Basic info: 2008 - Package #2 - Non-JBL stereo I was playing music thru the AUX cable from my phone as i often do the other day when all of a sudden i heard some distorted sound come out of most of the speakers and all the lower door speakers just died at once. The only ones left working are the 2 smaller ones on each side - opposite the side view mirrors. Before i resign myself to taking this into a shop - has anyone experienced anything similar? All 4 speakers going at once feels like maybe a fuse blew or some other wiring issue - the speakers themselves id imagine are fine - the music wasent even that loud. Just hoping for some easy fix. Worst case - most likely something in the head unit id guess? Thanks,
That sounds like a wiring issue, not a fuse. I would start by finding the audio output for the four speakers (LF, LR, RF, RR) at the radio, by referring to the electrical wiring diagram (techinfo.toyota.com), to confirm that the audio signal for all four channels is present at the radio wiring harness connector. A multimeter set to AC volts would allow you to measure the audio output signal voltage for each channel. Assuming the radio is producing output on all four channels, then the fix would involve tracing the wiring from the radio unit to the doors to determine where the problem is.
Electronics usually work or they don't. Since yours took a dump it is probably the radio. There is probably an internal fuse to the audio amps that is blown. If one audio amp blew (There is probably one amp per speaker.) it would blow the fuse and all sound would quit except the small tweeter amp. (Separate circuit.) Check to see if the other inputs work OK. AM-FM Tuner or CD. If that is the case the amps are OK and the input circuit is blown. Either way it may need a new radio or expensive repairs.
Most of these deluxe audio systems use one or more power amplifiers. Located under the passenger seat, I believe. I would suspect that unit to have failed. Perhaps the tweeters are run directly from the head unit? I don't know. Still, I would think this to be a reasonable junkyard item. Verifying the other inputs, especially the radio, will help determine that the head unit is still good. Perhaps the base model does have all amplification in the head unit. Before I spent much on repairs or even the Toyota technical info site, I'll consider changing it out for something inexpensive, such as a Kenwood. These come with MP-3 player jack, the ability to read MP-3 CD's, and other such features, at a well-under-a-hundred price tag.
Base model stereo doesn’t have separate amplifier. Speakers connect directly to head unit. Tweeters are connected to front door speakers (through crossovers). So probably what happened here is that amp in head unit is broken but it allows some sound through which is easiest to hear from tweeters. If this is the model without amplifier (easy to check under driver’s seat). I would just take out the head unit and check speakers wires. You should have something like 2…6ohm (exact number doesn’t really matter) between the wires going to one speaker. And more 1000ohm (probably infinity) between any speaker wire and ground. If those are correct you probably only need new head unit. I would buy used or aftermarket.
but since you guys drive on the wrong side of the road, the JBL amp if it has one is under the passenger (RF) seat. if it has the amp, it's probably bad. otherwise the head unit is likely toast. an aftermarket headunit is way better than oem. if you have a meter, yes test the resistance of the speakers and wiring if you DON'T have the JBL amp under the RF seat. if you don't have a meter you can do a crude test by touching the speaker leads to a 9v battery and the speaker should make some noise. and then buy a killer modern 2 din touch screen and replace that crap oem headunit.
hey OP, did you ever solve this issue? I'm having the same problem with my 2008. Suddenly all the back speakers stopped working and i'm getting a crappy tinny sound from the two front little speakers.
Do you have the JBL system (can tell by a small speaker behind the middle display on the dash)? If so, the most likely cause is the amp went bad (amp is located underneath front passenger seat). The amp has 7 speaker outputs: Left and Right Front Woofers (low pass signal) Left and Right Front Tweeter (high pass signal) Center speaker (band passed signal) Left and Right Rear ("full" range signal) It sounds like a failure caused all but the front tweeters and perhaps center speaker to go out. I would check each of these speakers and confirm which speakers are out. If the amp is not working correctly, you have two main options: 1. Replace the amp with a used one bought off ebay or a junkyard 2. Install an aftermarket system (for this you must either buy new aftermarket speakers, or buy resistors and crossovers for your existing speakers; the JBL speakers and tweeters are 2-3 ohms and not compatible with most stock headunits without adding resistors and crossovers). See link below for more info. Additional Info on JBL System: Prius JBL Audio system response, specs, and photos
Yea , I haven’t found the way to fix this yet and am stuck with the tin sound - speakers seem ok and put in junkyard head unit and still same bad sound with nothing but two front tweeters working — anyone figure theirs out?
