Changing the rear door speakers on a 2005 Volvo XC70

Last weekend I chose to change the rear speakers on my XC70. The speakers still worked fine, they just weren't crisp enough (at least in my opinion). So, I went on Amazon and bought a pair of 6.5" Pioneer speakers. What a difference they make.

Materials required:

6.5" Speakers (any brand is fine)

A torx bit set with bits ranging from 10 to 30

A small flat head screw driver

A set of pliers

A corded or cordless drill with a 1/8" bit for steel

1. The door panel must first be removed. As you can see, there are plastic riviets surrounding the edge of the interior door panel. Use a flat head screw driver to pry them out. You can click on any of the following photos to enlarge them.

2. Locate this cover in the interior side of the panel. Its right inside the door handle pocket. use your small screw driver to pry it out. Then use a T25 bit to uncrew the final bolt.

3. Grab the door handle pocket, and lift the interior panel up. The panel has a lip on the inside that slides next to the glass. Make sure to not move it too high, because we must now disconnect it.

4. take your screw driver and pry the plastic cover that holds the door release cable. Be careful to not break it!

 5. This is the switch that makes the glass go up or down. take your screw driver and pry the clips open. Once free, wiggle the switch out.

Here is the switch, freed from the panel:

 6. Next, take your drill and drill out the rivets that hold the speaker in place. Once drilled, just tug hard and the speaker should give way. There is a connector, disconnect it to remove the stock speaker and its housing.

 Here is the new Pioneer speaker vs. the stock Volvo speaker. Notice how the pioneer has a rubber filter vs.  the Volvo's paper one. Rubber filters make a clearer sound.

7. Take your pliers and pull the connector free from the old speakers wires. You will need this.

 8. Connect the wires to your new speaker. Remember black goes to ground, and red / white goes to the positive terminal.

 9. You can simply crimp the wires together like I did, or you can solder them together for better sound quality. I took the panel off again to solder them, just to make it a better connection.

 10. Put your new speaker in the old speaker hole. Mark the holes where the screws go in. Take your drill and drill in the new holes.

 11. Take your screws and fasten the new speaker in.

 12. Now its time to reconnect the door panels electrical and door release connections.

 13. Now snap in the door cable back in place.

14. Now all you have to do its refasten the door panel to the metal exterior panel. Once your done, test it out. If you hear noise from the speaker, your done! If you dont, switch the wires, your polarities are wrong.