2003 Touring. Bose.

So a bit ago, every now and then it would skip. No big deal usually on cold mornings.

A couple of weeks ago, the audio would stop. It wouldn't be one side or the other, just stop altogether. I noticed if I switched from CD to FM/AM and fiddled with this combo a bit it would come back. It behaved fine after...... until yesterday.

No audio in the AM. Switching as above, nothing. Messing with the audio settings as I have read in some threads, nothing. Tapping the sides, nothing. I went last night to move the car, worked. In the meantime, I noticed a while back the speaker wire harness on the back of the radio, the PO was hasty and cracked the connector. Ordered a third party one, removed the pins from both harnesses, put them back into the new connector, and again the radio was working just as it had started to last evening.

Worked this AM for a bit, then cut out again.

The other day I checked the mirror fuse, as some have suggested, and I assume there is no need to check the radio fuse..... though I believe I swapped it actually now come to think of it, since the radio display works, changer changes CD's when asked, etc. Just no audio.

At this point, where would be a good place to start. I've heard some murmurs about the factory amp in the hatch, that you can take it apart and press on some gray box etc. I doubt it is the sub amp b/c the bass has never cut out and it seems that with the sub amp the rest of the system still works fine. Am I correct to assume that this is the case based on what I have read?

Any help would be great. Just looking to get it working again properly. The car is for sale and though I am happy to sell it like it is, I would rather the new owner not have to inherit issues, regardless of how forthcoming I am it is still a PITA. Then again, if it is the deck, maybe it just helps them pull the trigger on an aftermarket unit like many on here have. I for one like the stock appearance, but to each their own.

 

A 2003 A/V system is 10 years old… and that is old by any standard.

The speaker failure is likely a problem with the H/U, but it could be the Bose amp that is failing.

Anyway… It’s been 10 years with a weak system… It’s time for replacement rather than a weak “fix.”

--Spike

 

I would normally agree 100% with spike, but since its for sale just try and find a used OEM HU on here or craigslist and swap it out. I don't know if the OEM BLose system uses an external amp for the door and rear speakers, but if its ALL sound cutting out, its the head unit or some connection leading to it.

 

I have a Stock OEM radio for a 370Z. Not sure if they will fit though.

 

They won't. Even the later 350Z radios won't, they ended up rounding them off a bit and they don't fit within the space. Only one that will fit properly is an 03-05 and the 04 and 05 are a different color altogether.

Just wanting to find someone who has experienced this exact issue so I can be certain it will be fixed instead of chasing rabbits down holes.

 

In electronics its never cut and dry. You have a signal chain, from Head unit to amp to speakers. After a few seconds of googling I get the impression bose used 2 amps, one for the sub in that compartment behind the seat, and the other near the spare tire well.

I don't know how its wired however. If they are daisy chained together that means an issue at the first one could cause the other to stop as well, but if they are split separately than only the first step in the chain could be causing it.

For example:
HU->amp1->amp2
if head unit is bad, amp 1 and 2 wont work properly. As well, if amp 1 is bad amp 2 wont work properly.

if its HU->amp1, HU->amp2
then a problem at amp1 wouldnt affect amp2, and vice versa, only the HU would affect ALL the noise. So if you still have the sub hitting, its a problem with the other amp, but if nothing is firing then you have to look at how its wired, and determine what the issue could be from there.

 

Right. This is why I was curious what some people's personal experience has been. IE if the sub amp is causing a problem will it also cause problems in the rest of the system or is it isolated to the sub. This would be dependent on the way it is wired etc. I doubt it is the wiring itself anywhere. The fact that sometimes it can just sit, without movement etc, and then simply starting it a few hours or whatever later and the audio is back, not able to be reproduced all the time, seems to indicate to me that it is likely a component issue and not a wiring issue.

 

Performed the Subwoofer Amp Mod/Fix. Day and a half now, no issues. Weather has varied from 80-35 degrees outside and still no issues. Will observe the next little bit to see but if this works then it would be nice.

 

For anyone experiencing this. Still working, no hiccups.

 

That's great - funny how things work. If something happens and you want to start replacing components, I have the entire bose system, also out of my 2003 touring, that I can sell you. I have gutted my interior and I am fairly sure I have not sold anything as of yet.

If the time comes feel free to PM me and we can work out the details...