lil_wheat

I have a 2001 Accord EX V6 that had the stock 6-disc in-dash + tape and 6 speaker system. Ok.. now for the bad part..

I got a Kenwood KDC-X689 headunit and installed it without any issues. The unit worked fine for a few weeks, then I started to notice that the speakers were cutting out. The equalizer on the unit is still showing activity as if it should be playing something, but nothing comes from the speakers no matter what I do.

Thinking that it had something to do with the Kenwood -- I decided to take that out and put the stock unit back in. Of course, I encountered the same issue... or I wouldn't be here. I let the car sit for about an hour while I scratched my head.. returned, put the Kenwood back in -- and it worked for about 5 minutes and cut out again.

My theory is that the Honda factory system I have, has a built-in amp. Where this amp is, is my question. Since the Kenwood has it's own pre-amp built in -- I'm assuming that the Honda amp is overloading and shutting off. "IF" that is the case, I have no problem with removing the stock amp entirely either via a loop cable to bypass it, or just running new wiring to each of the speakers directly from the back of the head unit.

Any thoughts??

lil_wheat

Does

lil_wheat

Does anyone know if there is a factory amp in a 2001 Accord EX-V6 Coupe with the 6-disc in-dash / 6-speaker audio system? And where it is?

I..... am... drowning...

kobu84

I have the same Coupe (2001, I4, EX, 6-Disc/6-Speakers). There isn't an amp.

Did you use an Stock-Aftermarket Adapter Harness or cut up the wires on your own?

It is most likely a grounding issue. Try grounding your wire to that bolt in the center frame. If you are sure to have a decent grounding place, then I would check your Adapter to make sure that no wire is pulled out/loose. If you cut the wires, then check all the wiring again.

But, I'm pretty sure that the 01 Coupe EX doesnt come with a factory amp.

Let me know how it goes.

lil_wheat

Thanks so much for your reply.

I bought the h/u from Crutchfield, so it came with the adapter harness. I spliced everything following the w/d for each -- and even soldered & taped each connection. I had the harness out tonight and cut all the tape off to check my soldering, and I even rung out each pin for continuity. I'm no electrician by any sense of the word, but I'm far from just your everyday BLFR :slap: . Everything in the harness checked out.

The gears are turning in my head now that you said it may be a ground. Generally, when you ground two of the speaker wires (left rear for instance), the left rear speaker will not operate but the other 5 should have no problem. That's why I didn't understand why the unit itself would look like it was working fine, yet none of the speakers were working.

I've had the factory h/u in for the past few days and everything was working well. I put the Kenwood back in tonight after checking everything out, so I'll post again by the end of the week to let you know how I made out.

I have an XM Direct tuner connected to the head-unit although I haven't used it or activated it yet. Ever hear anything about that locking up a h/u? It's a long-shot.. just thought I'd throw it out there.

kobu84

Yes, after thinking about this, the Kenwood HU is "powered" correctly. Meaning it is receiving ACC, CONSTANT, and GND to work (three key wires to power on any radio), so you are able to see it playing a CD. This means the speaker wires are left to test.

How are your grounding your speaker wires? Sorry, I am confused. I hope you meant you connected for example: Front Left speakers

White (Adapter) to White (Kenwood Wire) (positive)
White/Black (Adapter) to White/Black (Kenwood Wire) (negative-ground).

If you connected to your White/Black wire to your Car frame, I think that is the problem...

lil_wheat

"Ground" was the wrong word. If the two wires from any of the speakers would touch wire-to-wire that would be a "short". Which could occur if you had a sharp edge on your solder joint poking through the electrical tape and through the e-tape of another connection.

Not very likely, but possible.

Sorry for the confusion.

totalimmortal

Ever heard of heat shrink?

SumAccordGuy94

so when you put the stock deck back in it did the same thing as the kenwood? Or it worked fine?

Usually, if ONE speaker has a short, it will send the amp into a protect mode, so NO channels will work. its possible that when you were changing decks and tugging on the OEM harness, that a wire chaffed on some metal and now you're getting a short. Check the OEM harness that is comming out of the dash... look for any abrasions or bare wires.

lil_wheat

I'm 100% sure that I have it narrowed down to the passenger's door speaker. I was running the head unit with one speaker, then adding the others one by one until it stopped working -- and that was the culprit.

I did trace the harness as far back into the dash as I could but could not find anything.

If a speaker is blown, would that have the same result??

For the few seconds that all the speakers work, I hear whatever is playing through my troubled speaker.. then it fades out as if it was a static-filled radio station... then all the speakers stop working.

This is the most frustrating damn thing in the world! Hahaha