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Anemic Bass Response for FM radio in Premium JBL Audio System

61K views 205 replies 51 participants last post by  Steve Sr 
#1 ·
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!
 
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#60 · (Edited)
If your rear view mirror vibrates with the limited JBL premium system
1 you have a loose rear view mirror
2 your rear view mirrer is defective
3 you are not listening to FM
:wink
Yes the settings are specific to each as you state.

FM is the main issue but tonight I discover a lot more than what I wanted to know .
Also do you have a 2014 or 2015 RAV4 limited with JBL:confused:
 
#63 ·
Don't give up yet. Yes, more power equals louder but these are designed to maximize what power you have.
Focal sound dedicated to Toyota® - Focal
WOW $300 for just the front:surprise
I can not find the rears?
an option, but like said below we paid extra for junk. Ill think about it though just need rears?

I think the mirror is loose if the stereo is vibrating it...LOL. I believe OP has a 2011 RAV in their profile.

The escalation case manager from Toyota Corporate called me today and wanted to know every detail about the audio problem and my attempts in getting it fixed. He is going to coordinate the next attempt to find a solution. I told him that if a solution was not available then I wanted the JBL Premium Audio removed from my RAV and a refund for what I spent on that option. If for some technical reason they can't remove the system without affecting other components then I still wanted the refund. I'm so mad about this that if they don't have a solution and refuse a refund, I will have the system analyzed by a professional audio engineer. Based on their analysis, I will determine what the next course of action will be. I know, this seems painful to some of you, but we're talking basic business ethics here. Toyota screwed up and they need to take care of it immediately. These little issues have a way of spinning out of control very quickly for corporations.
I really hope you get somewhere, as I got nowhere, like the rest.
but the speakers they gave us SUCK, when a $70 3way JBL sounded better in the rear than the front speakers, thats sad.
This is why I also do not want to replace any at the moment, if a solution I don't want toyota to find out I replaced anything.
Please keep us updated, what you get I am going for also, THANK YOU!!
 
#62 ·
Call From Toyota Corporate

I think the mirror is loose if the stereo is vibrating it...LOL. I believe OP has a 2011 RAV in their profile.

The escalation case manager from Toyota Corporate called me today and wanted to know every detail about the audio problem and my attempts in getting it fixed. He is going to coordinate the next attempt to find a solution. I told him that if a solution was not available then I wanted the JBL Premium Audio removed from my RAV and a refund for what I spent on that option. If for some technical reason they can't remove the system without affecting other components then I still wanted the refund. I'm so mad about this that if they don't have a solution and refuse a refund, I will have the system analyzed by a professional audio engineer. Based on their analysis, I will determine what the next course of action will be. I know, this seems painful to some of you, but we're talking basic business ethics here. Toyota screwed up and they need to take care of it immediately. These little issues have a way of spinning out of control very quickly for corporations.
 
#64 ·
Same problem as others w/jbl system

After finding this forum I was re-leaved we were not the only one experiencing no bass in our 2014 Rav4 limited. After 4 trips to two dealers neither had any idea on why there was no bass an the fm side and why the bass, treble and mid tones resets at various times. It's sad that the mechanic and the service writers say the sound sucks. I have taken this to the next step with Toyota. Really upset because the salesman told us the JBL sound system was much better than the base system. (Wrong!!!) This is our 3rd Rav and 6th Toyota and the worst sounding sound system in any of the Toyota's we had. They need to fix this and give everyone what they paid for.
 
#67 ·
We don't know, but my dealer said they changed who makes the radios, he did not specify when to me.

So if you say your 2013 JBL RAV4 sounds outstanding (like my 2010 Prius with JBL) on any input, then Toyota changed it in 2014, but if you do not believe me I am more than willing to swap mine with yours, including speakers, mine sounds like sh!t, NOTHING like my 2010 prius. Please no harm, but PLEASE go to a dealer and find a 2014 or 2015 limited with JBL and PLEASE listen for yourself, FM has practically no bass when the vehicle is moving (due to road noise), if the vehicle is stopped it has SOME bass but very little compared to any other input, and the sound has way too much mid range even with mid turned all the way down it still sounds like crap, as I swapped one speaker and found out our speakers suck big time and the head unit does not put out enough power to drive a basic speaker properly.

Breezer
please keep us updated, for the 750 it's not worth the hassle of court for me (time out of work, fees, etc...), but keep us updated. At this point it seems Toyota does not care of this problem at all, they seem not interested, as what they did to the rest of us....... and now you.

I may try some Sony speakers that seem to not take a lot of power and are cheap price with supposedly great sound from what I read, If I do I will post my findings.
 
#66 ·
Toyota Owns This Problem

I don't know what changed from 2013 to 2014. You say the fm audio mode will "rattle your teeth" with bass response? Do you have a DSP tab on your audio screen for the equalizer?

I received another call from Toyota Corporate and they have no idea when the Toyota factory technician will be at my Dealer to look at my RAV. These guys must operate in a stealth mode and no one at Toyota knows their schedule. They must just pop up where ever they feel like going. I think its getting close to pulling these guys into small claims court to recover my $750.00 I paid for this option. Believe it or not, this process is not very difficult to achieve. I have all the necessary documentation to prove my attempts at giving Toyota a reasonable amount of time to repair the system. Furthermore, I will get an independent evaluation as further evidence that it is defective by not having a fm bass response that is considered normal levels. I hope I don't have to go down this path, but Toyota is not being responsive to any of us about this issue. They took our money for this option and are using a delay tactic hoping we will go away.
 
#68 ·
I don't know what changed from 2013 to 2014. You say the fm audio mode will "rattle your teeth" with bass response? Do you have a DSP tab on your audio screen for the equalizer?

I received another call from Toyota Corporate and they have no idea when the Toyota factory technician will be at my Dealer to look at my RAV. These guys must operate in a stealth mode and no one at Toyota knows their schedule. They must just pop up where ever they feel like going. I think its getting close to pulling these guys into small claims court to recover my $750.00 I paid for this option. Believe it or not, this process is not very difficult to achieve. I have all the necessary documentation to prove my attempts at giving Toyota a reasonable amount of time to repair the system. Furthermore, I will get an independent evaluation as further evidence that it is defective by not having a fm bass response that is considered normal levels. I hope I don't have to go down this path, but Toyota is not being responsive to any of us about this issue. They took our money for this option and are using a delay tactic hoping we will go away.
Breezer, I am in Colorado as well and had the unit in my 2015 RAV4 XLE checked by a local dealer last week. They said they had never heard of anyone complaining of the sound "quality" before and they could not find anything wrong with the unit. Keep us informed of what Toyota comes up with on this and if they would like for others who are experiencing the same issue to contact them directly as well.
 
#69 ·
Someone can correct me if I'm wrong but the bass/treble setting are associated with the mode, and also likely to the channel being played when they are set.

And some media such as CD responds to big bass if they production techs encode it that way. For example, I can play most CDs at a nominal bass, but one Dave Mathews rocks the windows
 
#70 ·
I have a 2013...I have the JBL system and I find the sound quality great. The radio sounds good(maybe a little to bassy) when I do listen to it(which is rarely). 99% of the time I use my phone through BT. All settings are flat...DSP is on...balance is set a smidge to the rear and the EQ on my iPhone is set to flat. I listen to electronica(Aphex Twin), classical and heavy metal(Black Sabbath). All sound great.

I would love to hear a JBL system in a 2014 or 15. My broth has a 2015 but it's the LE.
 
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#71 ·
Show Us The Money!

NM Suaggie, I urge you and any one else who is experiencing this problem to call Toyota Corporate and register an official complaint. Documented complaints is the only way we will get their attention. I want what I paid for!!!

I am still waiting for a call from Toyota Corporate to schedule a meeting with their factory technician.
 
#72 ·
This seems to be a problem for 2014 and 2015 JBL systems, I thought were only available in limited rav4's but nmsuaggie posted an XLE ??

Anyway the radio and speakers suck,
1. not much bass at all in FM mode
2. way too much mid range in any mode, and trying a 3 way in the rear was superior to the stock.
3. the bluetooth sucks big time, may be due to road noise, or it just sucks, my speakerphone on my cell phone sounds better to me and the caller, hands down!! I just got off the phone with my friend that has a 2014 tacoma with the radio just below our JBL, that sounds outstanding by the way, and he said my bluetooth sucks on his end big time.

NOW this is starting to irritate me!!!!
 
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#73 ·
Meeting With Toyota Factory Technician

I finally met with the real Toyota factory technician today. He tested the JBL and determined there was a very weak bass response in AM and FM audio modes. While in the RAV with him he documented the issue and sent his findings to the Toyota engineering department for review. He stated if they receive other reports of this issue they will usually look for a solution and issue a TSB. This is why it is so important for everyone who cares about a solution to request a meeting with a factory technician for proper documentation of the problem.

He said the head unit was made by Fujitsu and the amplifier was made by
Harman Kardan. The components communicate via an on-board LAN and changing any component may create problems with other controls. He also said that Toyota designs their vehicles for the world market and tries to strike a balance with their designs that appeals to a majority of the market. I guess that means the majority of people like audio systems that suck!

While at the Dealer, I tested a JBL premium audio in a 2015 Camry and it also had the weak bass response in AM and FM modes. Were they thinking that people like this crap sound???

I will wait awhile and see if they do issue a TSB before moving on.
 
#74 ·
Going down this route, being honest, is the dark path, I think I just went to hell and back.

My Toyota manager agrees with me the radio's suck, BUT he is a coward on telling Toyota they suck, instead all he tells them is all these models sound alike.

Anyway there is a complaint on this from me at the 1800 number, BUT I highly doubt we will see any resolution at all on it, why because no one cares!!!!

They won't even tell the truth.

I have an appointment now for a rattle my dealer created while poking around, and to look at the bluetooth that I know they will tell me "they all work like this".

If these idiots did my job, there would be lots of dead people, by equipment not working properly at all!! And if I worked like them, I would be in jail or out of a job.

This just amazes me, one day when i was in there just about everyone needed breaks, and I mean everyone just about, I was like how could so many need brakes, then it dawned on me, it's an easy job and very quick money, very little brain power.

Good luck no matter what path you choose, I certainly hope you get somewhere, but chances are, your being told more lies.
 
#75 ·
Well I tried again, and got absolutely nowhere, my idiot service manager can't even remember me complaining about it to him a week prior, but he tells Toyota there is nothing wrong after telling me all JBL's suck today.

Then I tell Toyota to speak to someone and he talks to someone else that knows nothing about my problem and he tells Toyota nothing is wrong.

Now this started from my idiot service manager telling me to call Toyota.

WOW
I really want to tell you all what I feel but I know you know how I feel.

I had them do work for another vehicle and all i want to do with the survey is trash them.

I got absolutely no where with this, after I initially told my idiot service manager the entire story up front before they even looked at it and he told me to bring it in.

Oh one more thing, the idiot on the 1800 # (that does not care either) tells me my dealer never took my car apart because there was no issue, when I went into the back and my radio was out of my vehicle. WOW

I really believe there will never be any fix for us, unless there is some kind of news media or something involved.

Best of luck to the rest.
 
#76 ·
Toyota Customer Support

>When any one calls the Toyota Customer Support number to complain about the anemic bass response problem expect them to be non-responsive. You must firmly request the problem be escalated because you are extremely dissatisfied with Toyota's response. They will assign a case manager who will contact you to provide assistance. They will coordinate a meeting with you and the Toyota Master Technician that works directly for Toyota. The factory rep. must personally diagnose the problem and then send the results to the Toyota engineering department. They are the only ones that are authorized to send the documentation to Toyota engineering. Without following this process, the problem does not get their attention. The factory technician I met with was very professional and explained this process to me. So, insist on problem escalation so we can get this properly documented and hopefully resolved. The Dealerships have no influence or lines of communication to the designers and engineers. Most Dealers don't care about this problem and just want you to go away. This is very poor customer service and will eventually catch up to them.
 
#77 ·
I am sorry I forgot to mention
I had a case manager and I tried to get it escalated but because my idiot service manager screwed it up for me , the case manager refuged to get a field rep
And told me he spoke to a field rep and noting is going to be done nor will he meet with me.

So if you can see a field rep then you are very lucky as my idiots at my dealer screwed it for me big time.
 
#78 ·
Toyota does not care

Just like the previous posts, we took it to the next level by contacting the 800# and they us issued a claim number. After taking the car to another Toyota dealer, the service manager compared it to another Rav4 with JBL and one without JBL. He even said the premium JBL system sucks. He contacted Toyota and they said there is no fix for it. Toyota did call me back stating there is no fix for it, but to keep checking back to see if there are updates. Not the answer I wanted to hear. I gave them this forum since they told me they had no other complaints. Our next step will probably be with an lemon law attorney.
 
#79 ·
I do not think lemon law will even get off the ground.
Due to the fact all JBL systems sound like crap alike.
The only way will be if some one wants to take Toyota to court on thier own or a class action.

I usually don't go for class actions as lawyers get most of it.
But I will make an exception for this.

This audio system sounds like crap.
 
#81 ·
Is it a 2014 or 2015 and on FM radio??
My 2010 Prius with JBL sounds outstanding and plenty of bass in any input.
 
#84 ·
Has anyone been able to get toyota to care at all for this issue?
Any firmware updates fix this yet?
 
#85 ·
I started this thread 1 year and 4 months ago. I have had absolutely no luck with having this resolved. Every time I return to the dealer for service I bring it up as an issue, and every time they tell me there is no fix! I have not contacted Toyota corporate recently, as this also seemed to be a dead end (at one point they told me the car was sold "as is" and that pretty much I was stuck with the radio). The only (pitiful) bright spot is someone rear-ended me and the car is in the body shop being worked on. While it is there I have a Corolla for a rental, and even though it isn't even close to top of the line the FM bass blows away the "premium" sound system in my RAV4. Although I really like most other aspects of my car, the fact that I have to grit my teeth every time I hear that pitiful radio is more than enough to assure I will never buy another Toyota again!! Anyone can make a mistake, but the fact that this mistake has been unresolved for so long (and after what must be quite a few complaints, as seen by just this forum alone) really is telling as to how much Toyota must value their customers.
 
#86 ·
Contacted Toyota Customer Service

Rarling, thanks for keeping this thread alive. I just sent Toyota Customer Service an email requesting an update on when they are going to have a solution for this problem. I reminded them that I already had a Toyota factory technician meet me at the dealer and he verified the problem. I also stated in my email that he forwarded the problem documentation, as required, to the Toyota audio specialist and that was over five months ago.

It would be great if we could get everyone to contact Toyota Customer Service with this problem all within the same week. If they hear the same problem from hundreds of mad customers in a short period of time we may get some attention. I suspect a solution will cost Toyota more than they are willing to spend and they hope we all will just go away and accept that we got ripped off by Toyota.
 
#88 ·
I have not heard the 2015 or older systems so I do not have anything to compare my 2016 to. I have the JBL as part of the Adv Tech. I would rate it as "passable" but not great. Reading to post above this one, if 2016 is an "improvement" I can only imagine how weak the prior model year must be.

I am in the sound-reinforcement field by trade. Here is how I tuned the Rav radio to sound the best to MY ear... Your mileage my vary.
Leave sound field centered right to left, but click the dot BACK 2 "clicks" towards the rear seat. Boost the bass slider all the way up. Drop the Treble and Mid down to -1 and -2 respectively. Lastly, I forget what menu it was in but turn the "sound levelizer" OFF. Remember to repeat these settings on all the sources, they appear to be independent other then the sound field adjustment.

Another note, nowhere do I see a "dsp" option that some in this thread have said is an option in older systems... They must have either removed that function or replaced it with the "levelizer" option. To my ear that "levelizer" sounds like compression which is useful in certain applications, but in a car would tend to drop the bass and raise the mid... Not what this system needs.
 
#89 ·
I want to thank both of you above.
I have played with many settings and adjustments to nothing making anything good with FM during driving (parked is a different story, due to no road noise).
My RAV4 goes in for it's yearly service in April and I am going to HOPEFULLY get my dealer to upgrade any firmware on it as it will be a year. Maybe just maybe there is an update to this disaster.

When I drive it now I either use my phone as an audio source or shut it off, listening to FM wants me to smash the radio with absolutely no bass, I drive my 2010 JBL prius and that sounds outstanding!

I will keep your settings in mind and post back with DSP but I don't think it's their either.
Thank You
 
#90 ·
I just my 2016 Limited hybrid, and I have to say that the sound is very tinny in my vehicle too, especially the windshield/dash speakers. The level coming out of the front door speakers is almost no existent. I am coming from a 2006 Highlander Ltd hybrid, which had great sound. I've been playing with the settings too. I have the fader almost all the way back, bass all the way up, mid all the way down, and treble +2. The non-HD fm stations still sound very flat and tinny.
 
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