2021 VW Jetta Aftermarket Amplifier Issue

[Zpop]

Hello everyone,
Joined this forum in an attempt to get some assistance with an issue I’m having.

I installed a Pioneer GM-D1004 in my vehicle with the plug and play harness from enfigcarstereo.com. It was a relatively simple install, and the difference in sound is night and day on the stock 4 speaker setup that comes on the 2019 and up base model Jettas.

However, having a very strange issue. Everything works fine until I turn up the volume past 45-50%, where it then begins to intermittently cut out every so often. Sometimes every few minutes, sometimes multiple times per minute. It does it whether I’m playing audio from the radio, Bluetooth, or CarPlay.

It’s a very irritating issue and I’m looking for assistance in trouble shooting and finding a fix, as I’m not seeing anything similar online of someone having the same issue as me.

I had ordered two sets of RockfordFosgate R1525X2 that I planned on installing at some point but haven’t had a chance to.
Would replacing the speakers next be my best bet on trying to correct this issue? The stock speakers are extremely cost efficient, I think you can buy the OEM speakers from VW for $10-20…

Any and all help from car audio experts would be greatly appreciated.

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[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

Any and all help

First thought was a Resistance issue, but the specifications say 45w x 4 @ 2 or 4 Ohms. So that is off the table. Another thing that comes to mind is insufficient power. Specs say 15+ amps, so I would check that out. I think it should have at least a 14 AWG power wire. Ground is just as important so make sure it is solid.
I just checked that kit you got, it looks like the issue is the power supply:

 

[Zpop]

First thought was a Resistance issue, but the specifications say 45w x 4 @ 2 or 4 Ohms. So that is off the table. Another thing that comes to mind is insufficient power. Specs say 15+ amps, so I would check that out. I think it should have at least a 14 AWG power wire. Ground is just as important so make sure it is solid.
I just checked that kit you got, it looks like the issue is the power supply:
View attachment 38003

As of now I am still using the stock speakers. Could that be the issue regardless?
thank you

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

As of now I am still using the stock speakers. Could that be the issue regardless?
thank you

No. The company that pieced that set together says that the amp cannot handle aftermarket speakers due to the thin OEM wires that it is spliced to. Meaning if you give the amp it's own power supply, it will handle aftermarket speakers easily. So the shutting down of your amp is due to lack of power to it.

 

[Zpop]

I see - thank you!

Therefore from my understanding it’s a high likelihood that the stock speakers cannot handle the power the amp is throwing at them past half volume, and due to that they are cutting out?

What would my next step be to prevent this? Do I need to wire up the power and ground cable coming out of my radio on my own with a thicker wire?

Apologies if I sound completely lost, I am just not very experienced with this. My intentions with getting this kit and installing it were to have no issues from all the reviews I was seeing.

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

Therefore from my understanding it’s a high likelihood that the stock speakers cannot handle the power the amp is throwing at them past half volume, and due to that they are cutting out?

No, the speakers will handle the amp's power but will be playing at their limit. The issue is the 12 volt power going into the amp (thin wires).
To solve this, cut the 12v power (Yellow) and ground (Black) wires that go into the amp (tape the ends that do not go into the amp) Splice them with 12 AWG wire. Run the Yellow to the fuse box and use an Add-A-Circuit kit (specific to your fuses). The Black wire can be screwed to any bare metal for ground.

That should solve your issues.

Apologies if I sound completely lost, I am just not very experienced with this.

No worries. Most guys here enjoy helping out. Helps to keep us sharp., so keep 'em comin.

 

[Zpop]

Okay - you’re helping a lot! Appreciate it!

So just to confirm some things to make sure I have the gist of it before I dive into this project over the weekend (which will involve taking the whole dash apart again which was a giant PITA the first time)

I will need to purchase a add a circuit kit that is specific to the types of fuse sizes I have in my car - any specific amp rating I should aim for when tapping into a fuse? 15 and above based on the manual?

Wire that up to a 14 AWG power wire, as well as grounding a wire to a bare metal surface somewhere in that general vicinity.

After this, splice into the yellow and black wires that lead directly into the amps’ power harness itself with the two previously mentioned wires, taping off the opposite end that I cut.

And with that I should be able to resolve the issue, and in the future be able to run aftermarket speakers no issue as well?

Let me know if I’m missing anything - want to make sure I understand 100% before I attempt this project. Thanks again for your patience and understanding.

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

want to make sure I understand 100% before I attempt this project.

Only change I would make is going up to 12AWG. Everything else is spot on. 15+ amps is ok.

(which will involve taking the whole dash apart again which was a giant PITA the first time)

Lol! I figured as much. I always fear a moment of temporary insanity and just break something whilst gnashing my teeth.

 

[Zpop]

Only change I would make is going up to 12AWG. Everything else is spot on. 15+ amps is ok.

Lol! I figured as much. I always fear a moment of temporary insanity and just break something whilst gnashing my teeth.

Ok, was able to get some high quality 12awg wiring. Waiting on a 20a Add-A-Circuit to ship to me (everything nearby only had up to 10a, I figured better safe than sorry.)

Now that I’m finally somewhat getting the hang of what I will need to be doing - that poses a different question on my end.

Will it be safe that I am going to splice into a thinner wire with 12awg wiring? Will it cause any issues that I plan on using a butt connector between the two separate wires?

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

Will it be safe that I am going to splice into a thinner wire with 12awg wiring? Will it cause any issues that I plan on using a butt connector between the two separate wires?

Short runs of thinner wire pose no issue, just think of the girth of a fuse bridge. Butt connectors will do fine on 15A.

 

[Zpop]

Well! Long story short, just wrapped up rewiring the amp. Was a PITA as expected, spent most of the time figuring out a way to guide the wire from my fuse panel to the radio section.

After wiring it up and reconnecting the battery I gave it a quick test at about 75% volume and no issues throughout an entire song. Unfortunately at the higher volumes it starts to sound very distorted, but luckily I have aftermarket speakers ready for install in my living room.

Wanted to reach out and thank you again for your assistance.
Without you I definitely would still be stuck, as the website that supplied me with the harness kit has gone completely ghost on me for a full week now…
So far, so good with the rewiring job!