[Silvercraig]

Hello Experts

I have just bought a 2002 S430. Standard equipment. No aftermarket audio. So far as I can tell, all the rear speakers seem to be working but if I use the command system to adjust the fader so that it is only at the front, the only sound seems to come from the small speaker at the top of the dash in the centre of the car, i.e. nothing from any front speakers on the left or right.

Please could someone suggest how to diagnose the problem or some possible causes? Many thanks

Alastair

 

[Skylaw]

It isn't a fiber optics problem, or there would be no sound at all. It is possible your front L&R channels are blown on the amplifier. Or, there may be just a bad connection. Use the phone bulletin for your car to locate the amp, then check the copper wire plugs to the speakers. Phone Bulletins

 

[Silvercraig]

Thank you Skylaw. I'll do what you suggest and report back.

Kind regards

Alastair

 

[Silvercraig]

I removed the amp and checked as much as possible. Connections seem fine. I assume that the speaker leads are among the ones that come out of the large connector on the side of the amp. There didn;t seem to be any broken leads, damp, rust etc. Are there actually separate front and rear channels so far as the amp is concerned, given that it is only a stereo amp, not surround sound (even though there are front and rear speakers, I have always assumed that they still just take their feeds from the L & R channels.) Since the central speaker at the base of the windscreen works, I was hoping that it might be a speaker connection problem with the L& R door speakers (and tweeters?) rather than an amp problem. Do the speaker wires from the amp go anywhere before being distributed to the speakers? i.e is it possible there is something loose elsewhere? Does anyone have instructions on how to remover front speakers so I can check connections. Thank you to anyone who can help!

Alastair

 

[Silvercraig]

I disconnected the Bose amp and put a small voltage across various pairs of leads that come from the amp. I could get each of the speakers in turn to make a popping noise so there can't be a problem with the speaker wiring, I assume. I described the problem to Factory Car Stereo Repair in Florida and they agreed that it sounded like the amp so I sent it to them for repair. Unfortunately it seems like the amp is fine so I'm back to square one (minus $60 shipping costs to find out!)

Does anyone have any ideas? Is there a pre-amp in the COMAND head unit that could be a problem? Thank you

 

[Silvercraig]

S430 Front Door Speaker Problem Solved

I fixed my front speakers problem and am posting this in case it helps anyone else.

The passenger side tweeter (in the corner of the front window) had vibrated against a painted part behind the side mirror. The paint had been rubbed off and the tweeter was touching bare metal. This was causing some sort of short which meant that all four front speakers (door and tweeters, left and right) did not work.

I put some electrical insulation tape over the small patch of bare metal where the paint has been rubbed off and everything works fine now.

 

[teamatkinson]

worked for me to

Excellent post. My speakers quite working to and were fixed by your suggestion. Thanks a ton!!!