yes, note it is when a speaker SHORTS (wires connecting to opposite polarity) not when one OPENS (wires broken). Either can happen from water damage.

 

That's what happened to me. Sort of. You may not immediately notice when just one speaker quits. My problem was definitely progressive but not linear, speakers would work intermittently and i can't say the problem didn't move around. . In the final stage just one door speaker worked, intermittently, and then nothing but the a pillar tweeters.

Additional non-expert analysis - crappy insulation in the coils combined with "clipping" related transients caused by inadequate power and inferior electronics causes arcing that will burn the insulation and/or the wire, but not at low volumes; the more you "crank it" the worse it gets, and an old rule is to never turn your audio up more the 1/2, especially with cheap stuff.

I also noticed the stock speakers had pathetically weak magnets; maybe a physicist or a speaker expert knows if that could contribute to the problem.

This sort of damage would seem to plausibly explain the gradual escalation of the problem, but could also explain an abrupt failure of one or more speakers.

As long as my wife, who can't stand loud, drove the car, no problem. I like to turn it up a bit and when I began driving it, the trouble started, so...

 

I've installed stereo systems for many years but this one has me baffled; 2010 HHR SS w/pioneer stereo. I replaced all the speakers and subwoofer with new high end speakers, replaced the head unit with a JVC double din. I installed the steering wheel adapter from Crutchfield. (I even replaced the CRUX adapter with a new one).
Everything worked fine for a week. I went out one evening and no sound. Tuner was working, USB was working, just no sound. Volume control showed volume up and down.
As a test, I wired a loose spare speaker to the head unit output speaker leads Sound!! I tried putting the stock head unit back and no sound,

At this point, I'm willing to bypass everything to wire the speakers to the head unit.
Can I cut and crimp the wires from the factory harness (2-plugs)?
Anything?

 

Check fuse #6 in the interior fuse block.

 

Fuse #6 has power to both legs. (I was really hoping this was the problem; makes sense)!

 

What does "both legs" mean?

Fuse #6 powers the amp. Fuse #23 powers the radio and a few other things. The radio/HU acts as a pre-amp.

 

Both sides of Fuse #6 showed 12V; Power in, power out. Fuse is good.

 

1. I recently purchased an interface for my 2009 Chevy HHR because I couldn't find the red wire on the wiring harness I had bought. I hooked up the interface like it said and my radio still works even when my car is off and the keys are out. The problem with this is it keeps running my battery dead! How can I fix this to where my radio doesn't draw juice from my battery at night?

 

By wiring the GMLAN adapter in. There is no switched power in the radio harness. If you can live without the turn signal and key in chimes you can take switched power from any of the "spare" fuse positions in the inside fuse box. Or, get a GMLAN adapter that uses the digital signal from the BCM to turn the radio on.

Most after market radios need a Hot input and a Switched input.

 

Thanks I never thought about using an empty space in the fuse box