Hopefully this will be a help for any with a subwoofer problem. My 2004 4Runner, Limited, has a JBL sound system. The subwoofer started to make a rattling noise. I had to turn the bass all the way down to limit the irritation coming from it.
Looking at the forum about others with this problem, I came up with some answers. The most detailed one was found at How to Remove the Navigation ECU from a 2003 Toyota 4Runner .
I looked at the procedure & it can be done with a LOT of labor & time invested just to get to the speaker. Then I would have to find a replacement spkr for it. However, since there is an amp tied into it, there is always the possibility that the amp might be the problem & the spkr is ok.
So, I decided to call around to find out how much a car sound system dealer might charge to discover what is the actual problem might be. The first place I called is a long time in business co. He said that it would be $45 to diagnose it before giving me a price for what must be done. 2nd place said about $350 to replace the speaker but could just unplug it from the system for $85. He said that other speakers would probably start going bad & when that happened, it would be best to replace the entire system. That would only be $2,350.
The 3rd place was a business that I have driven by many times over the years & they do most of their business installing sound systems in vehicles which make the car boom & your ears hurt when they are several cars away. I'm sure you are familiar with that sound. The nice man there said it was more than likely only the spkr was bad & he could replace it for $60 for the spkr & $100 labor & could do it in about 1 to 1 & 1/2 hrs. I decided to take a shot because I really didn't want to spend all the time & energy doing the work as shown by "rando" in that link above, & have to find a spkr which would match the original.
I went in & "Juan" showed me the replacement spkr, a Sound Storm Lab SS8, 400W unit. The spkr & his work carry a 1 yr. warranty so I said do it. While I waited, I was "treated" to a number of vehicles being tested to make sure the bass sound would vibrate everything around including the glass in the windows in the waiting area. How one doesn't go deaf with a system like that is beyond me.
About an hour & 1/4 later he drove it out & had me get in to check it out. He had reset the bass & it sounded great. I checked the interior to make sure nothing was torn around the spkr covering & all was just as before. Obviously, he knows how to get to the speaker much easier. I had asked if I might watch, but insurance wouldn't allow customers there.
However, I am including pics of the original spkr and the new spkr on the website where the SSL can be bought if someone wants to do it themselves. SS8 - Sound Storm Lab is the site where that spkr can be found.
I put the numbers off the factory spkr into Google w/o finding anything.
The 2004 4Runner stock JBL Subwoofer is 8 & 7/8" Diam, with 6 holes. Cone is 7 & 1/4" Diam. & Depth is 3.45", & 4 ohms.
If you want someone to replace it for you, try finding a shop which does the super bass systems & they might do it for a price similar to mine. They know speakers really well.
This seems to be a widespread JBL problem. Good luck!
Looking at the forum about others with this problem, I came up with some answers. The most detailed one was found at How to Remove the Navigation ECU from a 2003 Toyota 4Runner .
I looked at the procedure & it can be done with a LOT of labor & time invested just to get to the speaker. Then I would have to find a replacement spkr for it. However, since there is an amp tied into it, there is always the possibility that the amp might be the problem & the spkr is ok.
So, I decided to call around to find out how much a car sound system dealer might charge to discover what is the actual problem might be. The first place I called is a long time in business co. He said that it would be $45 to diagnose it before giving me a price for what must be done. 2nd place said about $350 to replace the speaker but could just unplug it from the system for $85. He said that other speakers would probably start going bad & when that happened, it would be best to replace the entire system. That would only be $2,350.
The 3rd place was a business that I have driven by many times over the years & they do most of their business installing sound systems in vehicles which make the car boom & your ears hurt when they are several cars away. I'm sure you are familiar with that sound. The nice man there said it was more than likely only the spkr was bad & he could replace it for $60 for the spkr & $100 labor & could do it in about 1 to 1 & 1/2 hrs. I decided to take a shot because I really didn't want to spend all the time & energy doing the work as shown by "rando" in that link above, & have to find a spkr which would match the original.
I went in & "Juan" showed me the replacement spkr, a Sound Storm Lab SS8, 400W unit. The spkr & his work carry a 1 yr. warranty so I said do it. While I waited, I was "treated" to a number of vehicles being tested to make sure the bass sound would vibrate everything around including the glass in the windows in the waiting area. How one doesn't go deaf with a system like that is beyond me.
About an hour & 1/4 later he drove it out & had me get in to check it out. He had reset the bass & it sounded great. I checked the interior to make sure nothing was torn around the spkr covering & all was just as before. Obviously, he knows how to get to the speaker much easier. I had asked if I might watch, but insurance wouldn't allow customers there.
However, I am including pics of the original spkr and the new spkr on the website where the SSL can be bought if someone wants to do it themselves. SS8 - Sound Storm Lab is the site where that spkr can be found.
I put the numbers off the factory spkr into Google w/o finding anything.
The 2004 4Runner stock JBL Subwoofer is 8 & 7/8" Diam, with 6 holes. Cone is 7 & 1/4" Diam. & Depth is 3.45", & 4 ohms.
If you want someone to replace it for you, try finding a shop which does the super bass systems & they might do it for a price similar to mine. They know speakers really well.
This seems to be a widespread JBL problem. Good luck!
