Speakers turning off and on

[feel_ixx]

I've recently acquired a problem with my car's audio system. The speakers tend to go off and on whenever I hit a bump or turn corners hard. This happens alternatively, one hit will turn them off and the next will turn it back on. My head unit is still on and functional, and the speakers still sound perfectly fine when its on. Any ideas where this problem could be coming from? I've checked the connections to the head unit, everything seems fine.

[crzymx]

Check the speaker connections, its sounds to me like you have a weak connection, and everytime you hit a bump its moving the connection causing it to cut out. However its not enough force to break to break the connection completely. Door speakers is a good place to check. Is it both speakers or what?

[feel_ixx]

both seem to go out at the same time. But I think I found the problem. There is a little black box with a red and green light in the same place my head unit is, tucked behind a metal pillar thing. I tugged at that and the sound turned back on. I have no idea what that thing is.

[sliq]

are ticking sounds coming from it, feel_ixx?

if so, i advise you to run.

[Jeo]

Head unit wired staight to the speakers or is there an amp involved?

What else is the little box connected too?

[Juffa]

both seem to go out at the same time. But I think I found the problem. There is a little black box with a red and green light in the same place my head unit is, tucked behind a metal pillar thing. I tugged at that and the sound turned back on. I have no idea what that thing is.

I have seen some head units, especially those with high output levels, with a small external amp. Who fitted the head unit, and/or what brand/model.......do you have the install guide/manual for it????

J

[feel_ixx]

Sound has turned off again. Fiddling with the black box didnt help this time. The head unit was installed by myself as well as the speakers about 2 months ago. It is an Alpine CDE-9852

There is no amp involved, speakers wired straight into the head unit.

What is puzzling me is that both speakers are going out at the same time, and coming back on at the same time. The head unit doesn't turn off, however, I noticed that the time display is now off by around 7 hours, meaning my head unit is not keeping the time anymore when the car is off. I didnt touch anything near the head unit in the past few days, however, I DID clean my engine bay suggesting I may have possibly knocked something loose while doing it, problem is, I have no idea what how to locate it.

[Fatty]

i'd guess it's a power or wiring issue. it may be as simple as a loose connection on your 12v . in my other car, the stereo used to die for a few seconds every now and then, then after a while the battery would go flat if i ran the headlights for more than a few minutes. it was the alternator, got it reco'd and problems went away.

[Locutus]

could possibly be the headunit itself - how old is it?

i am using old (i think it's over 10 years old) panasonic headunit that cuts out like you have described when it gets hot.

[Juffa]

Ok, so if the clock is not keeping time then you might not be getting constant a 12v supply. Is the headunit radio retaining station memory? If the clock and the radio is losing memory then I would check the constant power lead, I think it is yellow. I know that you have said that you have not touched anything, but I would still suggest checking all wiring connections. Make sure you have good clean contacts, including the earth. Also make sure the speakers are not shorting out on the door metal. I think you will just have to check everything and eliminate everything one item at a time.

J

[feel_ixx]

The clock may be not keeping time because I disconnected the head unit from the power causing it to reset its time to 12am. I'll be having a look at it although I insulated the door metal pretty well. The head unit is at most 2 years old. However, I may put my stock radio in to see if it's the head unit causing the trouble.

[Jace]

I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM!
different aftermarket headunit (JVC) though.
being such an unreliable fault, in my case, i'm pretty confident that it's a shorting issue somewhere.
when you did the install, did you retain and utilize the cars original speaker wiring? (from the headunit to the speakers in the doors?)
i think i've narrowed it down to the wires through the rubber boot/protector thing on the passenger side door. (from a-pillar into door)
my stereo only ever cuts out when the car is turned off, ie. when i park it, lock it or whatever, then come back to it, most of the time i've lost power to the speakers.
next time you're driving and you've got no sound, reach across and open/slam the passenger door.
when i do this, i instantly regain power almost without fail. (i've slammed it too hard and regained nothing)
give this a go, if nothing but to narrow down the fault. and at least you might have something to listen to for the drive.
let me know how you go.

[feel_ixx]

Yeah I soldered the wires to the cars old cabling. I'm resoldering the speakers today as last night I found out the right speakers were hanging by a thread,

[Jace]

oh okay.
i resoldered my left side speaker and it helped a little bit, but it's still not very reliable.
good luck, i guess.

[feel_ixx]

Speakers have been resoldered but now my head unit isn't turning on at all. This is frustrating.