Nissan Leaf 2018 Speaker Upgrade plan

[Crimsen]

Recently purchased a Nissan Leaf 2018 N-Connecta 40 kWh.
I previously had a Civic with a custom subwoofer and upgraded everything.
from adding subwoofer, changing door speakers, tweeters, interface, you name it.
I will be honest and say that the leaf does not have a great sound system without Bose.
i am well experienced in this field, but only older cars, and not electric cars.

So i wanted to create a plan and ask for suggestions or discover tips, do's and dont's
before starting to take apart anything.

First off all, is there anyone who knows the dimensions of the original front door speakers in this car? (or all speakers, if different?)

 

[DrP]

Hey... I've changed all my speakers (components in the front, though I'll be honest and say I've only changed the mods..not the tweeter ...yet...)..
I THINK they are 165mm.. the fronts are component, rears are coaxial...

I also kept the original head unit and managed to squeeze a mini Focal amp (with speaker level input, as the factory heat unit doesn't have RCA) actually IN the dash!

Sounds great..

I've not gone down the sub route, but would be interested to see what you do.

You tube is the key resource for how to remove dash and door panels...

Good luck

DrP

 

[akylore]

Just an FYI - the later models of LEAFs allow for FLAC playing (as opposed to mp3,) which brings a more hi-res, full audio experience. It's a bit of a hassle with the earlier models, using a separate FLAC player to connect via bluetooth (and a headphone amplifier to boost the signal in the TRS line-in,) but you'd be amazed at how it actually improves the sound despite the cheaper speakers of the earlier models. If you still listen to or own CDs, you can still use a Windows Media Player or anything else to rip to FLAC instead of mp3. They're larger files but the sound boost is worth it.
Crutchfield(dot)com has some interesting links on replacing speakers in the LEAF, apparently it's possible. They have a cool interface where you can enter in the year, make and model of your car to determine what's available. My understanding is that their site generally recommends only replacing the available speakers and not using anything more fancy. I'm still looking into those options.

 

[gearyleaf]

Hey... I've changed all my speakers (components in the front, though I'll be honest and say I've only changed the mods..not the tweeter ...yet...)..
I THINK they are 165mm.. the fronts are component, rears are coaxial...

I also kept the original head unit and managed to squeeze a mini Focal amp (with speaker level input, as the factory heat unit doesn't have RCA) actually IN the dash!

Sounds great..

I've not gone down the sub route, but would be interested to see what you do.

You tube is the key resource for how to remove dash and door panels...

Good luck

DrP

I have not seen any docs on how to remove a 2018 nissan leaf door panel anywhere including these forums.

 

[Doanster1]

Door panels are very easy to R&I. I replaced the fronts with Infinity Kappa 62ix. Kept all connectors stock and the mounting rings lined up perfectly with the door’s mounting holes so everything is reversible (not that I’d bother putting the factory speakers back in when I sell the car). I previously posted about this in a different thread. Links I found when orig investigating below. Well worth the small time and $$ investment. Noticeable improvement, but don’t expect thundering bass, etc. Next on the list was to add a sub while keeping the stock HU. Found a couple aftermarket harnesses that plug into the stock one that provide RCA-outs, but never got around to completing the project as I’m not the main driver of the car.

 

[johnlewis1]

Hey there!

Oh, I totally get what you're talking about with the door panels and speaker upgrades. I did something similar with my car a while back, and it's amazing how much difference a good set of speakers like the Infinity Kappa 62ix can make. Keeping the connectors stock and ensuring everything is reversible is a smart move, especially if you're considering resale value down the line. It's like picking out the perfect outfit for a night out, making sure everything fits just right. Speaking of fitting perfectly, I remember when I found these sexy leggings that were an absolute game-changer for my gym sessions – comfortable, durable, and they didn't cost a fortune. It's the same with car upgrades, right? You want the best quality without breaking the bank.

 

[Crimsen]

little update, i moved on to installing a aftermarket Amplifier DSP, and a subwoofer. Tried to wire up the harness. Failed, and now i have these. I think i shorted a fuse connecting the acc wire. A fuse is shorted but now left with these messages, wierd brake and no subwoofer.

 

[Doanster1]

Eek, not good. When you say you tried to wire up the harness, what does that mean? Did you buy a harness adapter to preserve the stock wiring or did you tap/splice the wires? First thing to do now is to reverse/undo everything, check the fuses, etc., and see if you can get back to good. Something’s def off since you only needed to tap for input (high or low level speaker outs) and maybe a remote turn-on (switched power) wire. Power and ground should’ve been straight from the battery.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Marius25]

what did you wire it too?? Disconnect the amplifier and clear the codes, they are probably not related faults, just happened to have a bad timing.

I don't know how much power the 12v gets from the car, but, an amp and third party sub/speakers can draw a good amount of energy, and could potentially just be a low 12v battery.

When i upgraded the stereo of my last vehicle i had to upgrade the alternator by 20amps (adds about 240w at 12v) to handle the upgraded amplifiers, sub and speakers as the system alone could easily draw 200 on the low end, up to 400w to where i liked the volume. There is a energy loss in the amplifier you have to calculate as well, not just the speakers.

To anyone upgrading speakers, while you're in the door you should add a small amount of butyl deadener to the door panel to reduce resonance, no point in upgrading speakers otherwise...