Having an Odd Monsoon Problem. HELP!

[Tobynine9]

My Monsoon works/sounds great... sometimes.

The rear-seat subs sometimes fire and sometimes don't. I can't seem to find any pattern as to what is making them work and what keeps them from working. Sounds spectacular when they're working. But when they're not I have to turn the bass knob up to compensate, driving all the bass through the puny full-range speakers in the trunk and the subs in the doors. Then the rear-seat subs will kick in and the car shakes momentarily while I turn the bass back down.

I'm thinking there's an amplifier problem somewhere somehow (duh). Where is the Monsoon amp so I can check all my connections. Has anyone else had and fixed a similar problem?

I've replaced the blown door speakers with OEM Monsoon speakers (I didn't want to deal with matching ohms or replacing the amp or anything like that). But this was happening before I replaced those.

Help me please.

[White Rascal]

Get used to it. The POS Monsoon system is famous for slowly crapping out as time goes by. The speakers are usually the first to go. Then the HU and/or amp will start acting up. You can either go on replacing it with more stock crap that will do the same thing eventually or go with an after-market setup. I recommend the latter.

The POS Monsoon amp is located in front of your spare tire above the rear wheel. It is mounted to a plastic panel and is on the fender side of that panel.

[Tobynine9]

Yeah, I'd like to put off replacing the amp since I just replaced the speakers and don't want to switch them yet too. Besides, I'd rather spend the money on fast bits.

[Tobynine9]

Crap, it's the amp. Sucker's fried or something. I pulled it out today to check all the connections and whatnot. It's fine... except it doesn't work.

Is there anyway to just replace the amp with a 2-ohm stable amp and drive the stock speakers with a low-pass crossover? I was thinking I'd do that. Invest in a good 4-channel amp and use the low-pass until the stocks blow out then I'd replace them with high-quality full range speakers and run the amp on full range.

Surely someone makes a connector or bracket to connect the mess of wires that is the stock male-end connector into the Monsoon amp into an aftermarket amplifier. Don't they?

Someone please oh please oh please chime in and say, "Yes, Adam. Here's the part number X, and it will cost X much from X retailer..."

Thanks.

[White Rascal]

Sorry Adam you're outta luck. Time to pull your seats and carpet out and run all new wiring.

[The Rookie]

My monsoon has about had it as well. Was thinking of going all new, speakers, amp and Head unit. But a friend of mine told me that they do not have adapters that work all the time for the steering wheel controls. He said sometimes they work and other times they blink out... Is this true? Does anyone have aftermarket steering wheel controls with a new different head unit that works fine??

[White Rascal]

I've been using the PAC SWI-X for several years now and it works like a charm. As long as your new HU uses an infrared remote control it will work with the PAC SWI-X steering wheel interface adapter.

[Tobynine9]

So the new HU needs an infrared remote in order for me to keep the steering wheel controls?

I've already started shopping stereo bits online. I forgot how expensive that crap was. I've ordered a cheap, used Monsoon amp replacement to keep me company until I pick what I want and save up the $$. If/when I do it, I'm doing it right too. Sound deadening all the hot spots. It'll be sweet... someday.

[rotwiler]

The Pac Swi-x hooks up to the wire from your steering wheel controls and you program the PAC to work with your stereo. Some Sony models etc...don't have IR remotes and they dont work, also some new models like the JVC with the 4 inch screen doesn't work. The pac has a wire with a LED you put in view of the front of your aftermarket cd player and it basically works like a remote and sends the signal to the front of your stereo. I mounted mine above my HU and works great and no way of anything getting in front of it to stop the signal. Another option PAC makes is a steering wheel controls adaptor that plugs into the back of the HU and required no eye to send a signal. But, it works mainly with Alpine and a couple other manufacturers that have a wired remote input. Soungate also makes adaptors, but they are a little more expensive.

[Tobynine9]

Excellent. Thank you all for your help.