Sonata 2003 Rear Speaker Install Options

[Blawsum]

I have tried looking for similar posts already...so hopefully I'm not asking a dumb repeated forum question.

I have been trying to remove my rear speakers of my 03 Sonata off and on for a couple months now. I've done this in a couple different cars without any issue. But my Sonata seems to be more complicated.

Does anyone know how to do this?

From what I can tell, the plastice grills over the rear speakers are actually attached to the back dash fabric...by a glue I think, unless I've pryed in the wrong spot. I've losed every clip underneath from inside the trunk.
I've moved on the laying down my rear seats to see if I needed to pull out the entire rear dash panel. This is not as easy as it looks. The side portion of the rear sets would have to be unbolted by removing the carpet of my trunk.

There has to be an easier way! Does anyone know or has tried this?
I want to avoid cutting the plastic covers at all costs, and I'd rather not go to best buy and waste the money having someone do it for me.

I've also registered at hmaservice.com

I did the following:
click Service Information
Enter Sonata, 2003, my engine,
Click Shop tab
Click Body Electrical
Click Audio

However the images and information only concerns the head unit. Which is a piece of cake!

Please help, I've been missing my pioneers like crazy. I got this Sonata 12 months ago and still can't get them in. The front door speakers were incredibly easy. It doesn't make sense why the rear speakers would be so much more difficult.

Thanks!

This post has been edited by Blawsum: Mar 6 2008, 07:01 PM

[Blawsum]

Found this post in my frantic search for the answers.


Originally posted by Messenger:

First, remove the rear seat bottom cushion using a 10mm socket wrench with socket extension. Find the bolts that hold the cushion down at the back of the seat cushion. It's buried down in between the bottom of the seat backs and the cushion you're trying to take out. If you push down on the back of the cushion and feel down there, you'll find it. Eventually.

After that's done, there are two "J" styled clips underneath the front of the seat cushion. Grab the front bottom of the cushion and push it towards the back of the car and lift up at the same time. It should move backwards just enough and pop out. ("should")

Once out, the side cushion hold-down bolts should be visible at the bottom of the side cushions. Remove the 10mm bolts holding down the side cushions. Once those are removed, the top of the side cushion is held by a clip. Slide the cushion up to release the loop hook from the clip, then out.

Now remove the nine screws to take off the plastic trim pieces. The left one overlaps the right one, so remove that one first.

Next, remove the "C-pillar" trim panels above the seat back side cushions by carefully pulling straight out. They are clipped into the body panel support metal and are very tight clips, so be very careful doing this. They do break easy. (When reinstalling, I greased them for better future access.)

Remove the two nuts from underneath the rear deck that fasten the rear brake light. The light has an electrical connector underneath that will give you a little grief. Back inside the car again, lift up the rear brake light and disconnect the plug under it.

Finally, pull the rear deck upward and towards the front of the car and let it hang down by the rear seat belts (which you don't want or need to remove).

Now you should finally have access to the rear speakers and their mounts. Do whatever else you might need to do back there. I bet the engineers worked overtime to make it this difficult to access those speakers.

To reinstall everything, rest up awhile and then just reverse the procedures.

[whoha4242]

Thanks for finding this. I don't know who originally posted the steps, but it was immensely helpful on my '02 Sonata. Sounds much better now.

Btw, I found that a good pry-bar/nail-bar is very helpful for getting the "C-pillar" trim panels.