I've purchased a used (2000) Octavia that does not have rear speakers and I plan to install them myself. The head unit has wiring for rear speakers, but I couldn't find any wires at the back. Did I miss anything?

I would imagine that the wiring is still there even if the speakers aren't.

Assuming that it is all in place, it shouldn't be too hard to find.

Once you have taken the side boot lining out, the loom runs over the top of the back wheel arch and there will be a point at which the wiring for the interior boot light separates from the loom. As I recall, the wiring for the rear speakers would normally also split somewhere not too far from that point (probably more toward the front of the car) and head straight for the speaker terminals. The near-side uses red and green IIRC, not sure what the off-side uses. Presumably these wires will now just be run alomg with the loom and terminated in some way.

Bear in mind that there are two pairs of cable involved for each corner on the standard install - one pair runs from the HU to the main speaker and one pair runs from the main speaker to the tweeters in the door. Both pairs are coloured the same so you'll have to try each one until you get some sound coming through.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, Andy, but unfortunately I couldn't find any wires. I examined the boot before I posted my question. The left hand side of the boot (viewd from the back) has some cables, but they are all connected, none of them are terminated. The right hand side has no cables whatsoever.

Could it be that the speaker cables are terminated somewhere before they reach the boot?

BTW, is there any difference between the main and tweeter cables?

I'm not sure then TBH mate, it could be terminated anywhere. I know the loom is pretty well wrapped up behind the glovebox so trying to trace the cable isn't really an option apart from right near the connector block. It is visible down the left had sill when it gets toward the back, I can't remember about the front, but I know it's a bit more tucked away in the middle, by the door pillar.

I didn't notice any difference between the main speaker cable and the ones for the tweeter - they're the same guage and colour for both.

I would imagine that the wiring is still there even if the speakers aren't.

I thought that too, but as it happens if the car doesn't come with rear speakers then it doesn't come with the rear speaker wiring either! AFAIK all UK models come with rear speakers, but some on the continent, etc. don't...think the previous example I'd seen was a Greek Ambiente.

The owner ended up paying an ICE installer to run some cables down the car and fit a set of co-axial rear speakers...

Rob.

My Classic octy estate came without speakers or wiring and they had to be wired in from the head unit

That does surprise me.

I thought it would be a case of one just using one standard loom for the whole range, saving the hassle of having variations.

At least it's not a difficult job to run the wiring. The hardest bit I found was having the confidence to pull at the bits of trim where I couldn't see anything holding it on - pretty daunting when you've only had the car a couple of days!

My 99 MY 1.6 GLX didn't have rear speakers. Got the dealer to install them. The jobs a bitch, took four hours, loads of bits of trim had to come off. Skoda do kits for the wiring and the speakers - both are expensive and their standard speakers don't do much for sound quality, so make sure to use good quality bits. You probably don't want to have to do the work a second time.

AndyC

The jobs a bitch, took four hours, loads of bits of trim had to come off.

Yeah, that's a good point, and in order to get the trim out from around the rear wheel arch section you have to remove the side shelf, which involves un-bolting the seat belt reel.

It took me about 2 hours to run the cable for my changer, though I reckon I could do it a lot quicker now I know how it all hangs together.