New HU
New HU A while back i put in a new HU using the Scosche harness, and have been getting bad sound ever since, turns out there is no sound coming from the speaker that are next to the backseats, however the ones in the hatch area work fine.
When I asked here last time, everyone said I should be fine with this harness and the 10 speaker system..
Anyone have a clue how I can get those two rear speakers working?
When I asked here last time, everyone said I should be fine with this harness and the 10 speaker system..
Anyone have a clue how I can get those two rear speakers working?
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here's the wiring for a 1996 10 speaker system in a fbird Last edited by dcm; Mar 28, 2011 at 07:46 PM. Reason: added stuff
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
If it has 10 speakers in a 93-96 Firebird then yes, it has an amp. The amp powers only the sail panel subs. I suspect you've blown the RADIO ACCY fuse which protects the amp wiring. It is also possible that the amp or its wiring is bad but I'd check the fuse first.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
There never was an eight speaker system in 4th generation Firebirds. You have mids and tweeters in the doors, subs in the sail panels, and mids and tweeters in the hatch area for a total of ten speakers.
The fuse is labeled RADIO ACCY in LS1 models but may have a different label in earlier models. There is a fuse for the amp but I don't know what it's called (I don't have an older manual) so check any fuses that it might be.
The fuse is labeled RADIO ACCY in LS1 models but may have a different label in earlier models. There is a fuse for the amp but I don't know what it's called (I don't have an older manual) so check any fuses that it might be.
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Would have had to count at least one pair of tweeters to get eight. May have missed the hatch area tweeters because they're under a grille that looks like a single speaker rather than components.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
If the wiring at the head unit was bad then there would be no sound from the hatch speakers either since they are on the same channels.
The interesting thing about the problem is that only the sail panel subs are affected. That coincides with the fact that the sail panel subs are the only speakers powered by the amp in that model. That leads to three possibilities... the amp is not getting power, the amp is dead, or the speakers are blown.
I suspect the first case. It's easy to test (at least it's easy once you get to the amp). Use a test light or multimeter to check for power at the orange wire(s). If no power, go back and check fuses again - use a tester rather than relying on visual inspection. If power at the fuse but not at the amp then you have a broken wire somewhere. While checking, make sure the amp connector is secure and undamaged and that the black wire goes to a solid chassis ground.
If power checks out okay then the next step is to test the speakers. You can connect them to another source in the vehicle, connect a different speaker to the sail panel wiring, or use the old 9V battery trick.
If the speakers check out then you're left with the amp. There is no simple way to test the amp. Ideally you know someone with the same setup that you could swap amps with to verify if yours is dead. Otherwise, you'll just have to go with the educated guess that since everything else has been tested, the amp is the only thing left that could be causing the problem.
The interesting thing about the problem is that only the sail panel subs are affected. That coincides with the fact that the sail panel subs are the only speakers powered by the amp in that model. That leads to three possibilities... the amp is not getting power, the amp is dead, or the speakers are blown.
I suspect the first case. It's easy to test (at least it's easy once you get to the amp). Use a test light or multimeter to check for power at the orange wire(s). If no power, go back and check fuses again - use a tester rather than relying on visual inspection. If power at the fuse but not at the amp then you have a broken wire somewhere. While checking, make sure the amp connector is secure and undamaged and that the black wire goes to a solid chassis ground.
If power checks out okay then the next step is to test the speakers. You can connect them to another source in the vehicle, connect a different speaker to the sail panel wiring, or use the old 9V battery trick.
If the speakers check out then you're left with the amp. There is no simple way to test the amp. Ideally you know someone with the same setup that you could swap amps with to verify if yours is dead. Otherwise, you'll just have to go with the educated guess that since everything else has been tested, the amp is the only thing left that could be causing the problem.
I have triple checked the wiring.
It only happened after i put in the new HU.
Where exactly is the amp? I'm sure that if I plug in the factory HU it would work, but all the wiring is good. Where does the amp get it's power from, could there be a fuse somewhere else that i'm missing?
It only happened after i put in the new HU.
Where exactly is the amp? I'm sure that if I plug in the factory HU it would work, but all the wiring is good. Where does the amp get it's power from, could there be a fuse somewhere else that i'm missing?
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
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From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
The amp is behind the trim in the right sail panel below the speaker and next to the rear seat cushion.
If you still have the factory head unit then plugging it in would be a great test. But, unlike you, I seriously doubt it would work because I can't see any combination of circumstances that would cause the symptoms you describe differently for one head unit versus another.
If you still have the factory head unit then plugging it in would be a great test. But, unlike you, I seriously doubt it would work because I can't see any combination of circumstances that would cause the symptoms you describe differently for one head unit versus another.
where does the amp get it's ground and power from? Do those wires go to where the HU are? or do they get powered close to the battery or something? I wonder if something got disconnected during some work somewhere other than the HU area?
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,328
Likes: 345
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
The amp gets its power from the battery via the fuse panel in the dash. None of that wiring goes to the head unit. It has power at all times but only turns on when it senses signal from the head unit.
