I've been installing a new stereo (JVC KD-R618) in my 02'Legacy GT Wagon, replacing the original P119 unit. Everything works great, but seems that there is no sound from the rear speakers. Fader moving to the rear speakers -just sound goes away. I connected back the original unit with all the original wiring - same thing.

I doubt it is related to my install, or the new harness that I made for the new stereo.

I am afraid it's actually been like this for a while, and went unnoticed. I did not drive this car a lot lately.

I have this car since new. It's a original factory radio, no upgrades no amplifier under the pass. seat, but IIRC - there are rear speakers from the factory.

 

Is there a fuse, or may be a ground that was busted while something else was done on the car?

 

Thanks,

-Michael

Edited September 12, 201015 yr by 740gle

i have an 02 OBW with no sound from the rear speakers either. it has the McIntosch system so it's different than yours, but it's definitely possible for both to be sound-less. I haven't tried tracking it down yet. Swapped stereos and amp but that didn't change anything.

 

Time to pull the rear panels and see if the speakers are any good or if those wires have continuity?

Interesting...

If it was speakers dying from their age - would they do it simultaneously without making some strange noises in the process?

OTOH - mine might have been dead for a while...

Edited September 12, 201015 yr by 740gle

yeah that's wierd to me too. both is odd and for complete failure is weird.

 

i know of no fuses or anything rear-specific but obviously this seems to point to that. in my case i've ruled out the stereo and amplifier.

I had similar problem with a car years back. To test if wiring to speakers was good, I took an old portable radio, and had an old head phones. I cut off the wire to the head phones, then wired the leads to the car rear speakers. Both speaker would play the portable radio, so I knew the problem was in the wiring connection to the new car radio. Finally, I figured it out to get the new car radio to play properly.

I had similar problem with a car years back. To test if wiring to speakers was good, I took an old portable radio, and had an old head phones. I cut off the wire to the head phones, then wired the leads to the car rear speakers. Both speaker would play the portable radio, so I knew the problem was in the wiring connection to the new car radio. Finally, I figured it out to get the new car radio to play properly.

 

Well, I kind of did this - it happened both with the new radio, and suspecting the harness, that goes between the new radio and the Subaru's connector that plugs into the factory radio, I plugged the original radio back, and the problem still the same.

If you can locate the two speaker wires that go to say your rear left, you can take a battery and touch one wire on each end of it. You should hear static or fuzz from the speaker. If you don't get anything then you should pull the speaker and check the connections ect. I doubt that the wiring between the head unit and the speaker is at fault because that is all run beneath the carpeting and is fairly well protected.

 

Another thing to check for:

When I swapped out my speakers in my doors I found that they had been water damaged. Apparently condenstion from my window built up in the door and never got out and it soaked into the speaker cone. If you have damaged weather stripping or and sort of fault in your door/window seals the speakers may just be shot.

I think what you are needing is the "generic radio interface wiring harnass" (for lack of a better description) that goes between an after market radio, and connects to the wiring going to the speakers. These small wiring harnesses are made for specific car models, and work well. It eliminates cutting of any of the car's wiring, which makes wiring up an after market radio a cinch.

 

I can't remember the name of the consumer electronic mail order store that sells these wiring harnesses, but if I search high and low, I may find something on them. Maybe someone else on this forum can chime in on a source for the radio wiring harness.

I think what you are needing is the "generic radio interface wiring harnass" (for lack of a better description) that goes between an after market radio, and connects to the wiring going to the speakers. These small wiring harnesses are made for specific car models, and work well. It eliminates cutting of any of the car's wiring, which makes wiring up an after market radio a cinch.

 

I can't remember the name of the consumer electronic mail order store that sells these wiring harnesses, but if I search high and low, I may find something on them. Maybe someone else on this forum can chime in on a source for the radio wiring harness.

 

It's called Crutchfield, right? This is were I got my new radio, and they provided harness too. :-).