull some heat from the chips.. The thermal pads I used ended up squishing out from between the chips and the housing rather quickly.. The foam rubber strip doesn't squeeze out and compresses firmly around the chips. I'm thinking if the chips were blown they would probably cease to work at all.
@tntring Thanks, in the end, i removed the bottom cover, and placed the amp sitting on the trunk floor unmounted atop a piece of thin cardboard. For whatever reason, this has worked ever since.
This worked perfectly! 2015 navigator, changed the silicone pads and now it’s completely fixed. Thank you 🙏🏻
Just be aware, I just removed the amplifier from Loncoln MKT 2013. It is located on the back passenger side quarter panel next to the subwoofer. It looks exactly like the one on the navigator except the location is different. It will aply the same thermal pad fix. I will keep you posted on the results. Thank you so much for such a great video!
Perfect solution! I did spend only 8 dollars for thermal pads from Amazon! While waiting for the pads, I cleaned the plate grounding contacts with Robin alcohol and that took care of the scratchiness noise. Then, after installing the pads, I got the sound back from all the speakers. Before, it was just the central speaker working.
Thank you my dude, life saver, make sure you use the thick pads! The pack comes with thin ones too. Worked on my 2015 mkz hybrid, amp located in trunk pass side.
found some 3mm thick pad on 3bay.. Nice!
I had applied this fix to my 2013 Lincoln Navigator and worked great for two weeks. However, now the problem is back and not sure if I need to replace the amp.
I did take the amp out and apart again. I found the thermal pad, I had bought using the provided link, seemed to had worn out along the main rail again. It looked worse than the original pads I took out. This kind of lead me to wonder if I went with the proper thickness of pad. This time I replaced pads again and went slightly thicker this time. Amp reinstalled and seems to be working again.
What was your symptoms? I'm having an issue with my 2012 Navigator where the music cuts out for a few seconds then comes back in...
It works! A little 20x120x2 milimeters thermo-pad is enough and fits perfect
Just did this repair on my wifes 2015 MKX, worked perfectly! I wouldn't even have tried it had I not seen your great video, thank you for your content and saving me at least $1000.
Thank you for great explanation video. I didnt believe first but it worked perfectly for me. Lincoln MKZ 2015 THX , Symptoms: front speaker not working at all and rear cracking all the time.
Where can i find thermal pads
I had high hopes this would work for me but it didn't. We had sound in the back at all times but the front would come in and out and then the same symptons for phone calls. Now after replacing pads it's actually worse I have no sound at all now.
That is too bad, sorry to hear that. My symptoms were no sound except out of the front center. Not sure what that means as far as what part of the amp is bad. Thanks for watching and thanks for posting your results!
It was worth the 10 bucks to give it a try!! Thanks for the video!
For the no sound at all, have you removed power from battery and reconnected? I have to do that tandoori mine and it starts working. Mine usually quits when the weather is cold. Very odd.
HELP! I have a 2013 Lincoln MKX with THX sound. I have the same problems. Static appears randomly and all sound goes to the center speaker.
I got the thermal pads and followed the directions here to the letter. I put it back together and now when the radio is on, I get the radio, plus static. It sounds exactly like
I'm not tuned into the station. Example: station is 107.5 and it sounds like I'm at 107.6. Doesn't do this randomly, it's all the time. Must have been something I've done.
Can someone help out here?!?!?
From what others are seeing this doesn't always fix it. You may have to get a rebuilt amp.
So I tried this and it didn’t work sadly (even tried with two other amps). The radio turns on, but no sound is coming from the speakers whatsoever. Any ideas what the problem could be?
Unfortunately, it doesn't work for all. I think you have to buy a refurbished one. They are pricey but not as bad as a new one from Ford/Lincoln.
@@WhitetailGarage I’ve already tried 3 different refurbished amps, so I don’t think it’s the amp that’s the problem
Oh, sorry. I misunderstood your comment. I would agree then, not the amp. Do you have power to the amp? Double check that. You may not be getting a signal from the radio, but I am not sure how to validate that without swapping the radio head unit.
i couldn’t find the foam in store so i figured i was just going to try this and if it didn’t work i would buy a new amp. do you think me putting flame retardant electrical tape over the foam will work?
This is heat transfer foam. I suspect you will quickly burn up the amp if you dont use the correct foam.
Thanks Man!! Worked on my 2015 Lincoln MKC, I just coverd the tabs like the video.
2015 MKX and we had the same symptoms as most people’s comments on here. It worked!!! Thank you.
I have a 2013 Lincoln MKX and did everything in this video including ordering the pads from this link. IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM. Thanks for making this video. So many DIYs really appreciate videos like this including myself. THANKS
Glad to hear it!
on the control panel,there is a small white plug recepter.does a connector plug into it? put it back to gether but couldnt find a wire plug for it.everything works but no volume,no volume control. is this suposed to be pluged in?
I do not have any empty spots that I can remember for wiring. Those harnesses do fall into the cavern behind the dash and look like they are running off somewhere else. It took me forever to find the 12 volt outlet harness I unplugged and it was right in front of my face, 🤣
Make no doubt, you are now on my HERO list. We had Ford attempt to fix the exact problem and pulled the plug when the estimate got over $3000 for replacement parts and labor on our 2015 MKX. I Amazoned the thermal tape for $10. The fix took less than 2 hours including finding, removing, fixing and reinstalling the DSP.
Thanks again for your extra effort.
Amazing what the dealer gets away with charging. I know because I have worked as a tech for several.
@WhitetailGarage how long did it work?
@@marvinbuckingham1685
It lasted 3 days. I redid the fix and again it lasted for 3 days. My third time, I discovered I was making the screws too tight and was squeezing the heat sink tape out from under the components. I’m not sure if this allowed a short circuit or was not allowing the devices to stay cool. In any event, it’s been months and the fix has worked as planned. Still saved a ton of $$$. Hope you discover the same thing.
Thank you sir maybe il loosen them up a tad
@@marvinbuckingham1685 I actually replaced the tape in all three cases. Once it was mashed down I was afraid it would not make contact.
This fixed my 2015 MKZ with the THX stereo! Used some 1mm thermal pads left over from a video card project. I was just getting ready to buy one of the refurbished amps and found this. My symptoms were the random white static when the stereo was off, and center channel only while the stereo was on. Thanks a shit load!
THANK YOU! I ordered the thermal pads on Amazon overnight delivery. Replaced pads and it WORKS! I didn’t do anything to the bumps or add tape to the front of board. I think the ‘wear’ on the gold areas was caused by vibration from the worn out pads.
Okay, I had a very similar problem. I have a 2015 Lincoln Navigator L and my stereo would completely go out (no sound at all) and at the time it went out I would turn up the volume and intermittently the radio would come on very loud and scare my wife to death. After a while it stopped playing all together. So, I found this video and thought, $10 is worth a try. I ordered the thermal pads and they got to me the next morning. I pulled out the AMP and replaced the thermal pads with the ones ordered from Amazon and I took a pencil eraser and cleaned the contacts where the dimples rest up against the main board and I also used the eraser to clean the transistors. I put it back together and Wah Lah! It is working great now. Thank you for posting this video! I looked up cost for a used amplifier and they ranged from $300 to $800. You are a sound saver! Now if someone could show how to fix my electric power steering that goes out until it warms up after driving without power steering for a few miles. There has to be some component that is inside the electric power steering that can be replaced instead of replacing it with a new one.
This video was so detailed and I loved that you spent the time to do the repair. I'm going to try the thermal pads now before buying a new amp as I've had the same problems with my 2013 MKT.
I wanted to say THANK YOU for posting this video! I have a 2015 Navigator, same exact issue as yours. I bought the thermal strips you recommended, took about 1.5 hour to pull, repair, and replace the amp. BAM! Works like a charm. It is such a relief and made my wife very happy! Again, great video!
Happy to help! Thanks for watching and keep us posted!
This worked like a charm. Thank you for sharing. My 2012 Navigator had an obnoxious popping and hissing whether the radio was on or off. It became progressively worse until it was almost unbearable. I didn't want to wait for thermal pads so I used expanding foam weather stripping that is readily available at Lowe's/Home Depot. Might be a temporary fix - we'll see. But it's perfect now. And, based on this, I'd say definitely do NOT beat the dimples out. The foam pushes against the board so that it stays in contact with the dimples.
just finished following your directions and praise the Lord it is now working and I have one happy bride. I have taken the car to three different places and everyone said it could not be fixed. My wife actually wanted to trade in our 2013 MKX because she could not use her phone or have her Christian radio playing. Hopefully, I am not being early in my praise. One of the funny things in my research on where the amp was located was the number of different answers I found on both by googling and calling dealers. I called five dealers and got three answers. i went with the one that three of them shared. Ended up being in the cargo passenger side.
Cannot thank you enough. Now i only need to fix the seat heaters for both seats.
First of all, thank you very much, my car is Lincoln MKS 2013, the Bluetooth and speaker sound is unbalanced and noisy, so the repair company asked for a very large amount of money to replace or exchange it for a used amplifier. I found it myself, and it's working really nicely, thank you so much, always have a happy day,
I did follow all the steps and still my radio is not working. I have navigator 2016. if you can respond to me and help me with that I really appreciate it
Yeah, it looks like this doesnt fix everybodies issue. I would recommend getting a reman amp. Take the exact part number off your amp and search ebay. Check to make sure it is the same and wont require reprogramming. Most come with a warranty.
Definitely worked on my mks
I just ordered the pads and am looking forward to trying this on the THX amp from our 2010 Lincoln MKS. The thing about broken parts is there is nothing to lose by trying to fix them.
Exactly! Good luck. I hope it resolves your issue!
Did you leave the black electrical tape in place or did you remove it after replacing thermal pads?
I removed it before putting the new thermal pads in.
@@WhitetailGarageamp still performing well?
Thank you Whitetail Garage! I have a 2013 Lincoln MKX and used your instructions to repair my THX amplifier. The amplifier on the MKX is in a different location than the Navigator. Instead of being mounted behind the dash, the MKX amp is in the rear quarter panel, passenger side. After removing the panel using several plastic trim removal tools, I then found the amp behind a speaker box. Got that out and then the amp. Disassembled the amp just as you showed in your video, and then removed the pads which were dry and somewhat brittle. Cleaned the surfaces with electronic parts cleaner (I like WD-40 Contact Cleaner) using a razor blade, Q-tips, and paper towels. Reassembled everything, and then turned on the radio -- works perfectly, full sound in all speakers, and no static! Total elapsed time: about 2-1/2 hours. By the way, I used 2.6 x 0.8 inch Silicone Thermal Conductive Pads -- a box of 30 costs $8.45 on Amazon. Only need about 4 or 5 pads for this job. Not a difficult job to do -- thanks to your video! -- and a nice way to spend a beautiful fall afternoon in Atlanta.
How thick is the thermal pads you used?
The kit I bought came with three options ranging from 0.5mm to 1.5mm thick. I used the thickest pad.
Very helpful! My mkz is doing it now so I'll have to find the Amp and mess around with it myself. Thanks for the video.
Come back and let us know if it solves your issue, thanks for watching!
Doing it to ........... Thanks for the FIX !!!
This has worked perfectly for me on my 2014 Lincoln MKZ, thank you so much! My front audio was completely out and replacing the thermal pads was an easy fix. Thanks again!
Hey men i have the same problem still works?? Or just for a time??
Thank you for this video! I did what you did and now it's working great! Awesome job!
Worked like a champ on my 2015 Navigator! You rock!!!!!!!!
Thanks! Keep us posted if anything changes!
Nice video. I love the fox in the garage.. 👍🏽
Thanks! There are a lot of videos covering the foxbody build on the channel.
I have a 2013 mkz hybrid and I'm ordering some thermo pads and hope to be able to do the repair this weekend Thanks so much 👍
FOLLOW UP... I ordered the pads from Amazon for 8 bucks and change just want to add my amp is behind the passenger side panel in the trunk when I removed it and looked at the part # tag on the back what I noticed is it said "scrap if dropped" had me thinking that's why those boses (bumps) in the aluminum housing are there to limit the vibration to the board just make sure to line up the board with the 2 locating pins on opposite corners in the housing then when putting the T10 screws back in I started in the center and worked my way out to the corners I used a screwdriver style T10 driver and hand tight I didn't want to crack or put strain on the board - oh the repair let's just say I was THUNDERSTRUCK in my car max volume🤘it's been 3 days and working great 👍
fixed it?
Replacing the conductor pads like you showed in the video worked! Not only did it save money, but it saved electronics waste!
Glad to hear it!
Any chance you can post a link to the thermal tape that you used?
Added it to the description, let us know if it fixes your issues!
Thank you my 2015 mkz audio fontral is off and i follow the steps put the therm pads and work realy realy thank you i wish you the best in life
Yes name and brand/link of thermal pads...thickness
Added it to the description, let us know if it fixes your issues! I believe I used the thickest pad in the set.
Подскажите пожалуйста linkoln navigatir 2 , где расположен усилитель звука?
It is located down low in the center console under the dash. Below the stereo/cd player.
@@WhitetailGarage Спасибо ☕👍🏻
Thanks for the great advice, i had ordered an amplifer from rock auto, but of course the wrong one. Saw this video and gave it a tru. Valla it worked. Lincoln dealer said new amp $799 and would take a few weeks to get. Glad i saw your video. 2012 lincoln mks with ecoboost now drives and sounds great again. Thank you.
It worked!!!! I have a 2013 Lincoln MKZ. Forums just replace. Lol. Thank you. 10$!!!!!!!
You are the best it worked on my 2012 lincoln mtx Thanks!
Glad to hear it worked! Thanks for watching!
Ok So...I'm back up and running...for now. took me bout 1.5 hours cause I was watching the finals and going slow so I didn't break anything that I didn't care to replace. I could do it again in 45 mins. I did all three remedy s ( the electrical tape...pounding down the raised fins and the new insulation as I do not care to do this again). If it fails again I'll remove replace. I'm wondering if the act of removing power to the Truck and more specifically the amp is what may force a sync "reboot" and that's what actually restarted it. With that in mind, the failure may have just been the symptom of the problem that we addressed with the new insulation pads. Either way I'm only down $10 so nothing to lose and I'm not in a worse condition....
I tested each step, the only positive result was with the new thermal pads. We'll see if it lasts. So far so good. Let us know you see any different results. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for your help. I just fixed my 2015 Navigator.
I did it, and it worked. Thanks save me alot of money. 😊
Thank you Sir! it worked! no more annoying noise on my Mkx 2012.
Sounds exactly like the problem, I'm having with my 2015 Navigator. If I can't do it myself, do you have a suggestion as to what type of repair service I could contact to do it? A car audio place? Other?
Any mechanic garage you trust. It can get expensive. I remember correctly, at the dealer you are billed for dash R&R. Which isnt required BUT.... If you have the right tools it is relatively easy to get to and replace.
@@WhitetailGarage Went to a local audio shop and it cost me $250 in labor, but they reviewed your video and replaced the thermal pads as you suggested, and it seems to have corrected everything. I haven't checked the Bluetooth phone yet but everything else is back to normal. Thanks so much for your troubleshooting of the problem which seems to be common for the 2015 Navigator. The original quote I got of putting a new amplifier in the vehicle was $1500 so you saved me a bundle and now my trips are much more enjoyable with the corrected audio. Thanks again.
I just did this today and it worked . Thank you so much.
Tank you so much I did it on mine and is working perfect life saver
Glad to hear it! Thanks for watching!
Looks to me like the 8 pads that touch the 8 dimples on the cover are a ground. Your static issue is due to bad grounding. The new pads just gave you better contact with the cover. Should be able to repair with cunductive copper tape or solder the pads where the copper is rubbed off.
I don't believe it is grounding through there. However, you may be correct
Great video. I’m going to try this on my 2013 mkx.
Now I need you to fix all the other issues with my mkx. Haha
🤣
Didn’t work but I have no sound at all. Do you have a wiring diagram of the audio system?
Yes where do you buy stuff
Amazon. I added the link in the description.
Thank you so much for the fix! I have a 2015 Lincoln MKS with a THX sound system. I started experiencing sound loss and poor sound quality on hot days. I followed the instructions in the video and all of the audio issues have been resolved. I used the same pads listed in the video and also added some non-conducting thermal paste to the bottom of the capacitors where the raised divots make contact; the bottom of the case is also acting as a heat sink, thus the use of the raised divots. If you are going to add thermal paste, make sure it's non-conductive. Your video saved me tons of time, money and hassle, thanks again!
Thank you for watching and for sharing! Good tip for everybody!
Same here man, it was doing exactly what happened in the video as well as making a loud fuzzing sound. Was your amp in the trunk?
I'm going to try and repair mines myself Did you leave the electrical tape inside the amplifier or did you take it away After you replace the Thermal plastic
I had this same issue and fixed it with using items I had on hand. I used some 3M double sided tape and Mr Clean Magic Eraser Thin Sheets. They were the perfect thickness and have been holding up strong and not caused any issues. Hope this helps someone!
Thanks. I used some 3m double side tape I had lying around as well. Worked like a charm. Seems to be the same silicone material.
Interesting, I believe you need to have that thermal heat transfer in that location. If it is fixed, great! But it may not last if it gets hot with high volume.
This really worked..... So far so good thanks for the video. 👍
Great to hear!
Maaaattteeee! I just bought a 12 navigator and the speakers didn’t play any output. I was thinking about replacing the head unit and amplifier and I done some research and came across this video. I put tape over the bumps on the amplifier so they don’t touch the motherboard and most of the speakers are working again. Just waiting on the thermal pads and I’ll change them and see if the whole thing comes back online.
Update* used new thermal pads but still don’t have rear speakers only front speakers. Taking into ford to see if they can resolve the issue
Thanks for coming back and updating us. Sorry it didnt fix yours.
@@mitchling6867 Can you please let us know what Ford said? My MKZ is having the same problem... Only front speakers.
@@BYUGRAPPLER unfortunately my car had a critical engine failure and i didn’t get a chance for them to look at anything to do with the speakers. I’m just going with it at the moment. Judging by the electrical issues I already have with the vehicle though I wouldn’t be surprised if speaker cables have deteriorated within the structures or they’re not wired properly
To follow up on this video, I’ve actually followed every part of this. It lasted for a good 3-4 months and then it acted up again. Very frustrating and im beginning to think to either redo this or purchase a new one.
Horrible how Lincoln can’t do a recall on this if it’s common fail for all navigators of this generation. Not that it was hard or anything but it is in a tight spot & can’t imagine doing this every 3-4 months.
Agreed, sorry to hear about that. Every 3-4 months sounds like you need a replacement Amp. I wonder how many others are seeing the same result.
It seems like the tape doesn’t cause grounding to stop, but rather those points are there to push in the pcb so that the thermal pads are sandwiched more
Between the heatsink. Poor design. Great video.
Thanks!
I have the same issue. Thank you for posting this and saving me a few hundred dollars! Can’t believe it’s such an easy fix. Going to get a T-shirt with the money I saved!
Have you tried yet ?
Thanks for watching! I added a link to the thermal product I used. Let us know if you see the same results!
Thank you...got a road trip coming up and gotta be right
Also ...thats not where I expected the amp to be ......I expected it to be near the subwoofer....unless the subwoofer has is own amp.........
The thx system sucks. If my volume is too high the sound goes very low.
I agree, all the new ford systems are not loud enough.
Yes mines does the same thing as well. Did you find anyway to fix that problem?
This is 100% not the problem and will not fix your issue. Send to OEM Auto Audio Inc. in Manlius, NY. They'll fix your amplifier and provide a 1-year warranty.
This has fixed a few out there, including mine. Perhaps it is only temporary, but that is why I am asking in those comments to let us know the results. I didn't come up with it, I found the fix on forum and created the video. That being said, I am sure it is not the same issue for all and so it won't fix all. I agree using OEM Auto Audio, from the research I did that was the best price with the best reviews.
I am just curious, if this is not the issue, do we have someone on the OEM Auto Audio team that can educate us on the issue? The AM static sound is unbearable, but after this video, it is fine. So, inquiring minds would like to know.
@@2horseman I would not expect a company, in business to make money, to share their secrets at no charge.
@@Deicide112 I would also not expect someone to come here with a 100% claim that this won't help with no evidence and send people to some where else where they have to pay to fix the issue. If this company is so good then they can explain what the problem really is and why we would be better off sending it to them to fix. Especially when I can't find that business on the BBB website and the address is to a house.
gotta love the spam dingbats... I find it in poor taste to advertise like this in someone elses blog... This worked for me, bud. I seen another RUclips vid on buying an amp for 300 and then being offered 75 'core charge' to return the old one... This seller is probably just replacing the thermal pads and claiming to 'refurb' them... lol. Good hustle. I'd rather save the 200.00 tho' and do it myself...
Thanks for this videos now I can fix my Lincoln 2014 🙏🏼 I ain’t spend 300 for new one