New 2010 Mazda3 s Grand Touring. We noticed a sort of hissing / static noise when the audio system is turned on. You can hear it when the volume is on 1 and it becomes less obvious as you turn the music up. It goes silent when you turn volume to 0. Happens with either CDs or radio. Can anyone else confirm (or not) this with their 2010s?

I have a theory that it might be the bose noise cancellation that I am hearing, but if that is so it is really too loud.

 

Just got a new 2010 Mazda3 GT-E (Canadian model of the Grand Touring) and yes - right away noticed exactly what you described above.

Any updates to this?

 

Hi. Yea we ended up going back to the dealer a couple of times on this and they could also hear what we were describing. We went to several 2010 Mazda3s on the lot and all with the Bose system had the issue. The standard speaker system cars (i series) did not.

Here's the funny thing - the dealer said that this is a sound check noise that all professional audio equipment does at low volume levels. I call complete BS. I've never heard this in any professional audio systems...including my 03 Mazda6 which has Bose speakers.

I plan on complaining again. Let me know what your dealer says if you talk to them.

 

I have a 08 MS3 GT with the BOSE system in it. Although not a 2010, I have no hissing noise from my system.

 

Well my sales rep at the dealership did hear it but it's an odd issue because the noise level is not constant - it seems to change.

I'll have to spend some more time with the vehicle (only had it 2 days) to understand what's going on. My gut feeling originally was it was the (ironically) Bose "noise canceling" stuff (called AudioPilot) trying to do its thing. This technology might be optimized for a louder environment when the car is in motion and road noise is prevalent. Indeed, the issue is not nearly as apparent when driving. But when the vehicle is completely stopped and the engine off, perhaps this AudioPilot tech is struggling to work its noise canceling magic when there is no noise and the result is... it itself is creating a "noise canceling noise" loop. I know.. sounds stupid.

I only mention this because I have noise canceling headphones and when nothing is playing through them and I am in a quiet environment, I hear static/hiss similar to the Mazda.

Anyway, just a thought...

 

That was my theory as well. I wasn't able to dig up any information on google though regarding specifics for this particular audio system. Maybe someone else will have better luck.