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Front Speakers - wiring in dash area - how best to access
I know there are threads on this topic, but I do not believe they address my particular question.
I have an aftermarket stereo (original owner installed). This said, as I understand there was a 10 speaker option, which I believe is what I have (either way I have six in the front, 3 on each side). My problem is that my front passenger side door tweeter as well as the dash tweeter are out; the one in the passenger footwell, as well as rear rights still work. I have taken out the speakers and checked them, they work. I have a couple of amps mounted on either side of a subwoofer that is in the trunk, and doing my best with mirrors and flashlights they all appear to be plugged in and working (no contacts are noticably dirty or appear to be on need of cleaning that appeared to help in other cases). I have also pulled out the rear seat bottom to see if there were any noticable pinched or broken wires (there weren't, but I would expect the problem to be there, since the rears work).
My guess is there is a problem with the wiring between the head unit and the two front speakers. My problem is that I can not figure out how to pull the head unit out of the dash, and I am not sure I want to try, as I may make a bigger mess of the situation. This said, I would like advice as to how best to try and access this area (my lame Chilton's book, says "1. Remove the steering wheel, and 2. Remove the dashboard"...or something about as helpful as that).
So if I am to try to access this area, is the best route by removing the dash, if so how? Or can I access these speaker wires through the glovebox (I have removed the glovebox in my previous E46, so if I can contort myself again I can try that, though any tips doing this in the E34 are appreciated), or might I be able to access via the firewall (under the hood), close to where I have replaced the mircofilter in the past?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
I have an aftermarket stereo (original owner installed). This said, as I understand there was a 10 speaker option, which I believe is what I have (either way I have six in the front, 3 on each side). My problem is that my front passenger side door tweeter as well as the dash tweeter are out; the one in the passenger footwell, as well as rear rights still work. I have taken out the speakers and checked them, they work. I have a couple of amps mounted on either side of a subwoofer that is in the trunk, and doing my best with mirrors and flashlights they all appear to be plugged in and working (no contacts are noticably dirty or appear to be on need of cleaning that appeared to help in other cases). I have also pulled out the rear seat bottom to see if there were any noticable pinched or broken wires (there weren't, but I would expect the problem to be there, since the rears work).
My guess is there is a problem with the wiring between the head unit and the two front speakers. My problem is that I can not figure out how to pull the head unit out of the dash, and I am not sure I want to try, as I may make a bigger mess of the situation. This said, I would like advice as to how best to try and access this area (my lame Chilton's book, says "1. Remove the steering wheel, and 2. Remove the dashboard"...or something about as helpful as that).
So if I am to try to access this area, is the best route by removing the dash, if so how? Or can I access these speaker wires through the glovebox (I have removed the glovebox in my previous E46, so if I can contort myself again I can try that, though any tips doing this in the E34 are appreciated), or might I be able to access via the firewall (under the hood), close to where I have replaced the mircofilter in the past?
Thanks in advance for any advice.
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168 Posts
Google the make/model of the HU and go to the website for a manual. If it is a single-DIN radio, I can guarantee that you are supposed to have two "keys" that slide down on either side of the radio - between the radio and the chassis/carrier - and release the radio. Then it simply slides out. If you can locate a PDF of the manual, you can get an idea of what the keys look like, then fashion your own. I've had much success (like every time) fashioning keys out of plumbers metal strapping.
Thanks Bob and Dan,
I will start with Dan's advice to google the head unit make and model and try to pull the HU out that way. If unsuccessful I will try to go through the center console per Bob's advice. This said, any tips on removing the center console?
I will start with Dan's advice to google the head unit make and model and try to pull the HU out that way. If unsuccessful I will try to go through the center console per Bob's advice. This said, any tips on removing the center console?
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768 Posts
Should you have to go it, the two side panels of black plastic trim pop off to expose the mounting screws. once loose, since the radio is still in, this will be tricky... you will have to pop the ac buttons out and then release the HVAC controls by pressing a tab in the ac button hole...the HAVC will start to come out, but now you'll have to un clip the three boden cables , by moving the sliders and pincnching the red and blue clips.
I had a similar problem, and, it turned out NOT to be wiring, but, the door tweeters which had blown.
the 10 speaker wiring uses a SHARED NEGATIVE for the dashboard (mid range) and door mounted Tweeters (high range). If ether of the door or dashboard speakers has blown then both will stop working.
I would suggest getting ANY other speaker as temporary test unit, and plugging into the sound system to see if it comes back to life.
the 10 speaker wiring uses a SHARED NEGATIVE for the dashboard (mid range) and door mounted Tweeters (high range). If ether of the door or dashboard speakers has blown then both will stop working.
I would suggest getting ANY other speaker as temporary test unit, and plugging into the sound system to see if it comes back to life.
Thanks for the feedback, but the first thing I did was pull the passenger tweeters and tried them on the driver's side, they worked. Also tried the speakers that are working on the driver side, and they did not work on the passenger side.
To clarify, I pulled the tweeter from the passenger door and the mid range from the dash (passenger side) both of which were not working; and I then tested them on the opposite side, where they both worked. If they both work on the left side shouldn't they work on the right side..unless the wiring is bad? What am I missing?
That's exactly what I did, I even put a multi meter on each part of the circuit to try and understand where the wiring fault was.... in the end I took it to an auto stereo workshop, who promptly told me it was one of the tweeters which had blown and needed replacing... which is now done and all ten speakers work again.
I don't pretend to understand why, my knowledge of auto wiring is limited to simple system with positive and negative wires to each unit, after that I'm lost.
sorry I can't be more exact.
Thanks for the technical lesson (that I still don't understand
That's exactly what I did, I even put a multi meter on each part of the circuit to try and understand where the wiring fault was.... in the end I took it to an auto stereo workshop, who promptly told me it was one of the tweeters which had blown and needed replacing... which is now done and all ten speakers work again.
I don't pretend to understand why, my knowledge of auto wiring is limited to simple system with positive and negative wires to each unit, after that I'm lost.
sorry I can't be more exact.
All I understand is that I should go to a car stereo store, have them hook up a new tweeter and mid-range on the passenger side and see if that fixes the problem...without having to tear my dash apart. But I still do not undertand if the tweeter and mid-range work when plugged into the left side, why not the right? This said, I will stop wondering and see what happens with a new tweeter and mid-range plugged in on the right (and keep the lefts hooked up as well). I'll report back once I have a chance to get to this.Not, yet, I just have not had the time to take it to an audio guy.
This said, I did just have all 4 springs replaced last week (which apparently includes the removal of the entire rear seat, meaning the bottom which easily pops out, as well as the "backrest" or vertical piece. Ever since the spring replacement, I have had intermittent reception in the front right speakers, which now has me condering about pinched wires in the backrest (vertical) portion of the rear seat (I had previously removed the rear seat bottom to look for pinched or loose wire, but never saw any). Arghhh!
Long and short of it, I still need to get it to someone who knows what they are doing.
This said, I did just have all 4 springs replaced last week (which apparently includes the removal of the entire rear seat, meaning the bottom which easily pops out, as well as the "backrest" or vertical piece. Ever since the spring replacement, I have had intermittent reception in the front right speakers, which now has me condering about pinched wires in the backrest (vertical) portion of the rear seat (I had previously removed the rear seat bottom to look for pinched or loose wire, but never saw any). Arghhh!
Long and short of it, I still need to get it to someone who knows what they are doing.
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