mikepae

iTrader: (1)

My 01 LS430 UL arrived this past week from CA and it is indeed the finest automoble I have ever owned. My GS400 was awesome but it does not compare to this car. Unfortunately.... My first problem: There is a rattle coming from my subwoofer even when the volume is turned down to a minimum. I noticed it after turning the bass up on a song earlier today. I took the grill off to examine further and the voice coil seemed to be fine: It is not blown and the speaker still functions, but there is an annoying "plastic-y" rattle coming from the beneath the cone. I thought it may be caused by a piece of the rear deck material (maybe got loose and got between the subs basket and suspension) but after checking the forums, I saw that many others had also blown their ML subs and thought I may have pushed the sub too hard. Is this a common situation any of you may have seen before and if your ML sub failed, did it have a similar rattle? Should I opt for an aftermarket JL W0 like some others have done? If I do, should I opt for an 8 ohm or 4 ohm sub? Opinions, Answers... please?.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i thought if the sub blow, you just won't hear anything from it? i wonder if it's not secured on right, if it's still working and producing enough base

FLIPPU

mine just blew over the weekend....I wonder if Lexus will warranty it??

I'll call them later.

Mike

Nauticalx

If it blows it could still sound it would just sound weird. Like the bass wont be smooth it will be poppy or scratchy. We need to find out what the specs of the sub are so that a nice aftermarket one can be put in there instead of the expensive factory original.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

you still have warranty, i am sure they will replace it

350g

Odds are . . . it's "blown." You're describing what happens when a subwoofer experiences too much distortion and the voice coil pays the price. It's a fairly common occurrence.

You do have a few options:
1) Custom Audio setup (various configurations)
2) Custom 8" or 10" sub using a free-air setup

Anyone who has ever damaged a voice coil (not necessarily fried it beyond use) will recognize a "blown" sub. I'm hedging my bet to say that its a goner. I've seen the wiring and the setup under the sub and most of it is fairly secure with mounting points (tabs).

G

Cowtown

I have the same problem, 2001 ls with the ML system. I've disconnected the sub because the rattling is so bad. I believe it's blown. I'd like to replace it with a aftermarket unit but I can't figure out how to remove the sub from the enclosure. Do I need to remove the whole package tray? Any assistance appreciated, thanks.

FLIPPU

I believe the entire rear seats and side panels need to be removed to get access to the subwoofer.


Mike

Cowtown

Thanks Mike. If I attempt this I'll let you know how it goes and post pics

350g

Do a search on this site . . . there are pics, but I must say, it leaves out a few things (I found a few more connecting points in my 01). If memory serves me correctly, you will remove a few nuts from under the plastic covers in the arm rest / pass through area, the plastic covers on the rear deck (anchors), and a few hard to get to connections behind the seats . . . The rear deck will not need to be removed, but rather loosened to allow you to manuveur the panel to get to the mounting plate for the subwoofer. Other small things you may need to do: disconnect the 3rd brake light and remove the subwoofer grill (pops up).

It's been a while since I removed mine . . . but lord knows, it sure beats the rattling sound that a blown subwoofer makes.

2hot2Btrue

i had my sub changed sometimes ago i have the same problem with my ML sub and when i chacked the sub i didn't find any thing but when i look carfully and feel the raber i found a small insion ( a small cut ) so try to check your sub again.

and you can't just add any sub you need only ML subs so it will work with your Imp...........

hope i helped

Nauticalx

Only ML subs will work? Any sub with identical specs will work. Speakers arnt brand specific. They run on generic analog input. Anyone with knowledge of the specs please post so that we may find a longer lasting cheaper better aftermarket replacement to the ML subs.

DDLexus

Your issue could simply be that the rear deck rattles OR the sub is indeed blown. I'd put some music on with a little bass, turn down the high and mid range sounds. Put the bass up at a normal listening volume. If you can hear the rattle, goto the back seat area, push on the rear deck. If you apply some weight/pressure on the right side of the rear deck, the noise might go away. If so, your speaker is fine and the rear deck is just loose. Otherwise, got a replacement sub. Anything you get will sound about the same. I bought the JLAudio speaker and was not impressed. Didn't sound any better than stock sub. No additional bass, same punchy sound.

Cheers.
Damon

JusLex01

My ML sub has been blown for a couple of months now. I finally found a great replacement from it. Pioneer Premier subwoofer, the 8" can be used as Free-Air which is great for hanging it up. I did not install it yet. Will let you guys knows how it sounds.
Model # TS-SW841D
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pn...969765,00.html