Help! 1991 Coupe, Bose Gold Series Stereo

[aftershk]

Hi everyone,
Just after remembering the words of a friend four years ago when I bought my 91 Vette, "you have a Vette, your troubles are just beginning," and thinking to myself wow, I've been pretty fortunate, this car hasn't givin me many problems at all except for a seal or two, I hop in to take it for a weekend trip, turn on my favorite cd....... no sound? switch to my favorite channel.... still no sound? what the F...
Now I'm reading it could be this, it's a pain to fix, can't put in an aftermarket without total rewiring!!! Help!
Anyone out there have similar problems and solutions???
Thanks for the help!
Paul

 

[Toms007]

There are several places that will refurbish your head unit. I sent mine to a place in Virginia, there is Dr. Don as well. Don't be too down about this, it was bound to happen.

 

[ecss]

The Bose Gold system has a relay that the CDM closes to provide 12 volts to the 4 speaker amps.

If you remove one of the rear speaker grills, look at the 4 pin wiring harness connector.
Two of the wires are for the audio and two of the heavier gauge wires are ground and 12volts. You need to verify with a volt meter, when the radio is on you have 12 volts on the Pink/Black wire to the Black wire which is ground.

If no 12 volts, the Bose Amp. relay could be bad. It's located under the driver side dash/steering column. It's the relay closest to the transmission tunnel.

If that checks out, the CDM is probably bad. It's a metal box located behind the passenger side of the dash mounted on a plastic tray just below the cruise control module. Very hard to get to. The CDM is the brains of the Bose system and contains the tuner, pre amps. for the speakers and is also where one end of the antenna plugs into.

Cost is about $90 for repair or used ones are on e-Bay.

 

[aftershk]

Thanks for the information!
I will do the check and keep my fingers crossed it's just the relay
If not, Is it possible to replace the radio with an after market and hook up to the original speakers? or am I asking too much?
Thanks Again!

 

[ecss]

Yes you can install an aftermarket radio and use the factory Bose amps and speakers.
You'd need to purchase a line driver interface that would convert the audio signals from the new radio so they would be compatible with the Bose amps.

Most people do not go that route. The most common method is to install a new radio and new speakers inside the original Bose enclosures.

Not a difficult job to install a new radio. Just takes time and patience to locate the wires.

Also some good news if you upgrade, is your CD Head Unit could fetch over $350.00 if everything works. Individual working speaker amps go for $50.00 and up. Complete working speaker amps and the enclosures go for &75.00 each. A working CDM $75.00. :cool