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Author Topic: Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?  (Read 4834 times)

Offline AMc

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Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?
« on: June 19, 2014, 12:34:03 pm »
I recently swapped the RCD300 in my '58 GTi for a Pioneer AVH-5500BT.  Part of the reason for doing it was the RCD300 sounded a bit thin and weedy.
I was fiddling with the balance/fader yesterday and discovered that there is no bass whatsoever from the front passenger door.
As the tweeter is working, I'm assuming that the new head unit has nothing to do with it and it was like that already.

I understand I've got a pair of wires into the door that go to a crossover and out to the woofer and tweeter.  AIUI I don't have a mid range - certainly there's nothing audible on the drivers side behind the middle grill.

Before I take the door to bits is there anything that commonly goes wrong?

I'm hoping it is a loose wire but I'm not expecting it to be that simple.  I've never heard of a crossover going bad but assuming that's the problem does anyone know where I can find a replacement r have the VW part number?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Cheers

Andy

Offline AMc

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Re: Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?
« Reply #1 on: June 20, 2014, 12:16:48 pm »
Anyone?
I see there a plenty of breakers cross overs on fleabay - looks like the part can go in either side -  I assume it's plug and play?

Offline paulw123

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Re: Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?
« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2014, 02:07:07 pm »
there's usually no speaker behind the front middle grill, unless an upgrade headunit was specified from factory, then 10speakers were included instead of standard 8.
my drivers woofer sounds muffled, what could that be?
you could upgrade to the focal kit if feeling flush  :wink:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Focal-Integration-IFVW-Golf-Replacement/dp/B00AIWBA68/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403269590&sr=8-1&keywords=focal+golf+mk6
GT TDI sport 140 08plate,RCD510 DAB, leather armrest, euro cup holder

Offline AMc

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Re: Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?
« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2014, 03:30:17 pm »
It's definitely dead - the Pioneer has a touch screen which lets you to drag the "centre" of the 4 channels around the car to set the balance and fader. 
Drag it to any other corner and there's plenty of bass, drag it to the front left and it's like a cheap speakerphone :(
Those focals look nice but I'm not feeling that rich :) thanks for the link though.

I'll take the door apart and see what's there - I guess I could swap the crossover from the driver side to check that's the fault before I order a replacement.  It doesn't look too complicated to get in there based on YouTube.

Offline paulw123

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Re: Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?
« Reply #4 on: June 20, 2014, 04:35:50 pm »
yeah I did the same, put all the sound onto front rh side. Put my hand over woofer and can feel the vibrations, but sounds muffled compared to othe sides woofer, so the wires ok, maybe just blown a bit???
I can live with it.........just turn it up louder   :evilgrin:
GT TDI sport 140 08plate,RCD510 DAB, leather armrest, euro cup holder

Offline AMc

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Re: Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?
« Reply #5 on: June 20, 2014, 05:37:34 pm »
In the past when I've ruined woofers they make a god awful rattle and distort rather than go quiet.
In my car the passenger grill does vibrate a bit - I presume just resonating from the tweeter in the door too.
I'm not expert but as I understand it - there isn't much in there apart from a crossover.
If you swap that from one side to the other and the muffled bass follow it then it's that - £20 on ebay.


Offline AMc

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Re: Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?
« Reply #6 on: July 18, 2014, 02:20:03 pm »
A day off and plenty of sunshine so I've stripped the passenger door and driver door using YouTube videos for guidance.

To my disappointment there is no crossover in my doors so that hasn't failed. :(
There are four wires into a connector on the woofer going into a loom.  There are two wires leading into the connector on the tweeter.

Wiring on the driver side
At the woofer connection (reading left to right)
Brown with Black stripe
Brown with thin Red stripe
Brown with thick Red stripe
Red
At the tweeter (left to right)
Red
Brown with red stripe (not sure thick or thin now!)

Wiring on the passenger side
At the woofer connection (left to right)
Brown with Blue stripe
Brown with thin Red stripe
Brown with Green stripe
Red
At the tweeter (left to right)
Red
Brown with thin Red stripe

1 - I assume there is a crossover built into the woofer unit or no crossover and both speakers get full range signal?

With the door card removed on the drivers side you can clearly see and hear the woofer moving.  On the passenger side the woofer is making a feeble attempt to make a sound - so it's physically connected.  But there is no power or bass at all.  Likewise the sounder doesn't move at all - nothing visible and no movement you can feel in your finger tips.  There is also no movement on the cone if you push gently with it powered off.

2 - I'm assuming my passenger side woofer is blown?

As the woofers are riveted into the door I couldn't do a swap and confirm the fault but I'm reasonably confident the wiring is OK as there is sound through the tweeter and something through the woofer.  The connections behind the head unit all look fine.  If I disconnect the woofer then there is no sound on the passenger side at all.

3 - So it looks like I want new front woofers - any recommendations, don't want to break the bank.  Would prefer not to cut the loom connectors off?

Offline SI-R32

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Re: Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2014, 03:05:30 pm »
Just for your reference when you have a medium range 2 way speaker system the crossover that you want to see is just a small capacitor in the tweeter line, in fact its just glued on the back of the tweeter, you can't put full range signal to a tweeter it will blow it

the wires for the 2 way speaker system in a golf go to the woofer first then shoot up to the tweeter, so in all probability you just have a buggered woofer, so just change it.

also you could pull the plug on the woofer and measure the resistance through the coil using the pins on the woofer, this is usually roughly around the same as the impedance of the speaker, if you get nothing then the coil is blown hence the woofer is blown
« Last Edit: July 18, 2014, 03:20:53 pm by SI-R32 »
Loads of extra's and retro fits.

Offline AMc

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Re: Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?
« Reply #8 on: July 18, 2014, 03:47:39 pm »
Cheers, SI-R32 hat's interesting thanks.

I'm a bit puzzled that its making a tiny bit of sound but nothing more but never mind.

I guess I need to pick up an a pair of adapters and a pair of 165mm speakers to go in there then
e.g. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-GOLF-MK-V-165mm-FRONT-SPEAKERS-ADAPTOR-AUTOLEADS-SAK-3108-/360801564513?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item540172f761
and
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JBL-CS-6-6-6-5-165MM-REPLACEMENT-TWO-WAY-CAR-AUDIO-SPEAKER-135-PEAK-POWER-/400710887625?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item5d4c3ae8c9

Any recommendations for 6.5" speakers appreciated as I know next to nothing about car audio speakers!

Offline SI-R32

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Re: Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?
« Reply #9 on: July 18, 2014, 03:56:20 pm »
i'm the same when it comes to actually a good quality cheap ish set, i just fitted some focals in over 3 years ago, sound good enough for my mp3's but cost 350 for full 3 way set.

if your very happy with standard speakers new one from vw is 25 quid, cheap at half the price.

and yes you will need adaptors if you decide to upgrade
Loads of extra's and retro fits.

Offline AMc

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Re: Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?
« Reply #10 on: July 18, 2014, 04:06:14 pm »
The focals look great but I can't afford to spend that much and (if they all worked) the standard units are OK.
Good to know that a VW one isn't that expensive.
The main thing pushing me towards a 3rd party speaker is I don't have any riveting gear so whatever I fit would have to be screwed in - I guess there's nothing stopping me from using some self tapping screws on the VW unit though.
I'll have a browse and see if I can find some reviews for a cheap ish pair of 6.5" speakers.

Offline AMc

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Re: Front passenger side woofer not working, tweeter OK?
« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2014, 03:06:51 pm »
I've been recommended these speakers in these mounts.
They're telling me I'll need to upgrage the tweeters at the same time - any thoughts?

JBL GTO6508C- 210w 16.5cm Component Speakers
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/speakers/component-systems/6-5-inch-comp-17cm/jbl-gto6508c

in these CT25VW01 Speaker Fitting Adapter
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/ct25vw01-speaker-fitting-adapter-for-vw-passat-golf-iv-front-and