Car: 2004 RX 330 ML w/o Nav

I started getting a nasty rattle from the driver's door speaker under some bass conditions.

I popped out the panel and was able to stop the rattle by placing a finger lightly on the cone. Pulled the speaker and can't see any mechanical damage to it and the speaker is tight in the mount.

I am assuming the speaker is shot; is there anything else I should check before I buy a new speaker?

Are there any alternatives to a Lexus dealer for a replacement?

Aloha, Joe

 

IMO, that is normal. Even if you put better speakers it would still rattle from my experience. You would need to dynamat it like I did and it would stop the rattling from the high bass. Or if you don't want to spend money just lower the bass down. Hope that helps.

 

Thanks for the response.

I really think I have a problem. I was happy with the bass until a couple of weeks ago when this started. It happens at pretty low volume and bass levels.

Rattle was a poor choice of words on my part. It is more like a buzzy distortion that is definitely coming from the speaker vice vibration from some where in the door.

I think I am going to swap the speaker from the other door and see if the problem moves. I really think I have a speaker problem, but the lack of a smoking gun visually makes me really want to confirm it before I spend the cash on a new one.

Aloha, Joe

 

Definitely the speaker. The buzz moved when I swapped speakers.

I think I will be going this route vice replacing it with stock.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/lex...all-sc430.html

 

are you going to use mdf to get better sound deadening like his? i think i might do it.

 

No initially, I bought an adapter plate to mount a 6.5" speaker in the OEM 6 X 9 mount. This will allow me to get the speaker replaced sooner rather than later.

Fabricating an MDF plate and possibly adding some damping material are projects for the future. How soon that future is will be driven by the quality of the sound I get.

 

Replaced the speaker this weekend with one of these:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=297-305

The adapter I bought was junk so I ended up fabricating one from mdf.

When I removed the stock speaker from the mount the failure was obvious. It was torn about 1/3 of the way around the circumference. Very similar to the failures pictured in the SC430 thread.

Of note I did not remove the door panel completely. Removing the 2 screws near the door handle and popping all the pins on the panel allowed me to pull the panel out far enough to remove the speaker mount. I did find it easier to push in the release tab on the speaker electrical connection with the speaker mount unbolted and removed from the door.

I think the sound is better than stock, nothing earth shattering but some improvement. When I get bored (or it blows) I'll do the other side.

Aloha, Joe