How to access rear shelf speakers/drop trunk speaker box??

**Landerholm** · 06-18-2010, 10:31 PM

I need to drop the trunk speaker box that is mounted to the "ceiling" of the trunk to remove the rear speaker it seems. I have removed all of the fittings seeming holding the rear shelf in place but cannot get the rear shelf to budge nor can I get the carpeted cover off the box from below. I have searched like crazy but cannot get my rear shelf to budge!! Could there be anything I am missing to get the darn speaker box dropped????

**sddale** · 06-18-2010, 10:37 PM

If you're trying to get to the 5.25" rear speakers I think you have to remove the rear seat and take the shelf off to access it from the top.

**Landerholm** · 06-18-2010, 11:48 PM

Any tips on getting that shelf off? I have everything removed but the shelf won't budge!!

**sddale** · 06-19-2010, 12:29 AM

Copied from bmwtips.com. I have not done the job myself so you might want to check that site.

Rear Speaker Installation

If you thought the front door speaker installation was fun, wait until you get into this! Basically you're going to remove the entire rear deck and rear seat. My car has the split-fold rear seats and no rear sunshade, so keep this in mind.

Rear Deck Removal

NOTE: Be sure your hands are clean when removing the C-Pillar trim panels.

Steps
1. Remove lower rear seat by pulling up hard at the base of the seat in front of the two outside seating positions. Cover the brackets on the floor that protrude up into the lower seat (to prevent them marking the seat backs when they are folded down (which you do next)
2. Remove the seat back side bolsters (get fingers behind them at the top and pull out ) This is a hard pull and the bolsters are still attached with a bolt at the bottom, but they will swing out far enough so that you do not have to take out that other bolt.
3. Disconnect the seat belts that come down from package shelf using a 17mm socket.
4. Remove the holding pin fasteners from the plastic panel above the entrance to the trunk and remove this panel (the pins pull out of the center of each fastener using a pliar.)
5. Remove the lamp units in each C pillar panel by pulling from the top of the lamp assembly. Disconnect the wiring and remove completely.
6. Remove each c pillar panel (the grey/tan panels) by pulling out above the light hole and pull forward. You will notice small plastic tabs along the upper edge that have to go back into the slots on the window frame when you reinstall.
7. Remove the head restraints by pulling straight up. You may need to pull the chrome posts out separately.
8. Remove the rear vent louvers by pulling up on the inside front corner using a small screwdriver. Be careful not to scratch the plastic. Pull them out toward the front (note the tabs on the back are what fit into the brackets on the body and that is what holds down the rear of the package shelf.
9. Lift the front of the package shelf and start to slide if forward. You have to lift it and pull at the same time to allow it to clear some of the interior items.
10. Pull the seat belts back through the openings in the shelf and then the shelf can be removed. You should now see the speakers in their soundboxes.

Speaker Installation
1. Carefully pull the foam surround away from the speaker.
2. Using a small allen wrench, remove the (4) retaining screws - one at each corner.
3. Remove the driver and disconnect the 2 wires.
4. Replace with the new speaker.

I ran new wiring for these speakers directly from the crossovers, bypassing the factory wiring harness.

Rear Deck Installation
Basically do the removal steps in reverse order. The only tip I can give is to be very sure the vent louver clips are in the slots in the body and are a tight fit. If you plan on installing your amp(s) under the deck in the trunk, you will want to run all of your wiring and mount the amp before putting the rear deck back together. This will allow you to fish wires easily and test to make sure the mounting screws do not poke through the deck cover.

**quacktoduck** · 06-19-2010, 09:13 PM

hes talkiing aboutthe dsp or m-audio woofers... look up dsp speaker removal... im sure youll get a hit inthe diy section

**NNY528I** · 06-19-2010, 09:16 PM

do you have shades in your car?

**Landerholm** · 06-22-2010, 03:49 PM

It turned out you do not have to touch the rear shelf or even open up the rear doors for this. Its all through the trunk but kind of tricky - there's a cover over the sub box, but that cover doesnt come all the way off until the box is removed, so you've got to take the cover halfway off, then remove the box to release the cover haha. Crazy Germans. Fixed my &%$@ rattle though!!

**cdb3113** · 06-22-2010, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by Landerholm

It turned out you do not have to touch the rear shelf or even open up the rear doors for this. Its all through the trunk but kind of tricky - there's a cover over the sub box, but that cover doesnt come all the way off until the box is removed, so you've got to take the cover halfway off, then remove the box to release the cover haha. Crazy Germans. Fixed my &%$@ rattle though!!

Good to hear. I was just going to explain how to do it. I'll continue to do so, for any who search and find this thread.

Remove the two large black plastic fastners in the middle, underneath the sub box.

Remove the three (3) bolts (8mm or 10mm, can't remember) that seem to hold up the fabric/sub box.

Pull down the fabric and unplug the wires on the drivers side of the black plastic sub box.

Remove the last bolt that actually holds the sub box up to the rear deck, its on the driver side.

The box will drop down, but not come out. Its on tabs that hang through the sheet metal on the rear seat back. The fabric is through the same holes. Pick up the box in the middle, and lift up, then pull the whole thing out. It will come free and come down on the floor of the trunk.

Voila!

I did this because the torz bolts were coming loose on the box and the thing was farting at certain frequencies. I thought it was a loose bolt in the rear deck, but it wasn't. I removed the large metal plate and put a light coat of silicone glue around the inside edge. I put the plate back on and tightened everything and reinstalled it. Baller status re-invented.