Help with stereo install and 2004 VW Golf

[LUDELVR]

I have just recently installed a JVC head unit into a 2004 VW golf, just a basic system, no Bose or amplified setup, and it has stopped producing any sort of sound from the speakers.
Here's the story:

The factory tape deck would intermittently stop producing any sort of sound. It would play for a bit, then the speakers would not play anything but the deck still had power. It was all 4 speakers so I don't think anything was blown, and if it were blown, it should still make some sound shouldn't it?

In any case, I installed an after market head unit because I thought the factory tape deck was faulty so thought this was a good time to upgrade. I used a wiring harness and amplified radio antenna and upon plugging it in, the deck turned on but no sound still. I fiddled with the 2 harnesses (one for speakers and one for power, ground etc.) and upon plugging in the speaker harness, the sound suddenly shot to all 4 speakers. After putting everything back in, the speakers were working fine and then after a few minutes, the speakers stopped working again. I once again, pulled the deck, fiddled with the harness and sure enough, the speakers worked again.

My question is, now that I've concluded that its not the deck, why are the speakers periodically shutting off? the harness looks good and it's a solid connection so is there something I'm missing? Is it a solid wire that runs from the harness that plugs into the deck and to the speaker itself or is there another place where it connects to before running to the door speakers?

Also, if I were to simply run wires from the back of the deck to the speakers themselves, would I still be having this problem?

Sorry for the novel folks!

[soupey]

Take a close look at fuses. Is there anything that you can tell triggers the speakers to stop or start working?

[LUDELVR]

Originally posted by soupey
Take a close look at fuses. Is there anything that you can tell triggers the speakers to stop or start working?

As far as I know, the aftermarket stereo wiring harness that connects to the speaker harness is the only thing that connects from the head unit to the speakers. I'm trying to find a diagram but am coming up short. Like I said, I disconnected it but upon reconnect it, all 4 speakers were working. I don't know if there is as short somewhere, if all 8 wires for the 4 speakers run into some panel or if they just run straight to the speakers but they're cutting out and not even working anymore.

[silvercivicsir]

sounds like one of the speakers is grounding out, causing the deck to go into Protection mode..

1) have a look at each of the speaker wires coming from the back of the deck to the harness, make sure you don't have any frayed wires, or bad connections.

2) if 1 didn't fix the problem, you are going to have to trace each speaker. could be a shorting voicecoil, or a pinched wire somewhere..

[LUDELVR]

Originally posted by silvercivicsir
sounds like one of the speakers is grounding out, causing the deck to go into Protection mode..

1) have a look at each of the speaker wires coming from the back of the deck to the harness, make sure you don't have any frayed wires, or bad connections.

2) if 1 didn't fix the problem, you are going to have to trace each speaker. could be a shorting voicecoil, or a pinched wire somewhere..

So theoretically if I were to run new wires from the back of the after market head unit to each speaker I should be able to solve this issue? I ask because it's not just one speaker that's not working but all 4 speakers are not working.

[westsideaccord]

I would check the condition of the connector to speakers, maybe one of the clips male or female may be not making connection, ive seen these pushed slightly back in the harness and failed connection. Then and most likely it will be the wires from the harness headed through dash/console vw are known for poor space for there wiring to run, very tight spaces and my guess is a wires has the insulation scraped off due to rubbing on some bare metal causeing a short. Personally never experienced a shorted coil in a speaker but could happen. Usually speakers could break connection aka blow.
And yes new wires with proper grommet through metal and looming around it would be ideal and then you eliminate possibility of factory speaker wire shorts/breaks
Also the connection at the speaker mustn't touch metal in door etc.
Often times aftermarket speakers do this cause of the increased size of speaker basket and frame stamp, that the "cardboard" connector mount hold the positive/negative to close to the mounting location (ie door)

[LUDELVR]

Originally posted by westsideaccord
I would check the condition of the connector to speakers, maybe one of the clips male or female may be not making connection, ive seen these pushed slightly back in the harness and failed connection. Then and most likely it will be the wires from the harness headed through dash/console vw are known for poor space for there wiring to run, very tight spaces and my guess is a wires has the insulation scraped off due to rubbing on some bare metal causeing a short. Personally never experienced a shorted coil in a speaker but could happen. Usually speakers could break connection aka blow.
And yes new wires with proper grommet through metal and looming around it would be ideal and then you eliminate possibility of factory speaker wire shorts/breaks
Also the connection at the speaker mustn't touch metal in door etc.
Often times aftermarket speakers do this cause of the increased size of speaker basket and frame stamp, that the "cardboard" connector mount hold the positive/negative to close to the mounting location (ie door)

I'm not sure how to check this but it's looking more and more likely that I'll have to run new wires. I'm just wondering that if it's a short with one wire, would it cause all 4 speakers to not work?

[HO2S]

Fixing the short will be alot less time consuming and easier than re-wiring all of the speakers.

Google how to properly wire in a deck into a vw, so you don't kill every scan tool that gets plugged into your car.

[LUDELVR]

Originally posted by HO2S
Fixing the short will be alot less time consuming and easier than re-wiring all of the speakers.

Google how to properly wire in a deck into a vw, so you don't kill every scan tool that gets plugged into your car.

I hear what you're saying and the deck has been wired in EXACTLY as it should but I reckon the problem either lies in the wiring from the factory harness to the speaker or the harness itself. Like I said, the unit worked for a bit just like the factory deck before I pulled it. If it's a short in the wiring then there's no real way I can find it unless I pull the wiring out from under the carpet and dash.

[westsideaccord]

Yes the internal amplifier is one power source split among four channels if one channel shorts it will directly affect the whole amplifier. Ideally if you were shaking wiring near the head unit and speakers came on and off then your short is near the head unit and or connector

[LUDELVR]

Originally posted by westsideaccord
Yes the internal amplifier is one power source split among four channels if one channel shorts it will directly affect the whole amplifier. Ideally if you were shaking wiring near the head unit and speakers came on and off then your short is near the head unit and or connector

I was under the impression that the amplifier was only for the upgraded package. The Golf in question has a basic setup with the tape deck (which was cutting out the same) and does not look to be amplified but if this is the case, if it is, would I be able to run a straight wire from the deck to the stock speaker or would I have to upgrade the speaker because of different ohms?

[CLiVE]

Originally posted by HO2S
Fixing the short will be alot less time consuming and easier than re-wiring all of the speakers.

Google how to properly wire in a deck into a vw, so you don't kill every scan tool that gets plugged into your car.

My first thought when I read this also. Beware of the VW K-Line issue. http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/aftermarket-radio.html

[03ozwhip]

VW's seem to have alot of issues with this. ive seen it personally twice and to fix it, rather than fuck around with the amp etc, i ran all new wires.

[buh_buh]

Less duct tape and JB weld

[LUDELVR]

Originally posted by CLiVE


My first thought when I read this also. Beware of the VW K-Line issue. http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/aftermarket-radio.html

Yeah, the K line thing I solved and simply unplugged it and used it for the antenna adapter booster signal.

Like I said, all worked fine for a bit but then ALL of the speakers just stop working. This was happening even before the stock deck was taken out. It would play periodically upon first starting up the car and then just shut off so I'm wondering if there is a central point where the factory wiring harness' wires meet up before going to the separate speakers.

[LUDELVR]

Originally posted by buh_buh
Less duct tape and JB weld

I actually used masking tape and super glue on this project! Better have the film rolling on this one when the electrical fire breaks out!! :thumbsup:

[HO2S]

You do not have to pull out the whole harness to find a short.

When you wiggle the harness by the deck it cuts the sound, So now you know its in or around the dash. Follow the harness and look for rub marks, you will probably find a mangled wire. It only takes one strand of one wire to cause a short.

If you don't find it buy the dash, unplug the speaker plug and grab your ohm meter. On the left front speaker hook the red lead from the meter to the positive terminal on the plug and the black lead to the negitive terminal. You should read a few ohm's, start wiggling wires all the way to the speaker. when the meter reads open or infiniti you have found the area of the short. Do this with all speakers untill you find the offending one. Much quicker and less hackish doing it this way.

[LUDELVR]

I'll give this a go when I get a chance but I do think it's worthwhile to mention that when I first installed the deck with the harnesses nicely joined, the deck powered on perfectly but just no sound. After a bit of looking, I unplugged the speaker harness (there are 2 factory harnesses that plug into the aftermarket one) and replugged it back in and the speakers just started working.

After I put everything back in place, the speakers cut out again so I pulled everything out with the stereo still on and started shifting the speaker harness but nothing was working. I then unplugged it and plugged it back in and voila...sound! So I'm not sure if it could be a factory harness malfunction of frayed wire but I'll try and do as you suggested.

Cheers for the help peeps!!


Originally posted by HO2S
You do not have to pull out the whole harness to find a short.

When you wiggle the harness by the deck it cuts the sound, So now you know its in or around the dash. Follow the harness and look for rub marks, you will probably find a mangled wire. It only takes one strand of one wire to cause a short.

If you don't find it buy the dash, unplug the speaker plug and grab your ohm meter. On the left front speaker hook the red lead from the meter to the positive terminal on the plug and the black lead to the negitive terminal. You should read a few ohm's, start wiggling wires all the way to the speaker. when the meter reads open or infiniti you have found the area of the short. Do this with all speakers untill you find the offending one. Much quicker and less hackish doing it this way.

[westsideaccord]

Well my apologies for not being more specific, I was referring to the head units built in amplifier, and yes most likely a factory durp, pinched wire or a wire with some of its shielding plastic scraped off or melted off. I agree, have seen this on a handful of BMW as well. I have shakes my fist at these two auto manufacturers for there poor wiring and lack of gromet or shielding. But a roll of fresh wire and some hands on and walla new wire = best solution, plus side if you ever were to upgrade your speakers and amplify them with a external amplifier you wouldn't have to run wire to the speakers. ;)

[silvercivicsir]

you could always try disconnecting all the speakers and through the process of elimination determine which speaker is the bad one.. Ie add one speaker at a time to the deck and see when it cuts out.. (might take a long time, but saves you from rewiring all the speakers)

[westsideaccord]

By simply disconnecting each speaker all that will tell you is if one is positive shorted, or blown. Does anyone know if vw speakers of this vintage are high resistance? Like 2ohm? That could cause a problem but I still believe short near head unit. Or crappy connection near.k

[LUDELVR]

Well after trying to cut the speaker harness off and then connecting the wires directly to the back of the deck, it still came up short with the same results. All speakers were cutting out simultaneously.

I finally got the time to get wiring and rewire the speakers directly to the deck, running my own wires and cutting out the factory stuff. So far, the speakers have not cut out at all. Thank goodness seeing that it was a bitch to wire everything late last night! It's just odd that somewhere along the path for the wires, it would cut out all 4 speakers! :dunno:

[410440]

Even if it was only 1 speaker that was grounding out, it would still kill the entire system.

99% of the MOSFET amps in all aftermarket decks have short protection, which basically when grounding out will essentially turn off the entire amp in the unit to prevent overloading and burning out that 1 channel or potentially the entire channel bridge.

[LUDELVR]

Originally posted by 410440
Even if it was only 1 speaker that was grounding out, it would still kill the entire system.

99% of the MOSFET amps in all aftermarket decks have short protection, which basically when grounding out will essentially turn off the entire amp in the unit to prevent overloading and burning out that 1 channel or potentially the entire channel bridge.

Good to know! Either way, situation solved and music is a playing! I just hate running wires when there are already some there! It's such a pain the back lying upside down with my head by the gas pedal squirming around...especially at my old age! :nut: