I have a 1997 XK8 convertible with premium sound system. The rear speakers (on either side of the car in the backseat area) contain a housing with one roughly 6” speaker and one roughly 1.5” speaker. The large speakers are wearing out and I’d like to replace them but am confused as to what type of speakers they are. Based on previous research, I was told they were subwoofers. They don’t however, produce any bass (only mid range sound). Oddly, the front speakers in the doors produce the base. Why do these rear large speakers produce no base when they are supposed to be subwoofers???
In the convertible with the Premium sound system, each side has what is referred to as a squawker in the fascia, a tweeter, a mid bass and a mid range in the door and mid range and sub-woofer in the rear. The coupe differs in the sub-woofer which is duplex central unit.
The rear sub-woofers in the convertible are prone to failure. mine just make a rattling noise. I keep meaning to take them out and replace them but it’s too far down the ‘to do’ list to ever get done.
Hi Eric, thanks for the information. I don’t think the OEM rear speakers in my car are subwoofers. They produce mid range sound, no bass. To complicate matters, I bought a pair of Kicker subwoofers to replace them, hooked them up, and they produce no bass either, just mid range. It’s almost like there’s something basically wrong with the wiring of my sound system. I am completely confused. Craig
Here’s the schematic for the '97 Premium Sound System.
There’s certainly supposed to be sub-woofers.
BTW, how long did it take you to get at the speakers? I really should look at mine. They definitely rattle on the base notes. Maybe there’s a problem elsewhere with yours
I actually figured it out. I had the stupid wires reversed. Someone on another forum who I think had the Alpine system said the black wire was positive, that’s the way I hooked it up then I read somewhere else that with the Harman Cardin system (mine), the black wire is negative. It wasn’t too difficult to get to the speakers. Here are the detailed steps:
- Retract the convertible roof - necessary because we must remove the leatherette covers of both rear side posts and remove the rear seat back and rear seat - easiest with the top retracted.
- lift off the plastic caps on both driver and passenger seat belt retractor loop holders. Put these in a plastic bag for safekeeping.
- use a #50 Torx male bit to remove the driver and passenger seat belt retractor loop holders. [We remove the adjacent 2 philips and 1 9mm tonneau cover clip in steps 5 and 6].
- use a #2 Philips screwdriver to loosen the rear seat belt retractor clips at the top of the back seat. Just pull the plastic seat belt holders up and out of the way. Put the 4 philips head screws in a plastic bag for safekeeping.
- use a #2 Philips screwdriver to remove the screws at the top and front-face of the top side post covers. Put the 4 philips head screws in a plastic bag for safekeeping.
- Use a 9mm socket to unscrew the tonneau cover fasteners.Put the 2 9mm head screws in a plastic bag for safekeeping.
- Remove the back seat bottom cushion by:
a. unsnap the center vinyl cloth covering surrounding the 2 center seat belt connectors (which are black with red plastic centers).
b. behind the driver’s seat, looking up at the bottom of the rear seat from the floor carpet, note a rubber “sock” covering a long threaded rod. Remove the sock and see a 10mm nut and washer. Unscrew the 10mm nut which holds down the rear seat. On the passenger side, repeat this process. Put both 10mm nuts, and the rubber socks covers, in a plastic bag for safekeeping.
c. lift up the front of the rear seat bottom cushion. It will become stuck due to the center seat belt clips which become stuck in the vinyl cloth covering. You must push the seat belt clips through this cloth covering (make sure the snaps are open so you can get these through.
d. Now the rear seat should just lift up from the front and remove it from the car. - Remove the back seat back cushion by:
a. Once the rear bottom cushion is removed, you will see 2 gold colored Philips #2 screws at the bottom of the rear seat cushion. Unscrew these and save the #2 gold colored screws in a plastic bag.
b. (You have already removed the 4 philips screws at the top of the back seat, which hold down the seat belt retractors).
c. Lift up the rear seat cushion. It has a U-shape which holds the top of the rear seat cushion to the rear sheet metal. Lift the rear seat back out of the car. - Remove the driver’s side and passenger side top covers (the T50 torx seat belt holders, and the 2 #2 Philips screws and the 9mm tonneau cover clips were already removed). Just lift these covers off and remove them from the car.
- Now it gets a bit tricky: you pull the speaker cover sidewall inward and away from the outer wall, and in doing so, pull the “toe” of plastic from under the door sill plate (the nice polished metal plate that says “Jaguar” on each doorsill). You will see two clips that hold the side panel in place: one clip will just push back in, and the rear connector is just a plastic tab on a support piece that is glued to the sidewall. The sidewall seems to be made of vinyl leatherette covered fiber board. If the rear plastic support tab breaks off, you may glue it back on with silicone or other cement.
- Now that the side panels have been pulled inward, you see the rear woofer speaker. Only 4 gold-colored screws (Philips #2) unscrew and the speaker can be pulled inward.
- Replace with the new speakers.
Thank you very much, Craig, that’s a very god ‘how to’ description. I’ve printed it off and am going to get on with a job I’ve been putting off.
Eric