Screeching / silence from drivers side kick panel speaker
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 877
Likes: 80
From: Frederick MD
Screeching / silence from drivers side kick panel speaker
Happy Super Bowl Morning to all,
The front left speaker in my 92 convertible has started acting up, sometimes it is fine, otherwise there is either no sound or a screeching noise as heard in the attached clip. It has the Bose radio. My guess is that it is the amp in the speaker that is on the fritz, could it be something else? It does not seem there are any easy to install, compatible after market speakers to easily swap out, or am I missing something?
Thanks, Scott
The front left speaker in my 92 convertible has started acting up, sometimes it is fine, otherwise there is either no sound or a screeching noise as heard in the attached clip. It has the Bose radio. My guess is that it is the amp in the speaker that is on the fritz, could it be something else? It does not seem there are any easy to install, compatible after market speakers to easily swap out, or am I missing something?
Thanks, Scott
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,897
Likes: 592
From: New Port Richey FL
Sounds like the Bose amp. Is bad, they can be rebuilt professionally and I believe even yourself so I have heard.
Fairly common problem
Fairly common problem
Last edited by s carter; Feb 12, 2023 at 10:31 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,925
Likes: 441
From: Albuquerque NM
Likely bose amp capacitors!
You can potentially repair yourself if you have some comfortability with electronics, or you can send the unit out to someone to fix em, or maybe buy a replacement, or upgrade to aftermarket!
If it is just that one side, it is most likely the amp unit on that one side. You are right, there isn't really an "easy" aftermarket replacement swap upgrade available. IMO the bose systems are one of the quirks of the C4s. IMO when it comes to C4 Bose cars there are sorta three routes to go. Rehab the bose system entirely. Most report that with fresh electrical components in the bose amps and maybe even some speaker cone rehab, that the bose can sound pretty good. IMO having only heard one car with a working bose system, my old 1985 Z51 4+3, I would tend to agree, it can sound decent enough and be plenty for lots of people!
Another option is basically a complete system overhaul. The bose system doesn't do well with piecemeal upgrades. You kinda gotta keep it entirely factory, or replace it all. In the case of replacing it all, I am not sure but I think it might be possible to have a sort of easier time with an install by replacing the bose head unit with an aftermarket head unit, and replacing all the bose speaker and amp units with aftermarket speakers, and using the existing bose preamp level wiring as your speaker wiring for the aftermarket system, and using the on board head unit amp. This might be totally inadvisable, but it is an idea for an aftermarket install that might be a bit easier than what a lot of other people do, like myself, which is to take apart the interior and run new speaker wires and run an aftermarket remote amp in addition to the head unit. In the case of running no external amp nor new speaker wire (once again not even sure if this would work), I suspect but don't know that your final product while being better than the bose system, might not be that much better as you wouldn't have a sub and given that you're using preamp wiring as speaker wire you wouldn't have much power to the speakers. On the flip side you didn't have to run new speaker wires or set up an amp!
Like I said there is the big system overhaul, new speaker wire running, aftermarket amp, head unit etc.
Another sort of intermediate route a lot of people go for is to rehab the bose amps, maybe speaker cones too, then on the backside of the bose head unit, wire in the necessary adapters and inputs to get Bluetooth or at least aux 3.5mm jack cord input to the bose. I believe there also might be someone who sells bose head units that have been modified to have a Bluetooth receiver on board. This in many ways might be the best bang for the labor so to speak. Decent sound and capability with minimal labor.
Lots of options!
Be aware that while there are similarities, the early C4 interiors 84-89 have different considerations when it comes to this than the later interior 90-96.
You can potentially repair yourself if you have some comfortability with electronics, or you can send the unit out to someone to fix em, or maybe buy a replacement, or upgrade to aftermarket!
If it is just that one side, it is most likely the amp unit on that one side. You are right, there isn't really an "easy" aftermarket replacement swap upgrade available. IMO the bose systems are one of the quirks of the C4s. IMO when it comes to C4 Bose cars there are sorta three routes to go. Rehab the bose system entirely. Most report that with fresh electrical components in the bose amps and maybe even some speaker cone rehab, that the bose can sound pretty good. IMO having only heard one car with a working bose system, my old 1985 Z51 4+3, I would tend to agree, it can sound decent enough and be plenty for lots of people!
Another option is basically a complete system overhaul. The bose system doesn't do well with piecemeal upgrades. You kinda gotta keep it entirely factory, or replace it all. In the case of replacing it all, I am not sure but I think it might be possible to have a sort of easier time with an install by replacing the bose head unit with an aftermarket head unit, and replacing all the bose speaker and amp units with aftermarket speakers, and using the existing bose preamp level wiring as your speaker wiring for the aftermarket system, and using the on board head unit amp. This might be totally inadvisable, but it is an idea for an aftermarket install that might be a bit easier than what a lot of other people do, like myself, which is to take apart the interior and run new speaker wires and run an aftermarket remote amp in addition to the head unit. In the case of running no external amp nor new speaker wire (once again not even sure if this would work), I suspect but don't know that your final product while being better than the bose system, might not be that much better as you wouldn't have a sub and given that you're using preamp wiring as speaker wire you wouldn't have much power to the speakers. On the flip side you didn't have to run new speaker wires or set up an amp!
Like I said there is the big system overhaul, new speaker wire running, aftermarket amp, head unit etc.
Another sort of intermediate route a lot of people go for is to rehab the bose amps, maybe speaker cones too, then on the backside of the bose head unit, wire in the necessary adapters and inputs to get Bluetooth or at least aux 3.5mm jack cord input to the bose. I believe there also might be someone who sells bose head units that have been modified to have a Bluetooth receiver on board. This in many ways might be the best bang for the labor so to speak. Decent sound and capability with minimal labor.
Lots of options!
Be aware that while there are similarities, the early C4 interiors 84-89 have different considerations when it comes to this than the later interior 90-96.
Last edited by yakmastermax; Feb 12, 2023 at 10:50 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 877
Likes: 80
From: Frederick MD
Thanks for the reply, good to know I am on the right track. I have done some electronic projects in the past, so I will see if I can troubleshoot and repair it myself at least to start.
Scott
Tube amp project: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0XQQXG2NEEyhiWQZqWfoguxdkp6H9kWY5uzsBafzw9q4Sb4eZtjxTyMJoeNaJv1Pvl&id=1172207220&mibextid=ykz3hl
Scott
Tube amp project: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0XQQXG2NEEyhiWQZqWfoguxdkp6H9kWY5uzsBafzw9q4Sb4eZtjxTyMJoeNaJv1Pvl&id=1172207220&mibextid=ykz3hl
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 877
Likes: 80
From: Frederick MD
Another sort of intermediate route a lot of people go for is to rehab the bose amps, maybe speaker cones too, then on the backside of the bose head unit, wire in the necessary adapters and inputs to get Bluetooth or at least aux 3.5mm jack cord input to the bose. I believe there also might be someone who sells bose head units that have been modified to have a Bluetooth receiver on board. This in many ways might be the best bang for the labor so to speak. Decent sound and capability with minimal labor.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,897
Likes: 592
From: New Port Richey FL
When my amps died I sent them to this place wasn't to expensive
Factory car stereo repair
407 830 0777
www.carstereohelp.com
Fcsr@msm.com
Factory car stereo repair
407 830 0777
www.carstereohelp.com
Fcsr@msm.com
