Speakers might not be the part that makes the car work, but they are undoubtedly the part that makes a car fun to drive. A damaged speaker can ruin your car’s music experience. You can only go so far without your favorite songs.
The good news is that you can do car speaker repair yourself. Before we learn how to repair a blown speaker, let’s look at how speakers work and what causes them to blow in the first place.
What is the working principle of car speakers?
To put it another way, a car speaker (or any other speaker) is a device that converts electric signals into sound. The The main function of a speaker’s speaker is its voice coil. This coil is suspended inside a circular magnet and is connected to a diaphragm.
The amplifier, which is inside the infotainment system or sometimes outside it, sends electrical signals to the voice coil. These electrical signals create a magnetic force in the coil which then moves the diaphragm. The diaphragm’s movement then vibrates the air around.
That’s a pretty straightforward mechanism, so what can go wrong with a system like that? Before we learn how to fix car speakers, let’s see what can go wrong with them.
Here are some of the common things that can go wrong, causing a speaker to give a distorted sound or not produce any sound at all.
What could go wrong with car speakers
As with any electrical device, speakers can fail over time. Here are some of the most common things that can go wrong with a speaker:
- The voice coil can be fried, causing the speaker to die.
- The diaphragm can be torn apart from one place or more, causing the speaker not to produce the correct sound.
- The The voice coil could be moved from its proper location, resulting in poor sound production.
- The speaker’s diaphragm might not produce proper sound more freely, causing the sound output to be suppressed.
This is the problem with car speakers. But how can that be? There are many reasons why this could happen. These are just a few. We need to know the cause before we learn how to fix a blown speaker in a car to avoid it in the future.
Causes of damage to car speakers
The critical functional part of a car speaker, the voice coil, is rated for a specific wattage and current. The coil may fail if it exceeds that limit. That is the main reason for a car’s speakers going bad.
The reasons for this can include but are not limited to:
- If you listen to music with high bass for extended periods, it can overload the voice coil, and it might get fried.
- A surge of electricity in the car due to the malfunction of the electrical system can also cause the speaker to be blown out.
- If a sharp object damages the speaker’s diaphragm, that can cause the speaker not to produce the correct sound.
- Altering is another factor. Speakers can get weak over time to the point that they are no longer functional.
Before we move to car speaker replacement or repair, we need to make sure that a speaker is faulty.
How to tell if a speaker is blown?
Here’s a little guideline on diagnosing a blown car speaker:
- Use your car’s balance and fader to move the sound output to the suspected speaker.
- Use the equalizer to move all the parameters to the middle and turn the volume to the average listening volume.
- Listen to the song and notice any distortion.
- If the speaker’s sound is not normal, like it should be, the speaker has a problem that needs to be fixed.
If the subwoofer has failed, here’s how you can diagnose it:
- Play a song with heavy bass and place your hand on the subwoofer assembly.
- If the subwoofer does not produce the desired vibrations, it is likely it is not working as it should.
Now that you have diagnosed the faulty speaker, the next step is to repair it. Let’s now see how to fix a blown car speaker.
How to fix a blown speaker
Step 1 – Take the speaker out
After you have narrowed it down to the speaker that needs replacement, take it out. Here are the things that you need to take care of:
- Disconnect the negative terminal of your car’s battery. This is necessary because if you don’t do this, you might end up short-circuiting the car’s electronics.
- The next step is to disconnect the speaker’s cables, remove the screws holding it in place and take the speaker out.
Step 2 – Look for simple issues
Sometimes, the speaker’s issue can be as simple as the voice coil being moved from its place, and you can fix this very easily.
- You can test if the speaker cone is moving freely by pressing down on it. Use a flashlight to check under the speaker cone if it is not moving freely. You should make sure the voice coil connector wires are in excellent condition. If you don’t do this while the coil and its connections are in good condition, try pushing the speaker cone upwards. If you can get the cone and the diaphragm to move freely without damaging anything, it will fix the issue.
A speaker’s diaphragm tear is another common reason for speakers not working properly. Here’s how to repair a speaker with a torn diaphragm:
- Take a paper towel and split it to get a single ply of the paper.
- Cut it to the size of the tear on the diaphragm.
- Apply an all-purpose adhesive to the paper towel ply and use it to tie together the parts of the torn diaphragm.
Step 3 – Replacing the voice coil
If the voice coil is damaged, you will need to replace it to get the speaker to work. Although it is simple, this task will take some time. Here’s how you can do that:
- Use a knife to cut the gasket of the speaker and access the coil underneath the diaphragm.
- Remove the old coil from the soldered wire connections and remove it.
- Place the new coil and spider assembly in the speaker and solder it to the electrical connectors.
- Use glue to attach the diaphragm back to the speaker assembly.
Step 4 – Replacing the diaphragm
Follow the same steps as the previous step. You need to take care of some things when replacing the diaphragm. If you don’t do this, be careful not to damage the coil or spider when replacing the diaphragm.
- Attach the diaphragm back to the speaker’s body with care and make sure it is attached all the way.
- You should use a diaphragm that is exactly the right size for the speaker.
If none of that can fix your speakers, you’ll need to replace the speakers. You can find replacement auto speakers at a parts store or you can order them online. Ensure you get the correct size and power compatible with your car’s stereo system.
Frequently Asked Questions
DISCLAIMER: All the information is provided in good faith to help you repair your car. If you don’t feel like you can undertake this repair, go to a professional.
