How to Fix a Rattling Speaker in Car?
Many of the times, we experience very irritating phenomena from car speakers who not only bother us but also spoil the car audio system if not taken seriously. Yes, I’m talking about rattling speakers. It’s a widespread issue with poor quality car speakers or with improperly installed car speakers that they start to rattle and need your attention.
Rattling speaker can be a minor issue or can be as severe as the only option you may have is to change the speakers. Knowing the leading cause will describe the complete fixation.
You can fix rattling speakers by finding the root cause, using sound deadening mats, adjusting mounting of speakers, adjusting the speaker’s audio configuration, checking car door pockets, installing bass blockers or replacing the blown speakers with the new one.
Causes of rattling speakers may vary from simplest to complex ones. Find out the root cause and then go for fixation.
How to Fix a Rattling Speaker in Car?
No matter how expensive your aftermarket speakers are, many of the factors get involved and cause speakers rattling, which not only affects sound quality but also enough to destroy your sound system if ignored. The annoying sound coming from speakers sometimes can easily be treated by just checking out the door pockets.
For the excellent fixation, you must have to know the leading causes behind speaker rattling. I have given below all the possible reasons behind speaker rattling and the exact way to fix them. So go through the article
Steps you must follow for fixing rattling speakers
You must follow the following steps for the speaker’s rattling fixation
- Physical adjustment
- Installation of components for reducing rattling
- Replacement of speakers for end-stage or blown speakers
- Physical adjustment
Before going to take a harsh step
- check outdoor pockets
- check out the speaker’s audio system setting
- check out for mounting of speakers 4)check for overpowered or underpowered speakers
- find the source of the rattling
By checking out the door pockets
Before losing nuts and removing any screws, give a good look at your door pockets. Very often, items in the door pockets become the major cause of speaker rattling. Things which you keep in your door pockets like sunglasses, keys, pens, pennies, etc. use to rattle and make annoying sounds, and in a hurry, one might think that speakers had blown.
First and the most comfortable thing you have to do is check out the door pockets and remove all the items from door pockets. Play music and check out for speaker rattling, if there is no rattling, you have done. If not, then surely there is another issue. Go for next.
Find the source of rattling
Mostly there is more than one speaker, and you must have to locate which one is creating rattling. Many of the time, the only speaker and in very rare cases, both the speakers are the source.
Now the question is how you will find out which speaker is the source of rattling? Don’t worry, and I have a solution. First, allow the sound to come only from a front speaker, and you can easily do it by adjusting the fade. And to check the other speaker, you have to adjust the balance.
I hope you have found out the source speaker, and if so, then go for its fixation. Many of the times, with the regular use of speakers or putting pressure on speakers or due to driving on non-smooth pathways, the speaker’s screws get loose. You have to tighten them. Voice coil, Voice gap, or the outer cabinet may get loosen.
Check out the feet of the speakers. When speakers vibrate, they may get damaged. Take a screwdriver and tighten them. You can do it quickly. Sometimes, the feet of speakers are not appropriately balanced. You must have to level them. Check out if the problem has resolved. If OK, then good luck for next time, and if not, get ready for the next step.
It’s time to unscrew the cabinet and check out for any defective component which may strike with the speaker’s wall and produce sound rattling. If there is any, then remove it out, tighten the screws, tighten the cabinet in its place and secure it on its site. If the problem still exists, go for the next.
Check for Overpowered or underpowered speakers
Speakers come with a specific range of power handling. Too much or too low power results in sound distortion. By increasing the volume beyond its limit will increase the voltage signals, which will tend to move speaker cone beyond their limits, which in turn not only distorts the sound but also can tear the cone. Similarly, underpowered speakers are also the be the culprit. Adjust the power supply.
Configure the rattling speakers
Through the adjustment of the audio setting, one may stop rattling from speakers. Many times, due to improper configuration of the sound system, speakers do not tend to perform well and start rattling. For checking out the speaker’s configuration, minimize the volume and check for bass, fade, and balance one by one.
Check out the point where rattling stops. It’s a time-consuming operation and must be performed before going to a complex one or before going to replace speakers.
Some times, any foreign object like dirt particles, grit, or dust gets trapped in speakers and can cause rattling. The simplest solution is to clean speakers both from outer and inner surfaces to stop speakers from misbehaving.
Check out mounting
Mounts and stands for the speakers if not adjusted properly or any imbalance meant in mounting may be the cause of speakers rattling. Loose panels or screws can be the cause and must be tightened well.
Speakers’ uneven contact must be checked out and for resolving irregular contact of speakers, the perfect way to put a plastic form inserts, which will stop your car speakers from rattling.
Proper mounting, adjusting the uneven contact, and tightening of the screws, nuts, panels, trunk leads, bumper, plates, etc. will reduce the rattling up-to 50%. Unquestionably these free of cost and simpler steps will work out in sorting out the problem.
Tighten loose parts
With long term use, excessive jerks in car, car speaker’s components get loose. Everything has a shelf life, after which it starts to degrade with time. Proper maintenance and regular up-gradation help in prolonging your speaker’s life span.
Control board, ceiling, door panels, etc. get loose with time and require tightening. Some screws also get loosen. Loosen parts cause rattling. Tight the loosen parts with a gap of a month or two to increase the shelf life of your speakers and to avoid rattling.
Limit low-frequency sound by installing bass blockers
Many of the factory-installed speakers are not designed to handle loud, low-frequency sound waves. Sometimes low-frequency sound may be the cause of rattling. Upon loud bass, these types of speakers produce sound distortion and make the sound rattle.
In such a case, instead of replacing speakers, you have an excellent option to install bass blockers. Bass blockers act as a filter for frequencies. They allow mid and high frequencies while cutting down the lower frequencies, which ultimately produce smooth sound without rattling.
Go for sound deadening mats
If by all the above steps, rattling minimized but not fully stops and you still want to enjoy upper-grade music, then you are lucky that you have a better option to use sound mats, which definitely will save your time and money from replacing the speakers.
So purchase deadening mats which are designed from soundproof materials and will reduce the sound waves from a surface.
Be careful while choosing sound mats; you must choose self-adhesive and heat resistant mat, which must be greater in thickness.
Your task doesn’t end here just going to market and buying sound deadening mats. You also have to install them very carefully and properly, and for that purpose, you must have to follow the given steps and instructions for better results.
Removal of the door panel
Take plastic tools if you have, and remove the door panel. Plastic material is advised to prevent any scratch on your car. After picking up the plastic tools, open the car door, and check screws inside or below the door panel. Use the screwdriver and remove the screws below the door lever.
Then check out the armrest and remove the screws there .if your car has an electrical window, then remove the wires connecting it in arm set. Remove the mirror, screws, wiring, etc. Now remove out the door panel.
Removal of vapor shield
Vapor shield, a sponge-like item, which can be seen when we remove the door panel, basically used to prevent water from entering into the car interior. You simply have to remove it safely and secure it till the operation gets completed.
Locate the position for sound deadening mat
Locate the area where you have to install sound deadening mat. A big mechanical hole in the car window is its right place. When you remove the door panel and vapor shield, you can easily visualize it.
It’s now time to install sound deadening mat. Put the sound deadening mat in that hole.
Perform a test
Well, you have perfectly installed deadening mats, but before fixing the parts, you removed, first perform a test to check out their effectiveness. If you are OK with your speaker’s audio, then great .it’s time to fix all the removed components and enjoy your favorite track without rattling.
if not, then again check out the installation .if upon looking, you don’t find any installation error, and still, speakers are rattling, then the last option is to replace the speakers.
Replace blown speakers
End-stage speaker failure, I must say, have no option other than to replace speakers with new and high-quality speakers. In numerous cases, rattling is due to blown speakers.
You have to check if the rattling is due to blown speakers or not. Now the question arises how one can find either speaker is blown or not.
For confirming either speaker has been blown, listen to the noises coming out from the speakers. Fuzzy or poppy noises are the sign of blown speakers.
The primary flag in blown speakers is that you don’t even hear music, you just listen to unpleasant sounds like rattling. In blown speakers, there is a drastic reduction in bass response. Another way to check either your speakers are blown or not; you can check the speaker’s impedance.
Usually, speakers at their good show impedance of 4 or 8 ohms when connected with a multimeter. But when speakers are blown, they show infinite impedance.
Now the time is to inspect the inner parts of speakers visually. For this purpose, detach the speaker from a power source, remove its cover and check for any tear or hollow sign, if any, replace the speakers with a new one.
Final words
Speakers are the main part of a car, without which one may be unable to enjoy driving. They are not too sensitive, but minor errors can cause speaker rattling and can lead to blown speakers.
So take good care and in case of rattling, follow the instructions mentioned above and don’t skip steps. Either you are new or experienced, don’t ignore the instructions given.
Team: Howstereo.com
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