factory JBL sound problems - culprit found

I did a quick search and didn't find anything, so this is basically just to document for others.

the sound in my truck just stopped working one day a few weeks ago, but it was intermittent. about 85% of the time it worked and then it wouldn't. it was back and forth for a while. i knew it wasn't the speakers themselves since i was still getting sound to them, just extremely low and muffled. i knew it wasn't the head unit for the same reason. i thought it was the amp going out or that a relay to turn on the amp wasn't picking up properly. this went on for 3-4 weeks until i was finally able to get to the dealer with it acting up.

The regular technicians couldn't figure it out, as all the connections were good and everything, so they had a field guy come in to look at the truck, and the problem with found to be a huge design flaw on Toyota's part; (one that doesn't even quite make since why it was done this way to begin with, but....). Because it is a Toyota problem, Toyota is paying to fix it, rather than my extended warranty.

It is the wiring harness, For whatever reason, Toyota ran the wiring for the amplifier through the passenger rear door (I know, it makes no sense, seeing as how the amp is on the back wall), and over time, opening and closing the door has been rubbing the wiring harness until it just shorts out.

So they had to order a new wiring harness for the truck. it will take 2 weeks for it to come in. until then, at least i know what the culprit is and how to fix it. Still sucks though.

 

First time it's happened...Toyota's huge design flaw! Sucks but good to know if it happens to the rest of us. Glad they are getting it sorted out.