Volkswagen Repair: VW Premium Audio speaker channels, door hinge, side speakers

Question
QUESTION: Hello. I recently purchased a 94 Jetta with the "Premium Audio" package, complete with CD changer. Unfortunately, the left side speakers do not seem to work, save for the left front tweeter. The right speakers sound good, however.

Discovering that this is a 4-channel stereo, I'm lead to believe it is more likely a connection failure at a junction or crossover, but I'm not sure, and I wouldn't know precisely where to look, anyway.  

Thanks, and I hope you can help me!
-Adam

ANSWER: Since this is the drivers' side of the car, and the drivers door is opened more than the others by an order of magnitude, or more...ie, 10 times more than the other doors, I'd have to cover my bases and say it could one or the other or both of two things.  First the connections to the speakers in the door might be disconnected, or the wires that go through the rubber bellows at the door hinge, then you need to take the door panel off and inspect for both.  The speaker is easier, so look there first.  Remove the inner panel, screws along the bottom, screws under the door handle, and then little plastic "pop" fasteners.  Remove the electrical connectors to the accessories...like windows, mirrors...etc., and that should make the door panel removable.  The steel inner panel to access the wiring through the bellows is more challenging however, because the window glass has to be removed from the window clips that hold it to the regulator.  There are access holes, but the glass, and regulator have to positioned just right for you to be able to get in and release the glass.  Once this is done push the glass, by hand up into the window channel as far as it will go, and hold it there with tape, vacuum hose pushed into the window channel, or suction cups on a wire tether.  At this point the wires, and vacuum hose through the bellows should be visible, and you can then inspect them for damage.  Find the broken ones, repair them, and put the door back together...remember to tighten the window clips!  Good luck, Adam.  Not a lot of fun.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: What about the rear door speakers, and is there a crossover?

Also, speaking of the doors, are you familiar with installing a new lock/handle, and also, do you know anything about the cruise control? My handle is missing its lock, but I have a new assembly ready to install. As for the cruise control, it makes clicking noises like a relay sometimes, but never engages successfully.

If you'd rather not mess with the last two questions, I understand, but I appreciate the help on the stereo, I'm about to go downstairs and tear it apart again! Thanks!

-Adam

Answer
As far as the rear door speakers go, the rear doors come apart about the same way as the front doors with one main exception, the window glass, which has to come out in either case to get the metal inner door panel out, is held in place with a single nylon bushing that is made out of 2 pieces of nylon.  One is solid, the other is slotted.  The solid piece fits inside, and holds the slotted one, so push the inner one out first, then the outer one, that should make it possible to get the window all the way up in the window guide, and you will be able to remove the rest of the inner door panel.  Once again there is a bellows between the "B" pillar, and the door, and all of the wires, and the vacuum tubing for the door locks run through it.  A3 door handle lock assemblies require a little bit of patience because the "spade" shaped piece that engages with the door latch has to be exactly in the same position as the opening in the door latch to engage, and the door handle has to be far enough back in the door to engage the release, also in the latch assembly.  A4's have a little wire rope that goes to the handle....A3's have 2, or is it only 1, moulded "L"s at the inner most part if the handle "fingers" that engage a gold coloured anodized metal bar, and the "fingers" on the handle have to be under the metal bar, all while the spade is engaged in the lock portion of the latch assembly.  If the inner door panel is still off, it will be easier to install your lock, and handle, because you can use both hands to set up, and guide the various pieces together.  Most of the problems with A3 cruise control engagement relate to a "little black box" that is under the dash.  In 99.9% of the cases, it has to be replaced....not cheap either, can't remember how much off hand.  But they are usually to blame.  My memory is really tested on the front door latch thing.  I can see it, and I can see the slot inside the circle for the lock, and I can see the upright bar that releases the door latch for the handle to engage, but I can't remember how the handle is designed to engage the upright bar.  If you have the inner door panel back on, and can't use both hands, then know that you can push forward on the handle without the lock in place, and then pull out, and back, and the entire handle will come out, and that will give the opportunity to look the 2 parts over to see how they engage once inside the door.  Just being able to see it will be the biggest help.  Good luck, Adam, I hope there is some useful information here for you.