Rear Speakers Not Working

[Joe_Coach]

Hey all,
I have a 04 Envoy XUV. The other day I was bored in traffic and starting messing around with my radio settings. Now granted, my Envoy didn't have the best sounding radio when I got it, but I always thought it sounded kinda crappy. Anyways, back to the beginning of the thread, I was fiddling around with the fade and balance and found that both rear speakers were silent regardless of the volume. Now, I think its the head unit because it seems pretty rare to lose both speakers at the same time plus I never heard the static of them dying. I'm just wondering if anyone has had this problem or know of any troubleshooting tips to say its the speakers or the radio.

 

[sunliner]

My 06 Trailblazer had both rear speakers and one front go out within a few months of each other. Apparently, they're notorious for being crap. I'm guessing the Envoy shares the same components (?)

I changed them out with $30 Scosce speakers from Wally world and even they sound better than the stock speakers did before they croaked.

-Mike

 

[tbuckalew14]

I don't think it's the head unit. Mine both crapped out about the same time...the one on my driver side rear was filled with water too. My mom's trailblazer also has had both rear speakers quit. Even buying a cheap replacement set from walmart is better than having no rear sounds.

 

[MacMan]

The OEM speakers in these vehicles are CRAP, and WILL go out in pairs....take a guess why I know that. They can look perfect, but be blown.

If possible, get a used speaker just to test in the rear locations just to be 100% certain that the speakers are the problem.

IMO, get a decent of aftermarket speakers from Crutchfield or someplace like that, and replace ALL 4 speakers......you'll be glad you did.

 

[Cloud Dancer]

I just went through all that. Mine is the 06 Envoy SLE 4x4 with standard radio(not Bose).
Forget all past experiences with durable speakers. Trust us, the ones they put on Trail/Voys are substandard, short-lived, rotten little SOB's.
Both rears quit on mine at about the same time(sez the original owner). Recently, the left front started with intermittent failure. At first, I too believed it was the radio because I could hear the music, very faint indeed. And, the volume control did nothing. Then, the right front started with the same thing. After asking lots of questions, and hearing different answers, I was encouraged to learn how to access, and remove the radio (for bench test at radio shop).
It turns out that the reason you hear faint sounds from the front speakers is because the tweeters are still working. AND, the rears do NOT have tweeters.
I ended up buying 2 pairs of 6-1/2" round Pioneer speakers from Best Buy, for $75 total.
An auto radio system never sounded so good (to me). End of story

 

[MAY03LT]

If possible, get a used speaker just to test in the rear locations just to be 100% certain that the speakers are the problem.

Even though we haven't seen it much here, door wiring was something that came up from time to time on trailvoy. Usually after the OP would buy new speakers and they didn't work. I remember one case where the guy had 3 out of the 4 door speakers that were inop because of the wiring to each door. I know I wouldn't replace squatch without testing the wiring with a known good speaker first.

 

[Cloud Dancer]

Even though we haven't seen it much here, door wiring was something that came up from time to time on trailvoy. Usually after the OP would buy new speakers and they didn't work. I remember one case where the guy had 3 out of the 4 door speakers that were inop because of the wiring to each door. I know I wouldn't replace squatch without testing the wiring with a known good speaker first.

It begs the question: Did early TrailBlazers not have tweeters?
The reason I ask is because the Envoys and Blazers that I'm familiar with DID come with tweeters, along side the regular speaker in the FRONT door location. And, IMO this tweeter can be used for testing continuity in the wiring by simply putting your ear to it. IMO if the radio itself, and the antenna, are working you will hear radio music coming from the tweeter (however faint it might be).

When I was learning how to diagnose my radio/speaker problem, in my 06 Envoy, I did not know all of this. So, I bought one pair of 6-1/2" Pioneer speakers from Best Buy, for $37, and carefully took one out of the package. I used clip leads to connect it to the right-front speaker. I figured I could put it back in the box and return it if necessary. Of course, this test worked great, verifying that my original OEM speakers had failed.
Had I known that the tweeter could be used (instantly) for this test, I would've just gone ahead and installed the new speakers, without doing ANY other testing, and without removing the radio.

But, I suspect there's something wrong with MY WAY, because nobody else has mentioned doing what I just suggested.

 

[Mark20]

As a side note, I was very surprised to find tweeters in the front doors. Just wasn't expecting them. The Kicker's absolutely blow the OEM speakers away.

 

[MacMan]

It begs the question: Did early TrailBlazers not have tweeters?
.....

The very early units DID have tweeters. My '02 was actually built in March of '01, so it is one of the earliest units made, and it DOES have the tweeters.

I replaced the OEM crapola main speakers with a nice set of Alpines, and kept the original tweeters....sounds great!!