Sound cutting out stereo (1 Viewer)

[doxster22]

On my 94 LC, the sound will randomly cut out on my stereo. It has an aftermarket radio and has since I got it. I figured it was the radio going bad (it was an older style Kenwood with no AUX), so I bought a new radio w/ AUX hookup and installed it (along with a new harness). Still doing the same thing. Radio stays powered up but loses all sound. If I shut the car off and turn switch back on, sound will come out for approx. 5 seconds then go out again.

It seems to do this a lot more when it is warmer outside. When it was cold, I never had an issue. As the weather has been getting warmer, it did it more and more and now it will barely work at all, if any.

Any ideas? Obviously, stereo is good, checked wiring in dash at radio and all seemed tight with good connections.

 

[retrofive]

Check if the factory amp has been bypassed/unplugged. (Which it should be if using aftermarket radio AND using the 2 grey plugs to wire it VS the single white one)

 

[82much]

Check your speaker connections. If one speaker terminal is touching metal it will short out all speakers. This happens mostly on door speakers. I would start there.

 

[Seth_O]

Are you using factory speakers, harness and amp? If ALL the speakers cut at the same time AND the HU still has power I would suspect the factory amp or wiring from the HU to the amp.

Check continuity from the HU to the amp, if its good you may want to replace the amp or just chuck it.

 

[DirtScaresMe]

I'd put a multimeter on the speaker wires and see if there's any change there. Could be a faulty head unit as well, but normally I try to test out electrical circuits bit by bit and establish some "when I do this, x happens" type conditions. Maybe check the voltage at the "sub" in the back as well (when things are "on" and when it cuts out).

Just my $0.02; I've never had a problem exactly like this.

 

[doxster22]

Factory amp has already been bypassed/removed. All door speakers are after market. I removed the front two as soon as I posted this thread and they both were fine, no issues with terminals touching or anything. I am going to do the rears this afternoon. Thanks for quick replies.

 

[Allen9480]

Not trying to hijack this thread. My rear door speakers (upgraded) put out zero bass. Does the factory HU send a hi-pass signal to the these speakers?

 

[82much]

Not trying to hijack this thread. My rear door speakers (upgraded) put out zero bass. Does the factory HU send a hi-pass signal to the these speakers?

That could be multiple issues. If your HU has a subwoofer output and it is turned on this could cut the bass out of the rear. Some HU have a on/off for subwoofer output. Also check your speaker phase. If the speakers are out of phase this would eliminate bass output.

 

[landcrshr]

Not trying to hijack this thread. My rear door speakers (upgraded) put out zero bass. Does the factory HU send a hi-pass signal to the these speakers?

Yes, the factory AMPLIFIER incorporates high-pass filtering for the rear speakers, but since this output also feeds the "sub"woofer, you should hear at least SOME bass. If there is actually "zero" bass, I would first check the wiring POLARITY (phase).

 

[Allen9480]

Thanks, guys.

 

[doxster22]

The issue was in the driver side rear door wiring to the speaker. Who ever installed the after market speakers pinched one of the speaker wires and it was starting to rub through the insulation and shorting out. Thanks for all the responses.

 

[danthman114]

Check if the factory amp has been bypassed/unplugged. (Which it should be if using aftermarket radio AND using the 2 grey plugs to wire it VS the single white one)

^^^THIS^^^ mine did the same thing. nice and loud then nothing...

 

[smoltz]

The PO of my truck cut factory connectors off and then just twisted pigtails on, no crimps, no solder.

 

[danthman114]

The PO of my truck cut factory connectors off and then just twisted pigtails on, no crimps, no solder.

Makes you wonder about the preventive maintenance being done on it if he was too lazy to crimp wires...

 

[cruiserhound]

@doxster22 So my speakers seem to don't work lately. I just did a complete dash replacement and since I did that the radio only worked for a short time and once in awhile all four speakers will start working and then cut-out. Before I did the dash I also swapped out all of the door panels. I guess my question is: If one speaker wire is grounding out it will make all four speakers cut-out?

 

[BoneDragger]

Check your speaker connections. If one speaker terminal is touching metal it will short out all speakers. This happens mostly on door speakers. I would start there.

WOW, I have fighting the intermidant speakers dropping, then gone to no avail. And guess what, speaker terminal touching.... Back at last the wonderful Sound of Music.