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Problem with rear speakers

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19K views 13 replies 5 participants last post by  Evlengr  
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#1 ·
Hello!

Newbie here, just bought a used 2004 BMW X3 E83 2.5i.

Its overall in good condition but noticed there no sound from rear speakers. To put it in more detail, I have sound from front and under front-seat speakers, but not the ones on the rear door panel.

I have natually checked with Fader on the head unit but setting was correct.

Is this a quite common or well known problem on X3's? Any easy fix or quick checkups? I dont want to open up the whole door panel...

Brds
Jay
 
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#2 ·
xcellent said:
Is this a quite common or well known problem on X3's? Any easy fix or quick checkups? I dont want to open up the whole door panel...
Click to expand...
Not a common problem that I know of.

With a used car you never know what a previous owner might have done.

Might have had upgraded speakers put in and the owner decided to take them out when selling the car, without putting originals back.

The rear panel isn't that hard to remove - a bit easier than front, and no air bag to worry about.

No easy check other than removing panel to see what's up.

Unlikely that both speakers failed through age or misuse, but possible.

Previous owner could have done something with the amplifier and disconnected the rear speakers.

Or played about with the radio harness behind the head unit to fit an aux in and didn't do it right.
 
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#3 ·
It doesnt seem like the previous owner had fiddled around with the car too much - everything is all original, no mods. Installing Aux-in is on my to-do list!

U mentioned something about the amplifier - is there a separate amplifier than the head-unit, and if yes, where is it located?
 
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#4 ·
In the cargo area, left-hand side.

If you take out the removable interior panel above the tool kit you should be able to just see the amplifier.

To get at it, you would have to remove the next panel which is not designed to be routinely taken out, but easy enough once you see what retains it.

Still would be best to physically look at the rear speakers first though.
 
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#5 · (Edited)
Pulling the rear door panel off is a breeze. It takes about 5 minutes. Use plastic trim removal tools so you don't damage your trim pieces. There are 4 Torx screws to remove and the rest pops off using a removal tool. You'll then be able to see the speaker mounted in the door panel. Make sure the wiring is connected to the speaker.
 
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#6 ·
I spoke to the previous owner and he said he never had any speakers removed or changed in the rear doors so I decided to skip the taking off rear door panel (i m not that skilled.. :)

but since there no sound from both rear speakers I imagine its to do with head-unit or amplifier..

I tried to check the amplifier but I m having a real hard time taking off the cargo trim panel next to the removable one. any tips? I tried to unscrew the rear seat hook part and also the part u click on the trunk cover, but no success...
 
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#7 · (Edited)
When you tried adjusting the fader, did it mute the front speakers fully when positioned for rear only?

If not, I would think that points to a failed circuit in the head unit.
Those are not very high quality units, and after eight years, wouldn't be too surprising that a solder joint or component has failed.

If the fade did seem to be working, other than no rear sound, I suppose that makes the amplifier equally suspect or more so.
But if things look undisturbed back there, you wouldn't have much to go once the amp. was accessed.

Still would lean toward both speaker voice coils being burnt out simultaneously by overloading, or paper cones disintegrated over time in the Norwegian climate.
 
#8 ·
There is an easy wayt to test if the speakers are working correctly if you have some minor technical skills.

You will need to go to Lowes for wire tap and a nine volt battery. I can go into detail and tell you exactly how to do it, if you would like to try.

This involves no cutting or removing the door panels.

You will simply be "tapping" into the speaker wires which are accessible from the rear hatch panel.

In a nutshell if you take a speaker all on its own and attach the negative to a nine volt battery's negative and then attach another wire to the speakers positive and gently tap the positive on the nine volt (NOT A CAR BATTERY..an actual 9-volt battery you get for toys). You will hear a tick or popping sound from the speaker. It is also a good way to test for polarity. If the speaker moves outward when you have negative to negative and positive to positive the speaker will move outward and vice versa with negative.

If no pop or tick sound occurs the speaker is dead or there is a loose wire leading to it. If it does occur then more than likely the amp.

Let me know and I will take some step by step pictures later in the week to show you.

Cheers,

EE
 
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#10 ·
The color codes should be the same over the years, but don't panic if my pics dont look the same as yours since I have an 08.
 
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#11 ·
I noticed you motto "It's ok to spend money, just not to waste it." - so took the car to near car audio shop for quick check, says the car has no rear speakers....

I asked why, he says apparently its quite common that some x3s dont have rear speakers.... is it really true?

I asked him if they can install the speakers, and he answered if its wires there its not so hard, but if wires not there its a big job (meaning, they probably havent removed the door trim panel if speakers are physically there), so he didnt recommend doing speakers in the back as the unit is so small and doesnt make so much difference to the sound......

Any thoughts on above?
 
#14 ·
xcellent said:
I noticed you motto "It's ok to spend money, just not to waste it." - so took the car to near car audio shop for quick check, says the car has no rear speakers....

I asked why, he says apparently its quite common that some x3s dont have rear speakers.... is it really true?

I asked him if they can install the speakers, and he answered if its wires there its not so hard, but if wires not there its a big job (meaning, they probably havent removed the door trim panel if speakers are physically there), so he didnt recommend doing speakers in the back as the unit is so small and doesnt make so much difference to the sound......

Any thoughts on above?
Click to expand...
The alpine sps-410 that I recommend and fit perfectly run $50 USD a pair. Very cheap and good sound. Removing the rear door panels is easy and covered in my sound improvement stage one link. US models will have the wires there, not sure if EU are different, but certainly worth checking. I would do all 4 doors at same time.
 
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