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Rear speakers stopped working

S

stretch2500

Full Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2014
Messages
12
Location
Upstate NY
I installed a head unit and replaced all four door speakers last July. Everything has worked great until a few weeks ago when the rears just stopped working. No crackling or fuzzyness. Called Crutchfield(where everything was bought) and they suggested switching the front and rear speaker wires to rule out the head unit. I did that and found the unit is good. The suggested bypassing the factory amp. I did that and I turned the ignition on, put the bias towards the rear and they worked. Later turned the truck on and drove home without rear speakers. Any suggestions or any similar situations out there?

Thanks in advance
Matt
 
So you kept the factory amplifier system with an aftermarket head unit?

Do you have a rear seat audio system?

It is possible that got engaged some how and is cutting off your rear channels assuming you have the RSA system.
(It is that screen with knobs on the rear of the center console.)

With the factory radio it uses the head units power to power headsets and such. So it doesn't pass the audio to the amplifier.

You may be able to bypass the amplifier at the head unit. And generally unless for some reason you want to use the BOSE amplifier you will get much better sound bypassing it.

ROdney
 
I had not realized there was a factory amp but I've completely bypassed it now. There isn't an audio system in back just the two door speakers.
 
You didn't mention what year truck you have and if you have the BOSE sound system or not.

2002 is a different beast but 2003-2006 if you have a bose sound system there is an amplifier hidden in the rear of the center console. On the rear of the center console on some of those there is a control panel with a couple volume knobs and audio plugs. This would be the rear audio system or RSA.

In THOSE vehicles when someone tries to use the audio system it will not pass the audio for the rear speakers to the amplifier. So if you have that system this could be what is going on.

The BOSE amplifier in the 2003-2006 avalanches is a "dumb" amplifier in that it runs directly off the output of the head unit and amplifies it. The amplifier is considered "dirty" by most and doesn't sound the best. If you bypass that amplifier you have lower volume but much clearer sound. Mine is like that currently and the volume with the factory deck is about 1/3rd if I had to guess of the amplified output. But it is much more clear. By bypassing the amplifier you are also loosing the subwoofer in the front of the center console of the same setup.

Randy or someone else that is more familiar with 2002 year model will likely pipe in but I don't see where you mentioned the year. Newer models and non-bose systems may have factory amps as well. I believe I have heard that in non-bose trucks the amplifier is up in the dash.

But regardless you should be able to bypass the amp reasonably easily and there may be harnesses that easily do this for you without needing to cut anything. I haven't looked or tried in my truck since I am rewiring my console anyhow.

 
Sorry for that. Its a 2002 2500. Ive read a lot on how the bose systems can be a pain to bypass but those problems/posts don't havent helped me unfortunately. Thanks for the replies so far. Sorry again for not being specific
 
Short in the wire somewhere....
 
In your first post you said you bypassed the factory amp.. How did you do it?
 
A Crutchfield tech emailed me a wiring diagram and instructions on which wires go together once cut. I then went through the process soldering each pair as i went.
 
WOW... The hard way.. There's a jumper that you can pick up for twelve bucks and install in 10 minutes, but that's water under the bridge..

If it was working then stopped, then like MS03 2500 said maybe a short somewhere maybe at one of the speakers, also go back and double check your work if you haven't already..


Good luck
 
I figured i was already knee deep so why not do it the hard way lol Yeah sounds like ill have to chase the gremlin around.Love your truck Randy! Mines also Summit but not quite as worked as yours...yet

Thanks for the replies
 
Thanks... Love the 2500 AV's, one of the vehicles I've ever owned..

 
Have you checked the RSA (Rear Seat Audio) button make sure they are not on.  As a matter of fact try bypassing it too.

Randy said:
WOW... The hard way.. There's a jumper that you can pick up for twelve bucks and install in 10 minutes, but that's water under the bridge..

If it was working then stopped, then like MS03 2500 ygmn said maybe a short somewhere maybe at one of the speakers, also go back and double check your work if you haven't already..


Good luck
Click to expand...
 
My bad... It's an 02 I don't think it was available on the AV that year..
 
No problem, I just wish folks would have the year and model in their signature.  :E: :E: :E:
 
i have an 01. replaced head unit an not gettin sound out of rear door speakers. ive bypassed factory inline amp, replaced all 4 door speakers, an still no sound from rear door speakers. the rear audio control panel is missing from center console. tracked it down to this being my problem. anyone know how to bypass this?
 
backsmakwarnin said:
i have an 01. ......
Click to expand...

You mean a 2002 model year made in 2001 right?
First model year was called 2002 but they started selling them around APRIL 2001

No rear audio panel in 2002 model year.

So what do you have?
 
one thing you can try in order to see if the rear system or the amp is the issue is to turn on the radio and turn up the volume. then listen to the back door speakers. see if up close you hear faint music or something from them. this is how I was able to find out my amp needs replacing. because you can bearly hear distorted music coming from the speakers but when I attached a testing unit to my speakers themselves they sounded fine.
 
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