How to fix Bose random speaker cutout

Guaranteed 2 day turnaround repair service by mail

Many with the Maxima Bose 6CD system have experienced audio cutouts when listening to CDs, typically on the left hand side speakers only. The source of this issue is a poorly seated ribbon cable that connects the CD player to the rest of the system. There is a lengthy repair process outlined in a link below that details the steps required.

For those not interested in the risk of trying this fix on their own, I perform the left side speaker cutout fix for '02-'03 Bose 6CD for $179 with a guaranteed turnaround time of 2 days. (If I receive the headunit on Tuesday, I guarantee it will be repaired and shipped out no later than Thursday). I offer free return shipping via USPS, insurance and delivery confirmation included. For an extra $15, I install a new ribbon cable rather than reseating the existing cable. However, I just recommend reusing the existing cable since reseating the cable on a fresh piece of the ribbon is just as effective as installing a new cable.

For pricing comparison, Nissan charges around $450 for the same service with guaranteed turnaround time of 8 weeks. Car Stereo Help offers the service for $295 with a turnaround time of 2-8 working days, sometimes longer depending on part availability.

Feel free to contact me via email for more details.

The DIY Method:

For those who want to try tackling this on their own, this is a great write up by Maxima.org member Chris.s. Be forewarned that a few screws that need to be removed aren't outlined (namely, the front mounting plate) and you need a good toolkit to do this right. A few tips:

• The job requires a wide variety of small screwdrivers - I have a huge assortment and still didn't have all I needed. Many different screw sizes, all smaller than the drivers many typically have.
• A good soldering iron and some basic skills in soldering
• Needle nose pliers
• Good organization - when completely disassembled you have a pile of around 50 screws, 4 springs, 4 liquid filled shock absorbers, and your Radio/HVAC will be in about 10 separate pieces. I suggest sitting screws in separate piles to keep track of which step they're associated with. If you lump them all together in one cup it'll be a mess figuring out what screw to use.
  
• Be very careful removing the vents - if you use the pry method you can mar your dash/vents if you're not careful. Use a good towel, or if you're strong enough, I recommend just grabbing the vents at the top (with your thumbs hooked inside the top vent) and pulling up and toward you until the clips brake loose.
  
• Slot out a good 4 hours to complete the work. This assumes a moderate pace with no big hang ups along the way (stripped screws for instance).
  
• If your screwdriver doesn't quite fit, don't try to make it work. You'll end up stripping the screw, drilling it out, and hunting at Home Depot for some decent replacement. Do yourself a favor and spend the money on a wide array of screwdrivers/bits.
• Carefully reassemble in the exact reverse order. Don't wing it or you'll end up having to backtrack when you realize you have an extra part or two.