For all of those with the JBL upgrade in your GEN2 Prius. There are woofer/midrange drivers mounted in the lower front of all four doors. After a while the foam suspension ring that connects the speaker cone to the speaker frame dries out and separates from the frame causing distortion in the speaker. Most people think that the speaker is blown and replace with an original ($200) or go aftermarket with a new system. For those who would like to maintain the original speaker system but don't want to have to spend the $200 per speaker to replace. There is a very inexpensive fix that restores the speaker to like new condition for about $14 per speaker. Simply Speakers offers repair kits and a step by step tutorial. Or they will do the job for a fee. The link below will take you to the page for the Prius speaker kit. The link says for Lexus but it is for the Prius also. Not a difficult job, just requires some patience, a razor blade and some rubbing alcohol. Don't throw away those JBL's... restore them for a song! Speaker Foam Edge Repair Replacement Kit, Toyota, Lexus, JBL, Levinson 6" Speakers, FSK-6bt
Thanks for the link. I used their foam replacement kit for my old Infinity Crescendo speakers a couple of months ago. Now they sound like new! I've heard distortion in my Gen II Pruis recently and looked this evening for the correct kit on their site but was having trouble tracking it down. If these work out for me I'll report back!
I've been using the fader to keep the front speakers in my 2005 Prius (JBL/nav) turned down because of the distortion since I bought the car used about a year ago. I'd like to replace the speakers, but what are the odds I could find cheap replacements? Okay, this refoaming kit seems reasonably priced, but what are the odds I could do it myself without ruining the speakers? Okay, they'll do it themselves for a fee, but then I'd have to drive all the way to their place in — HOLY CRAP THEY'RE RIGHT HERE IN TOWN. I guess I'm out of excuses.
Mgrad92, I was worried about messing up my Infiniti speakers during the refoam, but it's actually less sensitive a project than you'd think. Check out the Youtube videos of Simply Speakers. I watched them refoam a Cerwin Vega woofer, and the process worked fine for my 8" Infiniti woofers. Only complaint is that it can get a bit messy wiping off the existing foam with the rubbing alcohol, as it turns to a nice, inky-black paste that stains everything. Next time I'll wear latex gloves. But they show you how, if approached properly, the speaker self-centers to the new foam so there's no rubbing as it moves in and out of the coil. In fact I found a youtube video of someone re-foaming our exact JBL speakers for the 2005 Prius. I plan to pop off my door panels to inspect the speakers before I order. If there's no visible damage or degradation of the foam but you hear distortion, the speaker is probably blown for real. But that's what I assumed of my Infiniti Crescendos before I learned that foam disintegration and re-foaming was actually a thing. When I inspected them I could clearly see the foam was ripped and falling apart. If I see foam problems on my Prius JBLs, I'll have no hesitation in re-foaming. If I don't...then I actually have blown speakers, and I'll make the unhappy face....
You're probably right. I opened up the dash to add a VAIS Tech Bluetooth kit to the back of the factory radio without breaking anything (not permanently, anyway), and after watching the video I'm sure refoaming can't be as hair-raising a job as that. Still, since they're halfway between my home and office, it's pretty tempting to have them take a look — and from the sound of that video, it seems like they could offer some thoughts on replacement speakers if it turns out they are blown.
I buy these kits in quantity. Almost every 2004-2005 I get with JBL gets new foam. FYI The 2006-2009 speakers are plastic cones, not paper and don't have this problem.
Interesting. Will the 2006 JBLs fit in a 2005 Prius? Are they otherwise identical? If replacement is actually necessary, I'll order the 2006 versions. iPhone ?
Question... I have a 2009 Touring and am getting rattling from the top, center-mounted dashboard speaker... Do you think this would fix that problem?
No, this is a repair for the front door lower speakers. You may have to disassemble the dash partially to trace the source of your rattle. BTW is the picture of the white Prius in the avatar your 09 Touring? That picture actually shows a non touring model with 15" wheels.
Sorry, that's my former 2008 Prius, it got hit by a deer and repaired so I sold it... Upgraded to a White 2009 Touring.
Disagree. Throw away those unbearable JBLs and get a decent set of components from one of the major companies for around $75-100. For the price of a hearing test, seize the opportunity to upgrade your listening experience. Stock audio is stock audio.
I've never done car speakers, but years ago refoamed a friend's Infinity home speakers with a kit from Parts Express, easy and sounded like new again. -Chap
Bravo Bravo to this thread and all the seamsters and seamstresses on it -- said a 2004 Prius with rattly, distorted front / rear woofers! I've refoamed speakers and am excited for the warmer weather to eventually come and make this project happen. I also read somewhere on PC that disconnecting the center speaker helps these older Gen II cars and I will be doing that soon. Finally, reducing the bass several steps, the mid a bit, increasing the treble a bit combined with moving the sound towards the back of the car really helped this issue (rattle and distortion) until you can deal with it fully...
