Paul's Travel Pictures

Acura MDX Front Door Speaker Replacement Guide
How to change or upgrade the OEM front door speaker in a 1st generation 2001 to 2006 Acura MDX Touring SUV.

Main Menu            Home           Digital Cameras

Misc. Pictures            Articles            My Blog

Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-001
2006 MDX Front Door Panel
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-002
Front Door Speaker Cover
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-003
Small Notch - Rear Corner
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically created to assist owners of the first generation (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 & 2006) Acura MDX in changing a blown OEM front door speaker in the plastic interior panel or upgrading it with an aftermarket speaker.

Owners of other Acura or Honda vehicles such as the RDX, ILX, TLX, RLX, TL, CL, RSX, RL, TSX, ZDX, NSX, Integra, Pilot, Accord, Civic, Fit, Clarity, CR-V, CR-Z, HR-V, Odyssey, Element  and Ridgeline may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The tools needed to access and remove the OEM front door speaker include a small plastic pry bar tool and a standard Phillips head screwdriver.

The OEM front door speakers can be replaced with new aftermarket car speakers in the following sizes: 5 1/4" (5.25") or 6 1/2" (6.5") or 6 3/4" (6.75").



 
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-004
Gently Pry Out Cover
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-005
Speaker Grille Removed
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-006
OEM Speaker Exposed
The first step is to fully open the front door.

Then locate the small notch on the rear edge of the speaker grille.

Insert a small plastic pry bar tool or a flathead screwdriver into the notch and gently pry out the speaker cover.

Set the speaker cover aside in a safe place.

Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-007
Loosen Counterclockwise
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-008
Phillips Head Screw
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-009
Remove 2nd Screw
Remove the three screws that secure the OEM speaker to the door panel by turning them counterclockwise with a Phillips head screwdriver.
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-010
Third Phillips Screw
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-011
Three Screws Removed
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-012
Pull Out Old Speaker
Set the three screws aside in a safe place.

Carefully remove the OEM speaker from the door panel.



 

Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-013
Pinch Together Two Tabs
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-014
Bose 39120-S3V-A91
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-015
Electrical Connector
Gently pinch together the two tabs on the grey plastic electrical connector before sliding it off the rear of the speaker.

The OEM speaker was Bose part number 39120-S3V-A91 (17 CM Single).

I recommend installing 5 1/4" sized aftermarket car speakers since they are small enough to easily replace the OEM units.

You may have to drill some new holes to mount a 5 1/4" speaker or use a mounting bracket.

If you do have to drill holes, make sure that the power window is raised all the way up since the glass is right behind the speaker location when the window is lowered.

Also, avoid using a long drill bit so that you don't make a dent in the metal door panel or drill a hole through it.

Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-016
Push In Power Plug
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-017
Install New Speaker
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-018
Tighten Screws Clockwise
You may choose to cut the original wiring in order to install the new speakers.

If you plan on ever removing the new speakers when you sell the car, use some Honda Speaker Wire Harness Adapters so that you can just plug in the new speakers without damaging the original wiring.

Use a digital multimeter tool to determine which wires are the positive "Hot" 12V power supply and which wires are the negative ground wires. Set your multimeter to measure DC voltage, hold the black probe against a metal part of the car and use the red probe to find the 12V power supply wire(s).

I'm assuming that on this 2006 MDX Touring with the Bose stereo, the red wires are "+" positive and the brown wires are "-" negative. I did not actually test them with my multimeter since I was just inspecting the OEM speakers on our used SUV.

Attach the new speaker to the door panel with either a bracket or by drilling new holes. Secure it with the original screws or the new screws that came with the speaker.

I highly recommend that you apply some sound deadening material such as Dynamat to the plastic door panel around the speaker to help stop vibrations or rattles and allow your new speakers to sound their best.

For an even better sounding stereo system, check out my Acura MDX Front Door Panel Removal Guide so you can take off the entire panel and apply sound deadening material to the inside of the plastic door panel and also the metal door frame.

(The Bose system also includes a small tweeter speaker in the "sail" panel at the top front corner of the door frame.)

Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-019
Line Up Speaker Cover
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-020
Re-Insert Front Hooks
Acura-MDX-Front-Door-Speaker-Replacement-Guide-021
Speaker Grille Secured
Line up the speaker grille with the door panel.

Re-insert the plastic hooks on the front edge of the speaker cover back into place first.

Then gently push on the rear edge of the cover to secure it in place.

Test the new speaker by turning the ignition switch to the "On" position and turn on the stereo.

Set the "Fade" setting to the front of the vehicle and the "Balance" to the side of the SUV with the new speaker to isolate it.

If you hear any rattling or vibrations, try applying some more sound deadener to the door frame or the inside of the door panel.

For more, please check out all of my 2001-2006 Acura MDX DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

If you found this guide to be helpful, please consider making a small donation by clicking on the PayPal.com "Donate" button located to the right of this paragraph. Thank you!
(Note: I am not a registered charity. Donations are not tax deductible.)

Main Menu       Home       Digital Cameras

Misc. Pictures       Articles       My Blog

 

Copyright 2024 © PaulsTravelPictures.com
 All Rights Reserved ®

Paul's Travel Pictures is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Privacy Policy     About Paul & Author Contact Info