speakers grounding out?

[dadvan]

hopefully this is the right sub for this question. I have a 2013 E350 Econoline 5.4, the head unit is a pioneer something or other double din with a back up camera. The speakers intermittently cut out on me. They will all cut out and be out for a week or so then one day come back on. The head unit will keep playing and I've pulled it out and checked every connection behind it and everything looks good. Im thinking one of the speakers is ground out and causing all of them to shut off at the same time. I have a passenger van with a full interior and before I go 1 by 1 and pull all there door panels and replace each speaker I'm wondering if anyone has some suggestions. Anywhere I should look first? Thanks

[REF]

Do you have an amp? If so, check the connections there, if not, and since they’re all going out, there may be a speaker adapter plug that goes from the factory harness to the aftermarket head unit, see if that’s loose.....usually behind the head unit. Even if one speaker’s connection is loose it wouldn’t cause the other ones to go out. Unplug and plug everything back in to make sure the connection is seated.

[JWA]

Checking any external amps is an excellent suggestion----lots of connections there that can go wrong. Wires and their connecting ends need to carefully checked. As REF says even if one speaker has an issue it won't disable the others connected to the HU/amp.

I'm certain this doesn't happen consistently, like only after the stereo has been operating for some time, not right after first starting the van? Its possible the head unit itself is having problems---how old is it? Car audio of any brand is hit or miss quality wise these days---even the best brands can develop problems over time.

[BrianW]

Agree: I’d suspect an internal problem with the head unit if you’ve checked all the wiring harness connections into the back of the head unit. I’m the Econolines the center and rear speakers are tied together on one channel and the front on another. So even if your theory was true on one “zone” the other would still work.

[dadvan]

Thanks for the input guys, the head unit is a Panasonic probably 3 or 4 years old. I’ll see if I can swap it for another one to test it out. There is no amp and all the wires look good behind it. If they are on and I hit a bump they will shut off, or vice versa. The other time is when I get the van off camber a little like turning into a steep driveway sometimes they will come back on. Honestly I’m hoping it’s the heady it and not a short some where that I’ll have to rip the interior apart to find. The head unit and back up camera look like a professional install but who knows. Thanks

[86Scotty]

Stock passenger van or built out? If stock this will be easier. Pull the panel on the left wall behind the driver's seat (directly left of the second row) and on many passenger vans there is a junction box there. Depending on year you may have some audio jack inputs for headphones for the second row. I've had to fool around with this before on one of my first vans but that's been like 15 years. That van was a 1995 I think.

[dadvan]

It’s a stock passenger van. I’ll pull that panel and have a look. Thanks

[dadvan]

Pulled that panel and no dice. There’s a wire loom going up the pillar and I played with and inspected all the wires. Everything looks good and there was no change by moving them around. Funny part is anytime the van is off kilter it comes back on. Anyone know if there is any way my speakers could be grounding out on the back doors?

[dadvan]

Also it happens constantly, it will not work for a week or 2 then one time up the drive way and they will come back. They will be on for maybe a day or so then a bump on the freeway and they will be off for another few weeks.

[JWA]

Definitely swap your head unit even if its temporarily back to a single DIN chassis. Drive that a while to see if its the speaking wiring or the Panasonic.