Researching this is pretty easy. I was in car stereo for 6 years, and this process is pretty simple, at least to find the problem.
Simply take apart the back console, to be able to access the speaker, and see if the pos. or neg. wires have come lose.
Next if you see they are still on, take them loose, and with a AA battery, and a couple wires, touch the Pos. & Neg. wires to the speaker leads to see if they work. (Note, only touch them quick, do not hold on there) It should make a quick popping noise, it doesn't damage the speaker so don't worry.
If it does make the pop, then the speaker is probably fine, its in the wires. If it is in the wires, you will need to backsearch to the amp, locate the same wire from the amp (you should be able to tell by the color) and do the same Popping test at the wires at the amp (after you disconnect the wires from the amp) to see if there is a short of some sort from amp to speaker, which i highly doubt if its factory. If you find nothing here, do the same thing up to the radio itself. If you don't find anything from the amp, make sure the amp is on, when you do the pop test from the radio wires.
This procedure is kinda tedious, but my guess is, if it just cut out all of a sudden, and all the other speakers work, its probably a wire loose.
BTW, I agree, this speaker is pointless, and makes no sense as an audiophile. Maybe japanese hear things different.
J/K
Hope that helps.
let me know the outcome.
[This message has been edited by NSXXX (edited 19 September 2002).]
