my left rear bose speaker went out, not sure why or for how long but it no longer makes any noise. is there a way i can fix it, or check what the problem might be? or should i just go out and get some new speakers?

 

you may have blown a fuse on the amp that is attached to it chech that out in the trunk that should go before you would blow the actual speaker or your wiring could be shot and if that is the case i would do new speakers and a new head unit seeing as the system is 15 years old

 

The amps on the speakers can be repaired by replacing the capacitors on it. All of them may be a little dificult to find. There is a how to here somewhere. I fixed three of mine and they all work fine now. One way to find out is switch the amps in the rear speakers.

 

You probably have the factory Nissan/Bose system. Each speaker has it;s own amp. The amps like to die and are $$$ to replace. They are also incompatible with normal headunits, and the factory headunit is incompatible with aftermarket speakers. You may be able to find an amp in a junkyard, but chances are that it's dead or dying as well. You may want to look into a company that will fix it for a fraction teh cost of a new one, but then you still have 3 more waiting to die on you. If you want good reliable sound your best option is to just rip out the Bose and replace with an aftermarket headunit and some good speakers.

I looked into replacing the caps on mine, but mine also had a few blown traces and burnt compinents so I have uo. If you have better luck than me, they shouldnt be to hard to fix if you're good with a solder iron.

 

get a cheap ebay system for about 150. Let that be temp fix.

 

Not completely true about incompatability with aftermarket headunits. While not directly plug-and-play, you can interface the BOSE system with another headunit using a special converter specifically designed for the BOSE system. I'm one of the many who still use the BOSE system with another HU & the one I have comes from Crutchfield (who provides it free of charge, I believe, when you buy an HU from there & state you use a BOSE system).

As for the left amp not working, if it's not the fuse then it's probably the caps. Mine's has a similar problem where it starts popping when in use, so I just disconnected the plug from it & just make due with one rear speaker. Look in the STICKIES for a link to an older thread relating to how to fix it. If you don't feel like doing the work yourself, I believe there are a few members here who would for a small fee (I forget if Matt is one of them).

*edit* Since you drive a 1990, I believe your harness is wired directly to the amp.

 

Your speakers/amps will die one by one and your HU will go sometime too. When it's all working the BOSE sound is not bad, but when it's aging it just give more headache than fun. I just replaced the HU and all speakers. If you need to save some money, use the existing Bose speakers, just skip the BOSE amp. A new HU costs about $100, IMHO it's better this way than spending the same amount on fixing the old then you'll have trouble again pretty soon.