If you have no power with new or old radio then there is one of two problems. Loose or corroded grounds will usually cause more complicated issues than a total failure, but it’s worth checking before you go out and buy a new head unit. Hi everyone! Because if both the power and ground are good, and your head unit still won’t turn on, it’s probably toast. Will not turn on. Take the stereo out. While it may be tempting to "fix" a blown fuse by using a heavier duty fuse, it's important to actually drill down, find the root of the problem, and correct it. To remove the stereo, you'll need to first remove the screws under the center console. They are not definitive in any way. Fix blown fuse i thought if i replaced it it would spring to life. If you find that your sound comes back on if you open and shut the door, that may be the problem, or it could be a ground issue. Replaced with an after market radio, still no power. Radio stopped working. He also ghostwrites articles for numerous major trade publications. I figured okay, must be a faulty unit, the adapter lit up and my stereo worked fine. If your stereo does not turn on at all, it could be because of a blown fuse. no power to stereo 3 Answers. Car stereo, SOS and the factory telephone are part of the fiber optic system. My car is VW Golf mk4. Make sure the harnesses are plugged into the car stereo. Visually checked fuses and relays; no problems. No power lights, nothing. Trace back wiring from the car stereo’s control head power harness to the fuse block and verify that the wiring is all intact. You’ll probably have to buy a new head unit if the issue is in the tuner, but a lot of these problems are actually antenna issues. The most likely cause of a stereo not powering up is a blown fuse. Car radio problems are most common with aftermarket equipment installed, but even OEM equipment can experience problems ranging from shorts to blown fuses to corrosion. the new radio connected easily enough but has ... ( was it working then stopped) ? In that case, tightening the antenna connections or buying a new antenna will fix your car radio problem. Radio (stereo) stopped working 98 Answers. There is either still a blown fuse smewhere (car fuse panel will have a radio fuse (switched), and often a fuse for the constant power which can be shared by dashlights, or cigarette lighter (constant). If the amp fuse is blown, that is probably the reason that you aren't getting any sound out of your car radio. Other causes can be a short in the wiring or other wiring problems. Afterwards, it will be necessary to … I've tried a different stereo I knew was working and that didn't either. Follow the steps below if the buttons on the car stereo faceplate are no longer working. Question: ... That said the Jensen RV Stereo part # VX4022ARTL would be a solid choice if you find that your fuse is intact and your stereo is still not working. My car stereo suddenly stopped working. I checked all the wires, i figured it probelly could only be speaker wires or rca wire since the amp lights up. The nature of car fuses means that you can easily replace a weak 5A fuse with a heavy-duty 40A fuse, since they have the same size and shape, but doing so could destroy your wiring or even cause a fire. Troubleshooting RV Stereo that Stopped Working with No Power. If you find that the radio is no longer working in your car, the cause is most likely a disconnection from the power source or where the current passes through. If you encounter a fuse along the red wire, replace it. Cars are unforgiving environments for electronics, and vibration, heat and dust can all cause premature failure. Take a close look and make sure no wires are loose entering the harness. Shop Popular Brands. Today we answer a fairly common question about not getting any sound from a car stereo, even though it powers on. I woke up this morning and after i turned my car i realized that the subwoofer wasnt working. No other display. Is There a Cheaper Alternative to Air Conditioning? Black (usually ground) Red (usually battery) and Yellow (usually constant power). Some security features of stereos actually prevent them from working after a power interruption. Many car amplifiers are incorrectly diagnosed and sent in for repair/returned because of incorrect hookup. Some of the fuses to look for are the amp fuses and radio fuses on the car’s fuse block. Won't turn on at all now. If you have a car stereo that has no sound than we should start by checking that all the wires are hooked up. You will likely need a set of car stereo removal tools to slip into the notches on each side of the panel and release the head from the mounting bracket. Thanks so much! No power or anything. The other thing is that the ground wire is not making contact. What could cause this? either the power is on all the time at the radio power input point or it comes and goes. The size and color should match the existing fuse. Replace the wire. What You Need to Know About Car Amp Wiring, Why Your Car Won't Start Even Though the Lights Work. helpful expert reply by: Jameson C. 1. Car Stereo Has No Power: Blown Fuse/Bad Head Unit Now, let's say the stereo in your car won't turn on at all, but the rest of your car's electronics seem to be working fine. How to fix Car Amp for no sound? Some cars are able to receive some stations, depending on proximity and signal strength, with the whip retracted, while others can’t tune in anything at all. 5 Reasons your Car Stereo Stopped Working: Carter Subaru Ballard Pro Tips One of the great joys of driving is cranking up the stereo and listening to your favorite tunes as you sail down the highway -- and if you're stuck in traffic, catching up on the local news and sports events of … Check that the stereo circuit fuse hasn’t blown. Tight working-space confines can create difficulty making connections in the first place. The wiring harness can be split into two or three areas—speakers, power and accessories, such as subwoofers. There is no sound through some or all of the speakers for the car stereo. Remove car stereo from dash. Remove the car stereo from its internationally standardized slot in the car's dashboard known as a DIN -- Deutsches Institut für Normung -- slot. Anyone have any ideas on what might be happening and what action to take? Here are a few common problems and what can be done to troubleshoot, as well as fix them (my fixes are the most common. This left the stereo in mute mode. Shut doors can restrict your speakers from operating to the maximum. The car stereo turns off by itself or loses power. If you've recently moved to a new area, or you're just trying to listen to one station that you can't receive any more, then an antenna booster may also fix the problem. Watch the light in case it ... Don’t touch any exposed ends or active power sources like a car battery or wall outlet. It's been in a garage for 6 months and after a recent MOT is back on the road. Got all the wiring looms I needed, including the one for the steering wheel controls. Here are a few different common problems and potential solutions. For instance, it could be as simple as a blown fuse if the display doesn’t come on, or it could be an antenna problem if the radio part doesn’t work but other audio sources (like CD players) do work. Product Repair. Removing that bit of wiring solved the problem. Make sure that your wires pass through areas where they experience the least disturbance. - Cars & Trucks question I did have my driver door and one passenger door open for quite some time while it was raining outside the day before it stopper working. Check that the connection is good and not rusted out. Car Wagon SUV/Jeep Minivan Truck RV/Camper. This problem can have several causes, most common ones being blown out fuses and bad wiring. The fuse is in the centralized fuse block location with all the other fuses. Jeremy Laukkonen is tech writer and the creator of a popular blog and video game startup. The main reason why it is not working is that these blown fuses do not let the power to the radio, amps or the speakers. Vibration can cause wiring to become loose. the radio in my grilfriends car didnt work..it had power but no sound. If your radio doesn’t work, but you can listen to CDs, MP3 players, and other audio sources, then the problem is either related to the tuner or the antenna. Make sure that your car radio has these 3 wires hooked up correctly. I tried to fit my JVC KD441 into my new focus (2001). All my car speakers stopped working, no sound at either aux/radio or bluetooth. This is especially useful when one’s stereo has been stolen. Vibration can cause wiring to become loose. ... but left the wiring harness in place. Car amps use plug fuses that are similar to or often the same as normal car fuses. If you find a blown fuse, try replacing it and then driving around for a while to see if it blows again. Does not seem to have any power at ratio connector power pin. Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day, When It's Just the Car Radio That Doesn't Work, Fixing a Car Radio That Stopped Working After the Battery Died, What to Do When the Gauges in Your Car Aren't Working, How to Fix a Car Radio That Won't Turn Off, Common Car Amp Problems (And How to Fix Them), What to Do When Your Car Interior Lights Stop Working. The first and the simplest thing to do to know why your car subwoofer isn't working, is to check all the power cables to make sure your subwoofer is properly connected. If your car radio isn’t working, or the system isn’t working properly, one of our mechanics can inspect and diagnose the problem, and then repair the system for you. If it does, then you have a short somewhere that’s probably going to be a little more difficult to fix. You might have to connect a test lamp or DMM (digital Multimeter -Voltmeter function) to the power feed where it goes into the radio itself (or as close to the radio as you can get) to prove whether the problem is with the power into the radio or it is in the radio itself, i.e. This isn't going to be the fix you're looking for if the radio doesn't work at all, but if you're just having a problem with weak signals, then it may do the trick. If the car radio has this feature, wait for the word “code” to appear, then enter a code or do the procedure of recalibrating the stereo, albeit manually, for it to start operating again. Step by step: How to Fix a Car Stereo That Has Power But Won’t Turn On? You might want to start by checking the fuses. When I installed it, the adapter didnt work, but got power. Copyright 2021 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media. In this part of the article, our editors have explained how you can easily fix your car amplifiers for no sound. However, the stereo is not working. Some amps have in-line fuses while others are fused at the amp itself, and some installations have more than one fuse. Michael Heine is a CompTIA-certified writer, editor, and Network Engineer with 25+ years' experience working in the television, defense, ISP, telecommunications, and education industries. Saw a similar post about someone who had the exact same thing happen when she closed her glove-box. In some cases, a broken wire or bad connection in the speaker wires where they pass through into a door can also cut off the sound altogether rather than just cutting off the sound to one speaker. Patrick Nelson has been a professional writer since 1992. If you get in your car one day, and the radio won’t turn on at all, it’s probably a power or ground issue. You will need to locate the blown fuses by using a voltmeter or consult a mechanic or car audio system diagnosis professional. Take a look at the back of the head and you should see some groups of wires connected to wiring harnesses. The issue could be related to the amp if you have an external amp or the speaker wires. Fuses are good. I have had my subwoofer in my car for about a year now with little to no problems after i installed it. The radio is working just fine and the right side speakers play just fine also but the left side is not working whatsoever. Why Doesn't the 12v Socket in My Car Work? Modern cars have a variety of fuses tucked away in fuse … It was working fine the day before so i checked all cables, ground wires, RCA's, and connections, hoping it was just one of them that was disconnected. If your car has one of these, and you haven’t already checked it, then you’ll want to verify that nobody retracted it when you weren’t looking. The car stereo does not recognize the satellite radio tuner. If your radio turns on, but you don’t get any sound from the speakers, there are a whole lot of different potential culprits. If you have a car radio that works sometimes, and suddenly cuts out at other times, that can be more difficult to diagnose. If you’re working on a car amp, simply remove the red wire on its back end. I changed the fuse under the dash and still nothing. There are usually spare fuses in the box, so you can replace the fuse with the same rated fuse. My vehicle was parked outside for an hour (seventy eight degrees, no rain) and when we started it up, the power window controls and radio stopped working. The most likely cause of a stereo not powering up is a blown fuse. Whether the connection is to an amplifier or directly to the receiver, it is worthwhile to check all the connections on car stereo speakers. If you have a voltmeter or test light, you can check for power and ground at the fuse block and also at the radio itself to help locate the fault. I've checked the fuses and they seem fine. Poor speaker connections or broken wires can at times make your speakers stop working. Check the stereo fuses in the fuse box under the driver's side dash. Alternatively, there could be a blown fuse in the system or a problem with the power or ground connector. He was editor and publisher of the music industry trade publication "Producer Report" and has written for a number of technology blogs. Clock will work and display when "Menu" is pressed. Nelson studied design at Hornsey Art School. That could be as simple as a blown fuse. Hello, The other day i noticed my Subwoofer not working. A car stereo will always have 3 different power wires going to the deck section. Remove the wire and use sandpaper to clean the connection. I have a Honda Accord 1997 and I have noticed that the left speakers are not working in my car. Your amplifier could have a completley different problem, though it is I checked the fuses (even under the hood) all seem to be fine. Cars are unforgiving environments for electronics, and vibration, heat and dust can all cause premature failure. My stereo still has power. Car stereo issues are very common, especially with older cars. For instance, a loose or corroded antenna can cause poor reception or no reception at all. You might want to start by checking the fuses. Other causes can be a short in the wiring or other wiring problems. Remove fiber optic cable from car stereo. If a car wash attendant pushed it in to be helpful, or a prankster shoved it in while your car was parked somewhere, you could very easily climb back in, turn on the radio, and find that it won’t work at all. Bose head unit stopped working. Because a vehicle is constantly vibrating while in operation, it is easy for connections to become loose or disconnected.You also need to make sure that the wires are able to accommodate the entire power supply needed to operate the speakers. The buttons on the car stereo faceplate stopped working. One common symptom of loose o… For today’s topic, that is, car amp turns on but no sound from subs, this part explains everything. Pull up the cup holders and remove the screws at the bottom of each cu… Another surprisingly common car antenna issue has to do with manually retractable whips. If there is no audio, in most cases, this is a car stereo problem. Any help on what else it could be? Okay, I installed an audio-in adapter so I could plug my iphone into my stereo with out using an FM transmitter. WARNING: There is a risk of data loss. Well everything was connected properly so i tested my ground, remote turn on, and battery cable for power, everything was fine. Plugged it in, turned on and it worked fine. If you find a blown fuse, try replacing it and then driving around for a while to see if it blows again. There are a few things that can cause a car radio to suddenly stop working, but it’s tough to say exactly what your problem is without knowing some more information. Depending on where your amp is located, it may be easy or quite difficult to check the amp. I Turned it off and pushed it into its slot in the console, and its has stopped working. Make sure that the amplifier is power on. Turn the ignition key to the accessory setting and press the “Power” button a few times to verify the condition. Turn car stereo off then back on. If you get in your car one day, and the radio won’t turn on at all, it’s probably a power or ground issue. You can test them for continuity using a multi-meter.In some models there is another fuse located on the back of the stereo head unit. Sometimes the amp itself really is at fault. The black wire may well go straight to the car body—it’s the ground. When that happens, all you have to do is enter the right car radio code, and you’re back in business. Where do I begin to track this problem? The most common reason for a car radio to stop working after the battery has gone completely dead is that the radio has an anti-theft “feature” that kicks in whenever battery power is removed. Wires that pass through areas like doors and windows are usually the most prone to breakage. This procedure erases all settings and resets the car stereo to the factory default settings. A voltmeter or consult a mechanic or car audio car stereo stopped working no power diagnosis professional the satellite radio tuner stereo in... Press the “ power ” button a few times to verify the condition cars & Trucks question stereo. The fuses to look for are the amp lights up, in cases. 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