2002 Suburban speaker not working post aftermarker install

Today I had a new pioneer head unit, 4 pioneer speakers to replace the stock door speakers, and a 13 inch screen installed in my 2002 Chevy Suburban at a local shop. I picked my vehicle and was checking my new equipment and noticed that my rear driver side door speaker was not working. I brought it to the attention of the shop and they checked the speaker and told me that the factory amplifier was bad, and that was causing the speaker to not work. They gave me three options:


1. I could have them run a "9 wire" directly from the speakers to the head unit which would in turn disable my factory sub and decrease my sound quality

2. I could get another factory amp somehow and they would install it for me. I don't know how to find this or where to even begin to look.
3. I could let them install a 5 channel aftermarket amp and a 8 or 10" sub in a cabinet for which they would charge me $600.


*disclaimer* - I dont know what a "9 wire" is. I am only repeating what the installer said to me.


Also, I am posting this thread for some fact checking with the hopes that someone will tell me if the diagnosis sounds legitimate. I know very little about car audio outside what sounds good to me and I want to make sure that I am not being taken for a ride. I don't have any issues spending good money for good work or to fix a legitimate problem. Thanks in advance everyone.

I'd actually start with the speaker first, because it'd be a cheaper replacement cost. 9 wire is pretty common for easy integration, it's a bundle of wires that include eight standard color for speaker connections from an amplifier to the factory harness, and usually a single blue wire for connecting to the remote turn on from the head unit, to the amplifier.

https://images.crutchfieldonline.com...29WC1812-F.jpg

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Originally Posted by DanielG

3. I could let them install a 5 channel aftermarket amp and a 8 or 10" sub in a cabinet for which they would charge me $600.

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No way to check their diagnostics, but this doesn't seem unreasonable

Was the speaker working before the install?

Yes, $600 isn't a bad price for some of that, but we don't know what components they are planning, nor how their install skills are. I am personally a little skeptical of their quick and dirty "blame your factory amp", but I don't know how they tested it, I just got the impression from your post it was pretty quick and minimal evaluation. I could be wrong about that.

Would take a lot more info and some testing to really determine that.

With the 9-wire, they were talking about running speaker wire directly to the headunit and using the headunit internal amp to power your speakers. I suspect they are right, this would likely result in less power than the factory amp.

I personally think your best option is an aftermarket amp - although maybe not the one they are trying to push on you - I don't know what brands they carry and use, and for $600 installed, that doesn't sound like a bad deal, unless it's flea market-quality equipment. Again... assuming decent installation quality.

I'm always a fan of amplifying aftermarket speakers, and I have found they pretty much ALWAYS sound better when you do so than any factory system or speakers run off a headunit alone.

DanielG,
Have installer prove it, switch problem rear door with good rear door speaker !(amp and speakers - reversed).
Thus narrowing choices, if he is "right" , tell him to replace OEM amp with a 2nd OEM amp !

Suburban equals GM (general motors) . Also, amp may have identifying marks (model , manufacturer , etc.., )