Speakers work intermittently - probable cause? ('01 Suburban)

99gst_racer · May 16, 2013

This issue is a recent development. Every now and then, my front drivers side speaker won't play at all. I thought maybe the wiring at the speaker was loose. But then a few days later, it would be playing fine and all 4 rear speakers won't be playing. This issue comes and goes and is incredibly hit or miss. I know it's not a speaker issue, so that leaves the radio/head unit or the amplifier.

I'm sure I'm not the only person to have had this happen. So, which is more likely the culprit? The radio itself, or the amplifier?

99gst_racer · May 21, 2013

Keep the replies coming!

Ohh, wait...

txab · May 21, 2013

If you've checked all your connections, then I'd say radio or amp. Got an auto electronic shop nearby? Pick their brain.

uxwbill · May 25, 2013

Guess what?

You may find that it is a speaker issue. The speakers in my old 2003 S10 did this almost from day one, with both the factory and aftermarket radios. It was worst with the passenger's side dash/door speakers, though the driver's side door speaker would also cut out from time to time.

All of the offending speakers were replaced under warranty and the problem came back in time. Extremely cold or hot weather seemed to make the problem worse. Slapping the speaker grille (how low tech!) would often get them playing again.

The only speaker that didn't give trouble during most of the truck's life was the driver's side dash speaker. Just before I traded the truck, it started to only function if the weather was warm. (Sometimes, carefully playing with the wires going into the spider portion of the speaker would get it playing for a while.)

Both of the front door speakers in my 2007 Silverado Classic were dead, though one of them did start playing out of the blue one day. I sent them to someone who repairs speakers and he says it's a common problem with the wires going to the voice coil failing to make reliable contact.

Try turning your radio up very loud, or firmly rap the panel near a speaker when it isn't playing. See if it starts playing.

If you have an aftermarket radio installed, check your wiring connections especially if by some chance they are not soldered.

tanked_darren · May 25, 2013

Tell me how you know its not a speaker issue

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99gst_racer · May 28, 2013

Tell me how you know its not a speaker issue

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It would seem strange to have 5 rear speakers work fine yesterday, but not work at all today, and then work fine again tomorrow. Litterally all 5 speakers. I could understand an issue with the voice coil wiring on one speaker... But five? It seems more logical that the problem would be with the signal not being sent from the receiver or amp.

uxwbill · May 29, 2013

It's always possible that the issue is with an amplifier. Did you try rapping on or around the speaker grilles to see if they would start playing? Did you try cranking the volume to see if that would make the speakers start working?

As I said previously, when I had my S10, three of the four speakers would not play under some conditions, and the defect was definitely in the speakers themselves.

A broken audio power amplifier tends to stay broken and if it's broken badly enough, it will blow fuses.

It would seem strange to have 5 rear speakers work fine yesterday, but not work at all today, and then work fine again tomorrow. Litterally all 5 speakers. I could understand an issue with the voice coil wiring on one speaker... But five? It seems more logical that the problem would be with the signal not being sent from the receiver or amp.