speakers

[duncanpath]

hi guys,

 

strange speaker problem: i have the radio play from the front speakers OR the rear speakers, but not both. if i hit the brakes, or a bump, it will switch. most of the time it wants to play on the back speakers.

turning the fader to the dead side produces silence.

the dead speaker isn't cut right off, if you crank the volume you get a hiss.

 

it's a 1993, stock set up.

 

and while i have your attention the radio won't light up.

 

thanks for any suggestions.

[MikeV]

hi guys,

 

strange speaker problem: i have the radio play from the front speakers OR the rear speakers, but not both. if i hit the brakes, or a bump, it will switch. most of the time it wants to play on the back speakers.

turning the fader to the dead side produces silence.

the dead speaker isn't cut right off, if you crank the volume you get a hiss.

 

it's a 1993, stock set up.

 

and while i have your attention the radio won't light up.

 

thanks for any suggestions.

 

Have you pulled it out to look at the harness? the amplifiers in back may be the issue but would be more if it never came on.

could be as easy as a bad ground

Welcome to the Bestest Pathfinder forum in the world!-)

MikeV

 

I would start by pulling out the unit and checking for loose connections and check where it is grounded to the vehicle

[Creekkid]

What kind of stereo....is it the stock one. Could be the fader dial is buggered on the inside of the deck.

With how cheap most decks are these days I would yank it out and toss it in the trash and get new one.

But definitely check out the connections in the rear of it first. Find the wires that go to a non working speaker and connect to ones on the deck that you know work to see if it's the deck or speaker that is the problem.

[carwilef7]

I agree w/ Creekkid - dump it and get a new one, especially if it's a factory original. Same with the speakers.

 

You can get a decent head unit for less than $100USD and an excellent one for not much more. Add at least one set of good speakers for $50 - $80, and you'll be amazed at what you've been missing.

 

I've had a dozen or more used vehicles, and the stock radio is always the first thing to go out the window.

[adamzan]

Actually with just an aftermarket deck, the stock speakers sound really good. That is what I had until I had some more dough.

[carwilef7]

To each his/her own, i guess.

 

IMHO, as a bass player and sound tech, no factory speaker or stereo was ever worth a plugged nickel after a couple of years. The electronics are cute, but not robust enough to withstand the constant motion, and the speaker materials are cheap and deteriorate rapidly.

 

My aftermarket stuff (listed below) has done over 60K miles and still sounds great - and that's after being in a Honda Prelude (totalled by someone else), a Dodge Intrepid (POS engine locked up) and now in my Pathfinder.

 

No matter what ya do, it's a good idea to bypass the harness wires to the speakers and use beefier ones for less voltage loss. You don't necessarily need Monster Cable, but double whatever gauge you have as stock.

[AlumniCU]

Not directly related, but I just put a Clarion CX609 in my 97 SE that had the stock Bose system. $250 delivered from Crutchfield with the harnesses, gain adjustments and antenna connects. Spent the morning soldering leads and about 5 minutes installing... I'd upgrade.