Car Speakers Quit Working Randomly, Where to Start Diag?

[TumblrDucks]

Hi BITOGers,
Recently my car's speakers start quit working randomly. They work most of time but on one random day they would go silent. Having tried multiple resets, turn on/off stereo unit, didn't work. What I did notice is they usually come back after my car went over a pothole. As a result I suspect there may be a bad connection that come loose from time to time. Where should I start looking at and find that connection? I have to drive into a fairly big pothole every time and it would probably knock my alignment off soon.

 

[JavierH19]

in the unit itself as the connectors in the doors have clips and gaskets and those almost never lose connection unless you had mickey get a bit hungry.

 

[Warstud]

Pull out the radio and make sure the connections are tight

 

[TumblrDucks]

in the unit itself as the connectors in the doors have clips and gaskets and those almost never lose connection unless you had mickey get a bit hungry.

Thanks. I don't see mickey poop or broken wires/insulation but I will double check to make sure. Maybe it's the connector to center console computer? All speakers went silent together and recover at the same time.

 

[DuckRyder]

Are we talking about the Hyundai ?

Does it have an external amp?

Agree that if all of the speakers go out and come back simultaneously you are looking for a connector or component that affects all whether in the radio or in an external amp.

 

[nthach]

First off, what car? Do you have a branded “premium” sound system such as JBL/Mark Levinson/Lexicon/Infinity, Bose or the FCA/GM/Ford Alpine/Pioneer/Sony collabs? My first troubleshooting steps would be check any connections you have access too. Then take off the door cards to make sure the door speakers are connected securely and the speakers themselves are in good shape. And if you have trim tools and know how your dash is snapped/screwed in, take apart your dash and check the head unit connections.

If you have branded sound, you also have a amp mounted under a seat or in the trunk and proprietary speakers with non-standard impedance(1-3 ohm) so replacing those is either a trip to the dealer or salvaging them if the surrounds are shot. From my observations, the amps on branded systems tend to go out more than speakers or head units.

Also, some factory non-branded systems, such as Hyundai and Honda use an amp too.

 

[Graham Piccinini]

I got a 2000 Honda CR-V. All of my speakers go out if one of the speakers grounds out to the body. That usually only happens when I got a bunch of stuff in the trunk and during a fast turn the stuff leans and pushes on the speaker. Once out of the turn, or with quick "moose test" to swing the luggage the other way - all speakers come to life. I should probably add some insulation, but kinda used to it now.

 

[TumblrDucks]

Are we talking about the Hyundai ?

Does it have an external amp?

Agree that if all of the speakers go out and come back simultaneously you are looking for a connector or component that affects all whether in the radio or in an external amp.

Yes. I don't add any aftermarket sound system but the car did has infinity logo beside the speaker.

 

[TumblrDucks]

First off, what car? Do you have a branded “premium” sound system such as JBL/Mark Levinson/Lexicon/Infinity, Bose or the FCA/GM/Ford Alpine/Pioneer/Sony collabs? My first troubleshooting steps would be check any connections you have access too. Then take off the door cards to make sure the door speakers are connected securely and the speakers themselves are in good shape. And if you have trim tools and know how your dash is snapped/screwed in, take apart your dash and check the head unit connections.

If you have branded sound, you also have a amp mounted under a seat or in the trunk and proprietary speakers with non-standard impedance(1-3 ohm) so replacing those is either a trip to the dealer or salvaging them if the surrounds are shot. From my observations, the amps on branded systems tend to go out more than speakers or head units.

Also, some factory non-branded systems, such as Hyundai and Honda use an amp too.

Oh my bad, forget the spec again. It is the same car in my signature, 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid with infinity system.
This sounds like a big job now... I will check these locations you have mentioned.

 

[brages]

On my car, one of the fronts would sometimes cut out. It was the driver itself that apparently had a bad connection.

 

[nthach]

Oh my bad, forget the spec again. It is the same car in my signature, 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid with infinity system.
This sounds like a big job now... I will check these locations you have mentioned.

Yep - and Hyundai is one of the few not German automakers to use a digital connection between the head unit to amp. It uses SPDIF, not optical PCM audio over adapted TOSLINK like Mercedes/BMW uses. But, to install an aftermarket radio, you need either a PAC RadioPro interface with the Hyundai digital module or an iDatalink Maestro.

 

[TumblrDucks]

So, some update:
I found my amp. Instead of under the seat, Hyundai choose to hide it in the trunk. The amp is blocked by battery so it took me some time to unbolt everything and move stuff out. I pulled plugs out, they are clean, no fancy colors on metal parts, and everything seems connected tightly. Then I turned to check my amp and clock fuses but none of them are blown. Since I'm not going to rip my center dash apart to check connection, let us hope it works as long as it can.

Something interesting I found when move the battery:

It looks like an ambient temperature sensor on regular Sonata, however when I disconnect it the car can still read temp and throw me a yellow hybrid system service light. Wondering what that is.