How to disable the Bose subwoofer

[rubley]

The Bose subwoofer is terribly detrimental to the sound quality in the Volt. They inexplicably seemed to have tuned the port to the resonant frequency of the car. Anyway, if you want accurate sound you can disable the subwoofer in about 10 mins with 1 socket wrench required.

Lift up the hinged floor in the back of the car (the subwoofer is under there). There are 4 nuts holding the plastic tray down to the floor of the car. Remove those nuts (10mm I think it was), pull up on the hinged floor and you can get the plastic tray out.

Under the tray you'll find the 12v battery, the subwoofer enclosure with amp mounted to it, and a blower motor for cooling an electronics box that lives back there too. On the left side of the subwoofer enclosure, there is a 2 pin speaker connection - simply disconnect it and the subwoofer will be disabled.

Obviously do this at your own risk, I don't believe disconnecting the sub causes any problems, but I'm not providing a warranty on your work. I don't think there are any high voltage connections back there, but like I said, do it at your own risk.

On the up side, the frequency response can finally be (almost) tamed. Check the pics on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/26241848@N04/

[N Riley]

Interesting. Thanks for the pictures.

[MTN Ranger]

I wonder for the models without the Bose amp and subwoofer option - do you get any extra space in that area?

[Rusty]

I wonder for the models without the Bose amp and subwoofer option - do you get any extra space in that area?

I haven't looked to see how big the subwoofer is, though I'll venture a guess the amp isn't very big. The "blower motor for cooling an electronics box that lives back there too" mentioned in the OP is probably the APM, and you need that.

Likewise in the OP: "I don't think there are any high voltage connections back there, but like I said, do it at your own risk." Yes, the input to the APM is HV-DC straight off the battery (unless I misunderstood what WOT said about it). The output is the 175 amp 12(ish?) VDC bus. IFF the car is turned off, there is *no* HV-DC present outside the battery housing. I don't know where the HV-DC trunks into the APM, but I wouldn't want to work in there with the car turned on.

For that matter having worked with a field engineer who managed to get between a 5 VDC 1K-amp bus and ground, I'd be careful around the back end of the APM if the car is turned on too. In his case it melted his gold wedding ring off his finger, in an instant.

[MTN Ranger]

I haven't looked to see how big the subwoofer is, though I'll venture a guess the amp isn't very big. The "blower motor for cooling an electronics box that lives back there too" mentioned in the OP is probably the APM, and you need that.

From looking at the photos, the Bose Amp+subwoofer appears to be roughly the size of a standard car 12V battery.

[rubley]

Yeah, I didn't take the time to measure it, but I'd say the box volume is about the same as a standard battery

[Hawthorne]

Is it even worth it to get the upgraded speakers + subwoofer package?

[rubley]

I never heard a stock stereo, my dealer had 2 Volts and both were loaded. I'm not aware of the differences, so unfortunately I can't say. I'm pretty satisfied with the Bose system minus subwoofer, I might go down the road of making more mods but thats just because I like to tinker, most people would be happy I think.

[MsKitty4]

We ordered our Volt with the Bose speaker and subwoofer upgrade, but when we took delivery and I asked where the subwoofer was, the salesman said it didn't have one because there wasn't room for one. I can't find an adjustment for it in the software (usually you can tune bass/treble/subwoofer) so I'm doubting that we have one. Doesn't really sound like it, just sounds like a car stereo before you blow a speaker. Our "Volt advisor" called today and I asked her to find out about it. If we don't have a subwoofer, I want part of my $495 back!

[MTN Ranger]

We ordered our Volt with the Bose speaker and subwoofer upgrade, but when we took delivery and I asked where the subwoofer was, the salesman said it didn't have one because there wasn't room for one. I can't find an adjustment for it in the software (usually you can tune bass/treble/subwoofer) so I'm doubting that we have one. Doesn't really sound like it, just sounds like a car stereo before you blow a speaker. Our "Volt advisor" called today and I asked her to find out about it. If we don't have a subwoofer, I want part of my $495 back!

If you go to the rear hatch area, open the hinged floor up. If you remove the plastic storage piece that holds the EVSE, you will find the subwoofer. I haven't done it yet, but I think there may be a few screws to remove in order to get the plastic try out.