SE-i audio system problems

[Blkblurr]

Anybody have an SE-i that has had problems with the sound being very low until driving for a while? Mine has been doing this for about six months. The front speakers will be the only ones I can hear but just very low. As I drive the rear ones come back in within 20 mins. I have checked all the connectors between the radio, cd player, equalizer and power amp and all look ok. The other thing is you cannot get full volume out if it at any time

[Swap_File]

I had a similar problem with my front speakers. In my case I tracked it down to the amplifier in the back dying (the black box on the roof of the trunk between the speakers).

My tape deck was dying also (would not eject), so I ended up replacing it with a CD deck, and running the wires back to where the stock amp was in the trunk. Then I cut the plug off the old ampifier, and connected it to the wires coming from my new CD deck. Now I have no ampifier in the trunk.

To see if the problem is the deck or the amp, get access to the deck. I believe you then hook the port named antenna to 12V. This should turn the amp in the trunk on. Then just use a small mp3 player or other device with line level outputs to check each channel. I just shoved bent paper clips into the plugs for testing. Make sure you do not short anything.

Install Dr. http://www.installdr.com/ should have the stock radio deck pinout.

Eventually I plan on installing an amp in the trunk, and using the stock wires to get the signal from the deck to the trunk. The stock wires from the deck to the trunk just are not big enough for the full speaker signal, it can only handle line level signals. It should look cleaner this way in the end.

[Blkblurr]

Yea I suspect it's the amp as well. Functionally everythng works except the power level. Once I disconnected all the speaker connectors and control connectors the front speakers came back for good. At least up to now. I then took the eqaulizer apart and removed then reconnected all the small connectors in it. My led indicators on the slider switches all came back on but no increase in the max volume from the amp. I'm going to use my XM satalite radio for the line level output to test the amp. If I can determine that it's the amp I can replace it without changing the interconnection and functiionallity ofthe entire system. Thanks for your help

[Hash_man_Se_i]

I had a similar problem with my old se-i not long after swapping in a new deck... turned out one of the front speakers was shorting and causing the amp in the deck to go into safety... could be causing your stock amp to do the same.

[w261w261]

When I first got my car, sometimes the rear speakers would not come on until things warmed up (apparently), then they would pop on and everything would be fine, until it happened again. The occurences began to get closer together, and the time after startup until the amp popped into life began to get longer. Finally, it never came on. I sent the amp back to Bose, they charged me a little over $100 as I recall (this was about 2001), and everything has been fine since.

There is/was a guy parting out an Sei on eBay...he might have the amp left in it. I did send him an email asking about a particular part, and he never responded, so I don't know how together he is. The auction is ended but here's the url: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/PARTI...spagenameZWDVW

I remember when my amp went south asking some stereo guys if I could just buy another one. They said it had a proprietary setup, so you can't just plug another one in.

Good luck.

[Blkblurr]

Thanks for your help all. I will look at getting the amp repaired.

[w261w261]

My experience with Bose was not satisfying, other than the eventual outcome...they did fix the amp. I would strongly suggest that you send back your amp with a delivery verification, and take down a name to call if you don't hear anything for awhile. It's been a few years, but I still remember that the overriding impression I had was they barely care about their old stuff. And actually speaking to a human being was a big challenge.

[Swap_File]

If you were willing to map out all the wires, you can just replace the Bose amp in the trunk with any other 4 channel amp. It is just a pain to do.

[Blkblurr]

I may try repairing it myself. I have some of the equiment to do this but I need to put my hands on a schematic.

[w261w261]

I'm going to scrap my total system and put in a Sirius receiver + new amp and subwoofers sometime after the holidays. If yours isn't fixed by then you can have my amp.

[Blkblurr]

That would be great.
Thanks