Stereo + Speakers

Hi Guys
I'm having an issue with my speakers in that they regularly go really crackly or lose sound altogether even at low volume, sometimes its the left, sometimes the right, sometime both, sometimes its fine, theres apparently no logic to it. I've had the door panels off and the speakers look fine to me I'm worrying it may be the headunit. Has anyone had any similar issues or any ideas how I might fix it.

Not that I've heard of.  I think you're right to suspect the head unit - or it could also be the remote on the steering column.  Does it crackle when you change the volume at all?  If so, it could easily be a dry joint.

Fixing wouldn't be too hard, once you track down which unit, and get it apart - or you could just look out for a new one on ebay, or even take it as an excuse to upgrade.

Welcome to the forum.

If it was one speaker only, then it could be just blown and need a new one, but...

As both are acting up I would agree with Araf that its the electronics itself, likely the amp.

Before I would run out and buy a new headunit, I would just test with any old car speakers you or a friend/relation have lying about first. (I have about three sets off other cars lying about in my loft), and ensure its not the speakers before paying for expensive headunits. If it is the headunit you might get a decent secondhand unit on Ebay, or buy something else to suit.

Ill keep an ear out for crackling when I change volume, but either way I feel like this could end up being an expensive fix.

I used to have a twingo and did all sorts to the soundsystem so i've already got decent speakers lying around that will most likely fit so ill plug them in and see if it still happens but swapping them looks like it will be a pain though as the current ones seem to be riveted in place.

Ive always been pretty happy with the standard speaker system on my little wind. When i had the grills off the other day, the speakers actually look well made rather than the usual crappy paper ones you get as standard in most cars i've had, and as far as I can see they look in perfect condition.

The stereo has input for some rear speakers but non installed anywhere, I was considering building an insert to go in the daft parcel shelf behind the seats as a mount for some decent rear speakers, but if it is the headunit that has the problem I dont suppose that will help. I'd rather not upgrade the headunit if i can avoid it as its already the upgraded bluetooth option and it looks good in the dash with a separate display further up the centre console.

Thanks for the welcome

Have you thought about trying the rear channels for the front speakers, just to see if it is that part of the amp?

'Daft parcel shelf' ?! Perfect width for CDs (yes, I still use them....) xx

Back in the day the car magazines used to ridicule the 'occasional passenger' shelf behind the seats in the MGB, but nobody mentioned it was perfect for a compliant dog. ( admittedly you'd struggle to get a dog on the Wind shelf though. A comatose sausage dog maybe?).

Right, so i've found out its the speakers which are the problem and not the headunit which is sort of good news. Unfortuantely, it seems that renault never ever want you to modify this stereo system. Its bad enough having the speakers riveted in place, it seems the headunit is impossible to remove as well.

I've tried every removal key i can think of plus every tool/sharp object i can get my hands on but all i've suceeded in doing is to mangle the plastic around my stereo. Has anyone got the faintest how to remove the headunit from the dash, even the staff in halfords didn't have a clue and i can't find any advice online? araghh!

I'll have a look, next weekend, if I get a moment.

As for the speakers, IIRC Moving Shadow has replaced his, so maybe worth giving him a shout, to see what he used instead.

A word of warning, these cars aren't absolutely water tight, so that maybe why they don't use paper coned speakers in the first place.

Agreed with araf I quite often have water on the inside of my car small amounts but still not the best

The best way to seal the waterproof membrane in the door cards if you cut or tear it open, is to use supermarket plastic bags and silver duct tape.

Also at the door speakers you put a supermarket plastic bag behind the speaker, putting duct tape above and each side , but not the bottom, to allow for condensation removal. If doing this ensure bag does not touch speaker cone or get caught in window movement.

When new owners open the door card on some of my previous cars, they get a fright with all these stuck down plastic bags 

I assume that you have got to this stage?



If so, then on either side of the metal surround is a slot to take the blade style tools.

You may have to have the ignition on to start removing it, as some cars have an added anti-theft bolt, which stops the stereo being removed from a car when the ignition is off.

Yeah I've had the fascia off but those slots are just empty plastic, there's nowhere for a key to go, unless I'm missing something obvious. I've noticed there are holes on the sides of the plastic enclosure which fit normal din keys but again, it doesn't seem to have a purpose.

Good news is though, my speakers have arrived, I've also bought an attachment for door panel to mount them and some adapters so I don't have to cut off the existing wires to connect. If it ever stops raining I might go an install them.

A warm dry weekend forecast so you might be ok.

As I said before, I'll have a look at the weekend, when it's light - unless I get a chance before then.

I'm too impatient, I want to plug them in right now! I've driving to work with one speaker, it's just not acceptable

Talk about first world problems eh :S

Ear ear, or is it just one ear at the moment

colin565 wrote:Ear ear, or is it just one ear at the moment

oh so funny just what a I needed a giggle

Oh my days I'm getting so fed up with this   . I cannot get these rivets for the door speakers off. Can anyone suggest how I might get these off, I've just snapped my drill bits trying to pop the out and I'm worried about damaging the window glass if I use a hammer on my door?[/url]

I've also snapped a couple of plugs keeping the door card secure in the process   , anyone know where I might be able to buys spares?

This is not going well at all, I have to do this in a communal car park underground in my building and as well having no space as there are cars parked next to me, the car park lights keep helpfully turning themselves off and i have to walk in the dark over to the sensors at the entrance and do a little dance to make them come back on. The universe is conspiring against me!

I see your problem by using a drill, as you say it could be disasterous.

OK, first thing is to get the old speaker out, so prise a flat headed screwdriver behind the plastic near the rivet, and then chew the plastic off with snips. Do that for all riveted areas.

Now you can pull the speaker & black plastic housing out.

You can either just leave those rivets with a bit of plastic surround in situ,  and put the new speakers on top (which would leave a gap slightly proud of metal door front), but use some silicon sealer to put behind the gap. New fixing holes would be required.

Or, to really finish it off, you can try to remove the black plastic around the rivets, the way I would do it is with an electric soldering gun to remove (melt off) all the black plastic. You are then left with a loose rivet with a space, that will rattle,so you need to get you plyers again and start chewing or prise the rivet head off.  Collect the pieces of rivet that falls inside the door. Do that for each rivet. Now you can use the existing fixing holes.

Alternatively, get any drill bit parts out of the rivet, and use a new drill - this time, don't use so much pressure, and you probably won't snap another.

Hi guys, it's been a long time.

Ah yes those pop rivets. Well I just drilled them out and the replacement speakers I got fitted over the entire hole of where the original speakers was sitting.

Door speakers: https://imgur.com/x3qhxnx

Works in between: https://imgur.com/YlmzkIv

Rear set up: https://imgur.com/Nif5IEk

How te remove the head unit itself, I don't know. I kept that one stock as I don't like the boy-racer flashy aftermarket head units.

So i've finally done it:D thanks for the help guys. Those rivets were a real pain to get out but in the end its sorted and my new speakers sounds great. I've also figured out how to remove the head unit, though behind the fascia panels is now a mess of chewed plastic from my many fruitless attempts. Not to worry though its all hidden with the fascia back in place.

That rear speaker set up looks like just what I'm after I might go down that route rather than filling in the parcel shelf, though do you not miss having the storage space behind the sears?

Ill put together a how to guide to remove the stereo and speakers in the coming days for others who ever need to change their system.

Great news and you're sorted.

Thanks Moving Shadow always nice to see old friends, (I know you're not old) back to visit.

Glad you sorted it out.  I ran out of time, this weekend, so was going to have a look during the week, as I'll be using the Wind for work.

The temps you are supposed to be getting you might even go topless....

Barbs wrote:The temps you are supposed to be getting you might even go topless....

Foggy all day today here, but 5 miles up the road, it was clear sunshine.  I had wanted to get the grass cut, but that didn't happen either.