Rewiring Right Front Speaker '05 explorer

[KanyeEast]

I have a '05 explorer and the right front speaker is out. I know it is the wiring because I have switched speakers out to test it.

Ive done a google search and surfed the forums a bit and couldn't find anything at my level that related to the actual rewiring between wherever it starts (wiring harness?) and the speaker.

So I guess I just have to run new wires since it is probably a cut or loose wire. My problem is I am a complete newbie to doing any wiring work in general. Can someone break this down for me and make it idiot-proof please?

Thanks in advance, I appreciate the help

 

[Curtis]

Well you're not alone
I just fixed this in my 04

Using details I found on this site posted by BigRondo in this thread
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=282731

Slippin, a lot of these "gremlins" can be attributed to broken wires in the boot between the body & driver's door. My lights used to stay on until the battery saver feature shut them off. Try setting your alarm with the key fob and listen for how many times the horn sounds. If it sounds 2 times this indicates a problem.

Here is a great thread for removing the door panel, thanks to borland for the awesome write-up: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249253

Here is a great thread for checking for broken/damaged wires, thanks to synyster for this awesome write-up: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=270081

Hope this helps.

Based on those threads, I decided to tackle a non-working speaker in my drivers door

Read the Door panel removal thread, it helped alot! I would have broken the panel as I was expecting it to pull off like a 2nd gen

With the door panel out of the way, removed the speaker.
Popped the center console and removed the radio. using my multi-meter's tone function, I had no connection between the door speaker and the radio harness on one of the wires. The blue/white wire. the Pink/green wire was good.

I used the meter to dig into the wires in the door jamb and the radio and I had a connection on both, so the break in the blue/white wire was somewhere in the door.

I ran a new wire from where I tested in the door jamb, to the speaker clip. BINGO!
I now have all speakers working again!

 

[KanyeEast]

thanks man, ill give it a go tomorrow morning and repost

 

[Curtis]

I'll try to post more detailed steps

1 - remove the door panel with instructions above
2 - remove the center radio bezel, use a small plastic putty knife or equivilent to gently pry it out, its just held in with spring clips
3 - Remove all the wiring harness clips from the center radio bezel and set it aside.
4 - remove the 2 bolts on the radio, I was able to turn it upside down and twist it around to lay on the dash while still hooked up
5 - remove the door speaker, set it aside
6 - pull the rubber away from the body, pry it with a flat screw driver, then pull it inside the door, this should give you enough room to test the wires in the door jamb.
7 - using the multi meters tone function test the wires in different locations to narrow down where the break is. If you don't have a multi meter, use a test light and a 12v source but disconnect from the radio first.
8 - chances are the break will be inside the door
9 - I did not cut the old wire, but simply ran a new one with it from the door jamb to the speaker wire clip. I soldered my joints. Wrap well with electrical tape.
10 - test it - you should be good!

11 - get the boot back into the door jamb, squeeze it small and push it in. You may have to push it in with a flat screw driver.
12 - re-install the speaker and door panel
13 - re-install the radio and bezel

Done!

 

[KanyeEast]

So i pulled it apart today and the wires look solid all the way up through the door and into the wiring harness thats on the left on the steering wheel.

When I first got my explorer I noticed the speaker worked only when the door was slightly open. All the way open or the all the way shut and nothing, which leads me to believe it is a broken wire as you stated.Im off to get a cheap multimeter and see if I can narrow down the location of the break.

When I find the break do I need to run a new wire from the good part into to speaker wire clip? If so is there a special type of wiring that is needed? Right now it is just running factory speaker wiring.

 

[Curtis]

So i pulled it apart today and the wires look solid all the way up through the door and into the wiring harness thats on the left on the steering wheel.

When I first got my explorer I noticed the speaker worked only when the door was slightly open. All the way open or the all the way shut and nothing, which leads me to believe it is a broken wire as you stated.Im off to get a cheap multimeter and see if I can narrow down the location of the break.

When I find the break do I need to run a new wire from the good part into to speaker wire clip? If so is there a special type of wiring that is needed? Right now it is just running factory speaker wiring.

Yeah my wires had no visual cracks either.
And I did run a parallel wire from my good contact point in the door jamb to 1" away from the speaker clip.
Solder your connections if you have access to a solder gun.
I taped the 2 wires together then.

 

[KanyeEast]

Got it working!

The break was somewhere in the door, I did the same basic thing of running a wire from the good contact point to just before the speaker clip. Had to do some ghetto taping on one of the connections, but if it goes out again at least this time ill know where the problem most likely is.

Learned a lot from that little project, good stuff. Thanks man.

 

[Curtis]

Got it working!

The break was somewhere in the door, I did the same basic thing of running a wire from the good contact point to just before the speaker clip. Had to do some ghetto taping on one of the connections, but if it goes out again at least this time ill know where the problem most likely is.

Learned a lot from that little project, good stuff. Thanks man.

Fantastic... now sit back and enjoy the music, you no longer feel like your deaf in one ear... Stereo is wonderful! LOL