In April I purchased a 2014 RAV4 Limited and for the first time I splurged for the "premium" JBL sound system. Obviously I was expecting an improvement in sound quality, but there was very little bass output while listening to FM radio, even after I adjusted the bass control all the way to the max. At first I thought this was a limitation of the hardware, but then I switched to XM radio and there was no comparison -- the bass boomed through loud and clear. The same with all other modes except FM (didn't try AM).
I brought my car back to the dealer and had them look at it for a day. They compared the car to another RAV4 on the lot, and told me the bass was the same in that car as well. I didn’t believe them, and asked them for a demonstration, which they accommodated. Sure enough, the other RAV4 sounded the same — very week bass response in FM, regardless of the slider setting.
Since then I have had a least 6 people in my car, several of them engineers, two of them musicians, and they have all told me the radio (or its design) is defective. I myself am a software engineer and it seems that this may just be a software issue, where the wrong coefficients were programmed in for the bass control setting in FM only (or something similar). Toyota says they know nothing about this problem, and JBL told me they only make the amp and speakers.
I was hoping that someone on this forum may have had a similar problem, or know something that could help. Thank you very much!
Well, I hadn't thought of your first suggestion #5, but probably just as well. They don't have good FM in jail either, I understand.
The problem is still there and I am living with it. I subscribed to XM so I could at least listen to something that had good bass, although I find the reception is pretty terrible! As you mention all the inputs have their own sound settings, and only the FM has this terrible bass problem.
I have been to the dealer several times for oil changes, etc. and each time have complained about this. The second time I went the service coordinator told me he had contacted Toyota and that they had heard "some noise" on this issue, but did not have a resolution. That was several months ago, the last time I went a few weeks ago there still was nothing. I am hoping there may be a software upgrade in the near future that will fix the problem, but that is just a hope.
Next time you go to the dealer please complain about the radio -- maybe if they get enough complaints they will actually do something to address the problem. I'm not sure if the 2016's are out yet and if they also have this problem - it would be interesting to check.
I haven't tried your procedure above, but even if it works it would be rather inconvenient.
I most definitely will complain about it soon to the dealer. I just don't want them replacing stuff that won't work.
My suggestion is just a pipe dream , I tried it again tonight and no diff emcee at all.
XM reception is not great at all especially in the summer with the leaves.
This does suck big time, it may be time to find stations on Iheart radio as a work around
I made an appointment today at my dealership
I spoke to the service manager and of course he never heard of this problem.
That must be the number one comeback line for any service manager.
So far they did make it a little better
They found a wire never plugged in the radio on the back but we tested with the new RAV4 and still no bass like the new one at all.
I am leaving the car with them as they contact Toyota and maybe swap more parts.
Maybe we can finally get some good results from this.
I told them I will pick it up when I get great bass like the new RAV4.
The way it should be.
I will keep this thread updated.
I have a work vehicle so I can leave it.
Edit
He said he did a lot of updates to the radio also, updates are covered by the warranty for free, so you all should ask for them before your warranty expires
They called me the next day, and they have to get the regional service rep in to look into this.
They will call me when they set up a date with the rep and I can take my car back to the dealers then.
I have a 2010 prius V with tech and JBL and this new rev4 JBL sound like total crap to it, nevermind any other radio version in the rav.
Boy did we get taken, what a total waste of money, so far!!
As for the sub in this JBL rav4, what a shame, my prius sounds night and day to it, I have to say even the SAT radio is lacking on something, tho much better than FM, that FM has no base at all, but if you keep listening to it it seems to have some, until you hear what a real radio has.
I'll keep you all updated.
First : that new car that had great sound last week , I forgot to post that come to find out it had a lower end radio that is why and it did not have that wire they found floating, the wire must have fell when the tech swapped the radios.
They still have not called me back , sounds like the rest of you , Toyota does not care they gave us a crap stereo that we paid lots more for.
The end of next week I will start calling if I do not hear anything first.
Very interesting thread, I'm glad I discovered this discussion as I thought I was the only one experiencing this problem. My 2014 Limited with JBL premium audio also has no fm bass response. First time to the Dealer they said it was normal and showed me a 2014 and a 2015 Limited and they had no bass response in fm audio mode. I escalated the issue back to Toyota Customer Service who put me in contact with the Dealership Service Manager. The second trip to the Dealership and they did an audio software update and stated the problem was fixed...nope, no change! Now waiting to have the regional Toyota "Master Technician" to visit the Dealer and validate the problem. Once validated by the Master Technician they can escalate it to the Toyota engineering team for a resolution. Please, everyone experiencing this problem needs to escalate it with Toyota Customer Service or we will never have a documented resolution. I will post an update once I receive a solution.
I have the same problem with a twist. I leased a 2014 Rav4 Limited with the Entune Premium JBL Audio package. I can compare the sound to a basic AM radio in a car from the early 70's. The sound is tinny. My wife's 2013 Camry with a basic Entune has amazing sound quality. The twist is that the bass and treble revert back to the factory default (mid) settings by themselves. Sometimes it changes back the same day I set them, sometimes a week later. I've had it at the dealer (Freehold Toyota, New Jersey) twice. Of course they cannot emulate the issue. The first time they did a "hard" reset. The second time they "adjusted" the speakers. After having my intelligence insulted twice I blew up on the service writer. He said he would notify Toyota of the issue. One interesting note after reading through this thread is that like others had indicated, XM sounds pretty good as well as the rare times it picks up an HD signal. I cant help but wonder if the FM antenna is part of the problem.
there is no way the FM antenna is any part of this problem.
why?
1. even in FM HD it still lacks lots of bass.
2. dealer swapped my radio into a non JBL limited and it still sounded like crap vs the original radio in the other rav4 2015 limited non JBL entune.
3. the more you listen to it you get used to no bass UNTIL you sit in another car, use XM, or your bluetooth phone to stream music.
I spent a while comparing a non JBL entune to mine and even XM lacks something on our JBL radios, there is something wrong with the digital programing of it.
Also if you put the fader to the rear only it sounds like crap no matter what, I think the rear door speakers are total junk (or the digital program is just so out of whack), we got taken big time on this JBL.
Sad because my 2010 prius with JBL sounds absolutely perfect and great.
The more I think about this issue the more p*** I get. We paid big bucks for this option and what we received is an audio system that is not working as it was designed. I was told by a JBL representative that the head unit is a "third party" and not their design. The speakers and amp is JBL and they stated it is designed to deliver superior sound quality. The problem has to be in the third party head unit integration in the RAV 4 . This should have never got past the quality review team at Toyota, no excuse!! I listened to an entry level JBL in a new Corolla and it has way better sound than what we have. Come on Toyota, own the problem and fix it now!
I finally heard back from the Dealer Service Manager and he has scheduled an appointment for me with the Toyota Factory Master Technician on 7/1. The Dealer Assistant Service Manager is in agreement with me on this issue and appears to not want the Toyota Rep. to simply say "they all work that way, therefore nothing is wrong." I will provide an update after my service appointment. Does any one have any updates on this issue?
The Entune Premium JBL audio with navigation was a $785.00 option and should provide outstanding sound in all audio modes for that price. Something stinks!
I just returned from the Dealer and had very little success in resolving this problem. The Toyota Master Technician re-flashed the audio equipment (again) for new updates, tuned to a hip-hop station, cranked the volume way up and showed me there was a bass response and declared the problem fixed. I tuned to a FM-HD rock station and there was no bass response from the lowest setting to the mid-point on the equalizer. However, there was some improvement from mid-point to maximum bass when the volume level is really high. The technician stated they would notify the appropriate Toyota department about this issue. He also stated that new updates are constantly being issued and a solution will probably be included in the future.
They said they finally talked to the rep and he asked them if my dealer heard the same on another rav with JBL, of course they said yes, so the rep said
"then there is nothing wrong or left to do"
So the dealer said call the 1800 number, and I did and the 1800 number did not even know what to say, as she stated that the rep is my contact, so I said what do I do then, she asked if the rep saw the car, I said no, she said my dealer would contact me by friday night with an appointment with the rep.
My dealer wanted to see it again, the manager...
He stated that he agrees that these JBL stereos sound like crap now that toyota switched to a different manufacturer (according to him), he said he drives a vensa with JBL (if I recall right) and it sounds better than ours, but still not great at all, he spoke to the field rep about it several times now and gets nowhere also.
He says he will keep asking but he does not think we are going to get this fixed. BUT he said as calling the 1800 # does make a record of it, but to me I think toyota will just fix it in a future vehicle rav with JBL and we are left with the crap sound....
If you fade it to the rear it sounds awful.
I wonder if replacing the rear door speakers will help, I think it will, does anyone know how to safely take the rear doors apart and back together like new???
Anyone know what size speakers? How many wires go to them (just 2 or 4)?
Its the only thing I can think of now, since toyota does not care about our crap sound they sold us on, just in case someone forgot, when I test drove XM was always on, and my 2010 JBL prius sounds stunning in any input.
Toyota builds great vehicles but their Customer Service Department (800 Number) sure knows how to not address the issue at hand and drag their feet. They refer you back to the Dealer and the Dealer has no solution and obviously can't rely on Toyota to step up and help. This circuitous approach by Toyota wears down the customer and we simply get tired and stop complaining. One would expect this strategy from a 2nd rate automobile company but not from Toyota.
I say we continue to fight this issue and urge everyone to call the 1-800 number and complain about this problem. Call back a 2nd, 3rd and 4th time if necessary and maybe we can shame them into fixing the crappy stereo problem. Over 5000 people have viewed this thread and Toyota should take notice. I'm going to call and request a meeting with the The Toyota District Operations Manager who is responsible for the Dealership I purchased my RAV 4 from. We will see how much focus they actually put on a customer.
Sorry to hear you guys aren't happy with the JBL upgrade but...
I knew it wouldn't be good enough so I order my 2014 with everything BUT the JBL stereo.
By the way, you guys can quit blaming the head unit because it's not the problem. It's the only part of my stereo that is 100% factory stock so everything works like it came from the factory.
It is the head unit, FM has practically no bass, when all other inputs have bass. But you are right, these speakers are laking, especially the ones in the rear doors. BUT since you have the head unit "NON JBL" that one works and does not have this problem at all.
Okay I'll take your word for it. I'm actually at my dealership right now and asked my salesman if he had a RAV4 with JBL so I could listen to it but they don't have one in stock right now. I'd ask my wife if hers is JBL but you guys say the 2013's don't have the same issue.
Have you guys tried turning off your ASL? Just mentioning it because I ended up turning mine off due to the highs getting really bright while drowning out everything else while driving it. This is after the upgrade but it's worth a shot.
I tried turning on and off everything I could find or have access to, and nothing works, try a Vensa JBL or ?, according to my manager he says all new JBL Toyota's do this.
I heard what you have and it sounds great compared to ours on FM and tell the truth any input.
EDIT he did say the vensa sounds better, but not by much.
The only car here in the showroom with JBL is a burgundy Prius and it's bass response isn't real impressive on FM HD. I'm a bad judge though because I'm used to my Rav4's upgraded stereo. My salesman got excited thinking I'm looking to buy another new car from him today :lol:
I have a 2010 prius with JBL and it sounds outstanding, this new RAV4 JBL sounds like some low end stereo, even in xm something is lacking.
Did you replace your rear door speakers in your RAV4? If so, any instructions on how to remove the panels without damaging anything ? Without rattles also?
I think if I can replace them, I think it may actually sound something tolerable.
My 2014 Limited has so much road noise that I wouldn't know if there was any variation in the bass.
A portable battery powered radio sitting on the dash would work just as well.
I received a call today from a Toyota Customer Service Manager. Apparently, the factory technician my Dealership told me who was looking into this problem was one of their own technicians and not the Toyota factory representative. Toyota has assigned an escalation case number and coordinator to investigate the JBL audio problem. They will contact me within 24 hours and set up a time for me to meet with the real Toyota Master Technician.
I was scammed by my local Dealership service department and I will let the powers that be at Auto Nation know what took place. I hope I am not wasting more of my time and that Toyota is sincere in finding a solution to this problem. I will provide an update when I have more information.
Hi,
Thanks to "neilaa69" for pointing out (in another thread I posted in) This thread
I have ordered the trim panel tools, speaker connections, drill bit, and JBL 6.5" 3 way speakers, YAH I know JBL's again, but I hope these sound much better in the rears that what is there now or they go back, well see within 24 hours.
I will have all the stuff today, the JBL's come with a ring so I did not order the ones in that thread, will post back when I finish install and test.
Well I put those 3 way in the rear (just hung them) and they gave better overall sound than the front speakers, BUT still lacked bass.
So I returned them and went to bestbuy and tried some 2 way speakers that sounded great in bestbuy and they sounded no better than what we have in our vehicle, in the rears.
Conclusion
1. The head end SUCKS!!! we are not getting enough power to the speakers to drive them. (I even notice some distortion at ~55-63 , 63 is max for us and that alone is sad)
2. our speakers SUCK, all of them.
3. WE ALL GOT SCREWED!!!!!
basically the entire system is a POS worth about $100.00 tops!!!!
The only way to fix what we have is put in amps and speakers, now wonder why toyota does not care !!!!!!!!!!!
If you do not believe me, go try it for yourself.
I am returning all speakers and just living with my crap sound system.
I am not in any mode to spend good money for good speakers and put in amps, that we already paid a premium for