jmkr123

2008 HHR, I also had the radio speakers issue, it got to the point where only my rear driver's side speaker would work but every now and then I would hit a bump and all the speakers would work until I turned the car off. I thought this was a wiring issues due to the bump fix issue.
I read a number of forum posts and decided to go ahead and get 4 new cheap speakers ($12 on Amazon) since several people reported the same symptoms as me and this fixed their problem.
While waiting on the new speakers I removed the 2 rear speakers and swapped them. The inop right speaker would not work on the left side. The working left side speaker would work intermittently on the right side if I held the wiring connector in a position where the contacts first met but not when the connector was fully seated. Again I assumed this was a wiring issue.
My 4 speakers arrived and I put them in and presto a complete set of working speakers. Sounds as good as the originals.
I have a couple decades as an electrical technician in the Air Force but this intermittent problem definitely seemed like a wiring issue but to my happy surprise it was 3 dead speakers (plus one very temperamental speaker).
Hope this helps.

donbrew

As you now know, there is a big problem with moisture infiltration through the window gaskets. The speakers corrode. A typical problem is "they don't work when it's cold/hot", that is because the captured moisture turns into steam/water inside the door cavity.

Zuri Garcia

Hello!


I am having the same problem and want to order speakers for my 2008 HHR. What brand and size did you go with on Amazon? Also, I've never put in speakers before but am guessing it's probably pretty obvious where wires (or hopefully clips!) go. Any advice on installing speakers for a newbie?

donbrew

Get what you can afford depending on what quality sound you need. Personally, I don't care about sound quality so I go cheapest.

The connectors on the wires are not standard, so you will probably need to splice like colors, just be sure COM goes to the same terminal on all of them. I am fairly sure the wire colors are somewhere in this forum.

check out the how-to area for a tutorial on removing the door panels.
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...40/#post249849

Zuri Garcia

thank you!

Rippasnortus

Has anyone tried using marine speakers? That might help with the moisture problem. My RF and RR speaker both work as well as the tweeter on the left pillar. I may try a new pair in the front and put the working one from RF to LR. That would give me front speakers and possibly if I'm lucky, working rear speakers.

donbrew

There are "cups" that can be installed behind the speakers.

The water comes in at the window gasket, if you can figure a way to force it to seal better you get kudos. Then the moisture doesn't exit through the drain holes at the bottom of the door because it's not enough to flow, then it warms up and turns to steam that deposits on the coils.

Elmo

You may also want to check the connectors in the door that go from the door to the body. Both my passengers side and drivers side were badly corroded. I pulled the connectors out of the plug and wire brushed them. There is a locking tab on the connector that you slide to get the terminal out. it is a different color than the connector.

Thanks Don for the link on posting pictures.



Rick

donbrew

I sometimes wonder why I took the time to put links in my sig.

firemangeorge

Think I mentioned it before Don. Ya gotta have some bling pointing to that link.