its the fibre optic loop you need to join, you can pull them from the amp and connect them together using saab parts for very little money

when I fitted my amp1 to me 4 speaker system I just used rubber hose with the right size ID to connect the optical cable for test purposes, you could try this to see if it is your amp1 thats faulty

 

I am positive its the AMP1 that is faulty as water was spilled on it. Ive been without sound in my car for 6 months now. I know the bypass will only make half your speakers work but that's fine by me. I just want sound back for as cheap as possible.

Is the optical loop something I can get at radio shack or best buy?

 

I dought it, I had lots of trouble trying to find the right optical cables when I put my amp in saab was the only place that I could find that did the right size


if you pull the optical plug from the connector at the amp1 and remove one of the optics from it and then put the removed optic into the connector PN 12 791 237 that you have bought from the dealer for about 10 bucks you will be able to link the optical cables and have sound again

Article : Contact housing
PartNo : 12791237
Supplementary Description : Optical cable
Order Quantity : 1

 

thanks for the info. I actually just took the amp apart, looks relativily simple on the inside. I noticed one of the capacitors oozed goop everywhere. I cleaned that up and ordered a new capacitor for $2. Ill see if replacing that fixes the problem. if not I'll buy the optical cable and do the bypass fix.

 

noticed one of the capacitors oozed goop everywhere. I cleaned that up and ordered a new capacitor for $2.

Did you ever replace the cap?

My amp1 took a nosedive tonight. I actually heard it hissing from the door speaker for a short while. Worked fine this morning. Floor has been bone dry. I'll pull the amp this week to have a look. Cap would be too easy knowing this car. But the silicon is also available.

 

Why not get a used amp? Try goldwing.com Saab used parts in Hastings NY.
Half the effort is taking the damn thing out of the car. Then you'll have your system back again without compromise!

 

Ya, I have tried tons of junkyards but none of them had one. Finaly found one the other day but they wanted $475 for it. I could just get mine refurbished from saabradio.com for $400. But both are way more money than I want to spend.

It's actually easy to get out. only held in by 2 bolts. Crossing my fingers that replacing this capacitor will get it fully working,

 

You should check ebay. Always seems there are saab parts cars advertised. You could email the seller and ask how much for the amp.
Might be pleasantly suprised.
Also, try goldwing.com nice folks. I've done business with them several times. I am an insurance adjuster and call them when I have a saab in a body shop that needs parts

 

Did you fix your radio issues? I noticed my radio acting funny after a car wash, a few days later it was back to normal...got it washed again and now the radio is gone completely. I believe I fried my Amp1 but haven't looked yet. It's been a month now and I'm starting to get annoyed, although my intake does sound cool....

Anyways, if I order the work around, do I lose any sound or is it just a mickey mouse fix to get me going ?

 

Not yet.. been riding with no radio since last summer... Cheapest I have found is $400 to have it refurbished. The model I need never seems to be on ebay and all the junk yards I've called and emailed either dont have it or want $500+ for it. I dont have that kinda money just for a radio... so many things on my saab are broken and in need of repair,

 

i'm startin to hate my saab...i just hit 45K miles on it, and it's an 04...and now all of a sudden everything is fallying apart...dash is flaking, radio is dead, and full sender gauge deal doesn't work anymore..i love filling up based on a guess! oh wells...thanks for the info..i'm going to go check out my amp1 today...

 

sadly when I bought my 03 last year the seller had just replaced the gas gauge for the same reason. it lasted maybe 6 months before almost every electronic component fried or broke. I've spent more in repairs already than I did on the car itself and I still have ~4 major repairs left to fix.

 

There was a guy on eBay that advertised his shop for the purpose of bypassing the amp1 fiber optic loop. it was like $60.

My amp1 is fried also, although it has been bypassed. I really want a new amp because I really want my speakers back and want to be able to upgrade without much constraint.

I'm not very knowledgable about the electronics in it so I wouldn't be able to do it myself, but I think you should give it a try if you have the experience.

Again search ebay for that guy. You send your amp to him and he will bypass it for about $60

 

I'll sell you mine, it's been sitting in my closet for about 2 years.. I bypassed the entire sound system the first week I owned my car..

 

^^^gah, i wish i had the time and knowledge (and cash) to do a complete bypass.

I would love to buy it from you, but I'm strapped for cash right now. If I save up a reasonable amount I will definately contact you.

I'm only 17 with a measley job that pays enough for me to get there. I'll be getting a new job at the end of the month though.

Until then, sir.

 

Amp 1

Morel,
I would love to buy your Amp 1 if has not been fried and bybassed. Please shoot me an e-mail.
Bill

 

I did replace it but no luck in the sound department. Still doesn't work and drains my battery if I leave it plugged in. I guess I'll try ti save up the $400 and buy the refurbished amp1 from the saabradio guy.

 

I guess I'll try ti save up the $400 and buy the refurbished amp1 from the saabradio guy.

If you're gonna save $400 for a refurbished amp, you might as well save $466 and buy the complete 'Premium' upgrade from PartsForSaabs Saab 9-3SS 2003 on 4 & 5 Door Models Premium Audio Upgrade this way you'll have a brand new amp and spare speakers should any of them get fried.

 

When the amp is refurbished do you gain the use of the speakers again or is it like a bypass where you lose the two door speakers?

 

you gain the use of all the speakers again. The guy from saabradio said he also coats the parts in a silicone a few times which is supposed to help protect it from frying out again due to moisture.

 

what does the amp1 sound like when it is going out? My car got rained in last weekend...now when i turn the car on and off ...sometimes...there is a pop through the speakers..sometimes not...it almost sounds like the dash speakers though...thats not amp1 right?

 

It's been so long since I've had sound in my speakers.... I think my car made popping noises, crackling noises, and static type noises from the speakers then silence.

 

Not to rub it in... but my amp1 spontaneously recovered. Took 3 start cycles, but all returned to normal. Except my passenger's mirror moved and was no longer stored in the position 1 memory setting.

I wish manufacturers were more transparent about how the computer modules communicate in these cars, because I obviously had some kind of communications burp. My next car is either gonna be something that has been hacked to smithereens, or an old analog rig like a 340 'cuda or Ferrari 348 (which surprisingly sell for about the same amount).

 

well my pop is def coming from the center speaker every time the car is turned off...and when switching between the radio, cd, and aux input the sound from the center speaker lingers a few seconds before it picks up the new signal...that isn't amp1 right...is that the head unit? Good Lord...how much does that thing cost to replace?

 

I made 4 of my speakers work by doing a diy bypass

I just took the amp 1 out, removed the fibre optic cables out of the inside of the amp 1, you have to open it up, then I connected them together by slideing them into a bic mechanical pencils lead holder, the inner one not the one you touch.

 

center speaker is amp1..

The front dash 3.5" L&R & rear shelf 4" L&R...powered by the ehu..

doors & centre speaker by amp1

6x9s if fitted powered by amp2

above is for 03-06 models only..

 

I have the 13 speaker system, and I have no sound from any speakers. Im trying to remove amp one, but i cant get any tools under the seat to get the thing out.

any tips? I dont want to spend a fortune redoing my system since im selling the car soon.

 

I can't remember the exact removal of the amp 1, i remmeber haveing to move my seat as far forward as it could go and i went in from the backseat.

After that i opened my amp 1 up and saw a thin black wire looping from one unit to another, i had to push and twist it inward to release the cable, i then used that cable and brought it back out to the car where i used tape and a the lead holder from inside a bic pen to hold the cable's together under the seat, now i'm able to get 4 or 5 speakers working and it has been working perfectly for about a year.

 

^ ahh my whole stereo is fried!!!

no sound at all, not even the blinker clicking.

 

I would look closer at your amp 1 once again. and it it only held in my one fiber optic connector and a torx screw. I lifted my seat up as high as it would go and to the front as far as i could and i didnt have to much trouble getting it out haha, way easier to get out then trying to pull the head unit out. which i did originally to check if it was fried. I had the exact same problem you did as nothing worked in my car, no turn signals, no ehu, and no sid. I did some research and found that once the fiber optic loop is broken in any place, they system does not work and you loose power to everything running off the loop, meaning everything. I got a new amp 1, installed it and it worked perfectly. Car was back to normal. There is even no need to have anything married to the car, as theres no reason to have to. However i faught with the guy at the saab dealership for an hour over it as he said if i got one from the dealer i would have to pay to get it re-married with the car. Show how much they know sometimes. i just purchased a refirbed amp from saabradio and it works beautifully. The amp looked like it was brand new, and i took a look inside to see what he siliconed, and it seemed he covered a few caps and around the board where the water can get in through the side vents on the amp. All in all either get, or make shift a bypass and you will have some of your speakers back, along with ur turn signals, sid, and ehu. Or if you want everything working just replace with a good amp1.

The final route is bypassing every speaker and installing an aftermarket amp to power all your speakers. I find this is a great method to fix the problem, and not have to worry about water damage issues in the future, along with increased sound quality due to being able to install an amp with a higher wattage output, and being able to have less limitations switiching components of your audio system. But for my case i just replaced my amp 1 and went with the easy fix. And so far its served me well, except i find my speakers do pop when the car is cold and cut a little bit, but once the car warms up everything works like new.

hope this helps a little, just bringing you through my experiences with the problem