Really bad day yesterday. I took my Navigator to Circuit City to get four Polk 570db's fitted. Got there at 10.00 am and at 12.00 they called me on the cell to say they had hit a problem. Apparently the OEM speakers have individual amplifiers in the doors and therefore the Polks would not work with them. They then advised that the best thing to do would be to put everything back they way it was. However, they also told me that one of the original speakers had failed and therefore must have been like that when I brought it in. (NO WAY). No the sound is terrible. The bass is way too strong and the volume needs to be turned up really high to get any non bass sound. Circuit City are saying they put everything back as it was and that they can't do any more. They suggested I take it to the dealership to verfiy that there is a fault and then they will consider the matter further after this. I realiize I have one blown speaker but I am sure something else must be wrong as well maybe in the way the reconnected things.

I have complianed to the store manager and he haas promised me a response within 48 hours

I don't understand how everyone else has managed to fit the Polks. Is it because they were fitted to systems that did not have the separate amps for each speaker.


Any help appreciated

 

what a pain - give 'em hell until they fix the problem (are there settings on the individual amplifiers they may have tweaked?)

 

It is a pain. Audiophile upgrades that we've done for Expy and F150 customers are expensive- typical install costs are in the $250-$300 range (amp and spkrs), and there's only one stereo shop I know of locally that I'd trust to do the work. From past experience, using the wrong installer can cost a small fortune by the time you sort out the mistakes.

 

I had my entire system changed as well as initially replacing the speakers in the doors and the only extra amp that was in the truck was the one with the factory sub. Are you sure they are not F'ing with you?

BTW - I have a 03 EB Expy

 

My Father-in-Law took his Neon to Circuit City for a door unlocker. They fried his computer. They told him to take it to Dodge for an evaluation. Dodge confirmed that it was in fact Circuit City's fault. The store manager wanted to keep pointing the fingers back and forth so a POLITE letter to the CEO (like he ever actually read it!) expaining the circumstances, the costs involved, including the Dodge charges for evaluation, and his expectation for repayment actually got him a check within a few weeks. Don't know if it will work for you, but that was his experience.

Take a look at Crutchfield.com and see if they have any install notes for your application. Might shed some light.

Good luck, and let us know what happens.

 

Check this out for the best AudioPile upgrade I've heard of.
http://www.fordtrucks.com/forums/sho...=984257=984257

 

all the pictures are gone - I reposted descriptions for the pictures here:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...0&page=8&pp=15

 

Thanks guys. In my case it seems that the speakers fitted to the Navigator have individual amps whereas I don't see that mentioned for the conversions mentioned in the original Audiopile thread. I now have Circuit City's insurers involved and I have a claim number so I should be able to get this fixed at least back to how it was. Because of the separate amps for each door speakers it seems very difficult to do an upgrade. I know this is also a problem for Bose systems which are a similar configuration. The shame is that the navigator speakers despite the amps are still very small paper cones which I am sure could be improved on

 

I've done all of my installs throughout the years and my last two are the cars I have now, a '98 Navigator and a '94 300zx. Both had systems with auxilary amplifiers, which as you know are a pain.

The lesson that I learned from these is that onboard amps are a PITA, but with a little research you can get around them. Poke around the web (installdr.com is a good place to start), and find the wiring diagrams for your truck. You should find that each amp and speaker has at least 4 wires going to it, those are the low level (sound) + and -, and the power + and -. You can use your aftermarket gear and jump the audio + and - and disconnect the power + and -, and still use the stock wiring harness with your new speakers and amps.

It sounds a little confusing but with the proper research it will work like a charm.

The other option is to completely run new wiring throughout the vehicle, but this is a major undertaking. You really don't want to do this!

Good Luck!